Chapter 6: The Secret Patricia Was Afraid to Reveal
Patricia arrived at the coffee shop ten minutes early.
She sat near the window, wearing a beige coat and oversized sunglasses. Her handbag rested on the chair beside her.
She looked different without her usual audience.
Smaller.
Older.
Almost frightened.
Rebecca had arranged the meeting after receiving Patricia's written agreement to provide information relevant to the custody dispute. She had also made it clear that I would not meet Patricia alone.
Zoe and Rebecca sat at a nearby table, close enough to intervene.
I approached Patricia.
"Hello.""
She looked up.
"Chloe.""
I sat opposite her.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Patricia removed her sunglasses.
Her eyes were red.
"I didn't think you would come.""
"I didn't think you'd have anything worth hearing.""
She flinched.
"That's fair.""
I placed my phone on the table.
"Why did you send me that photograph of Lily?""
Patricia looked toward the window.
"Because I wanted you to understand that I know how much she means to you.""
"Then why did you help them take her away?""
She lowered her head.
"I made a terrible mistake.""
I leaned forward.
"Which one? Helping Megan slap my daughter? Helping Mark steal her savings? Or arranging for them to make me look unstable?""
Patricia's fingers tightened around her handbag.
"I never wanted Lily hurt.""
"But you knew what Megan was planning.""
She didn't answer.
I pushed my chair back slightly.
"Then we're finished.""
"Wait!""
Her voice was louder than she intended.
People at the next table glanced over.
Patricia lowered her voice.
"Please. There's something you don't know about Megan.""
I stayed seated.
"Talk.""
She opened her handbag and removed a small envelope.
Inside were several printed bank statements.
She slid them toward me.
"These are from the company account.""
I examined the first page.
The initial deposit was $25,000.
The next several transactions were transfers to Megan's personal account.
Then there were payments to a law firm.
I looked up.
"Why were you paying lawyers?""
Patricia swallowed.
"Because Megan wanted to make sure the custody arrangement was prepared properly.""
"She hired the lawyer?""
"No. Mark did.""
I stared at her.
"Why are you giving me this?""
"Because I discovered something after Thanksgiving.""
She opened another document.
It was an email printed on paper.
The sender was Megan.
The recipient was Patricia.
The subject line read:
*After Chloe Loses Custody.*
I began reading.
Megan had written that once the temporary custody arrangement was approved, she intended to move Lily into her apartment.
She would enroll her in a private school and present herself as the person providing the stable home environment.
There was also a paragraph about Mark.
It said that he could continue seeing Lily, but Megan didn't want him interfering with her decisions.
I looked at Patricia.
"She was planning to take over completely?""
Patricia nodded.
"She has always been obsessed with Lily.""
"That's your explanation?""
"No. There's more.""
She removed a second envelope.
This one contained photographs.
The first showed Megan standing outside a school.
The second showed her holding a folder with Lily's name on it.
The third showed her speaking to a woman in a black suit.
I recognized the woman.
"Who's that?""
"Dr. Elaine Foster. She's a child psychologist.""
"Why was Megan meeting her?""
Patricia looked uncomfortable.
"She wanted a report.""
"What kind of report?""
"Something that would support the claim that Lily was emotionally distressed by living with you.""
I stared at her.
"Did Lily ever see this woman?""
Patricia nodded.
"Once.""
My hands began trembling.
"When?""
"October.""
I remembered October.
Mark had told me he was taking Lily to a children's activity center.
He had returned home with a coloring book and said they had spent the afternoon painting.
"Where did he take her?""
Patricia looked down.
"To Megan's apartment.""
I felt sick.
"Did he take her to a psychologist without telling me?""
Patricia nodded again.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because Megan wanted documentation.""
I stood up.
"You're telling me my five-year-old daughter was taken to a psychologist as part of a custody plan without my knowledge?""
Patricia reached for my hand.
"Chloe, please.""
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
Her eyes filled.
"I know I don't deserve forgiveness.""
"No, you don't.""
She wiped her face.
"There's something else. The money wasn't only for Megan's business.""
I sat back down slowly.
"What does that mean?""
Patricia took a deep breath.
"Mark told me he needed to move the money quickly because there was a debt.""
"What debt?""
She hesitated.
"His.""
I stared at her.
"What kind of debt?""
"Credit cards. Personal loans. Gambling.""
The coffee shop seemed to grow silent.
I remembered Mark's late nights.
His unexplained business trips.
The expensive watches he had started wearing.
The times he told me his company was having a difficult quarter.
"How much?""
Patricia shook her head.
"I don't know the exact amount.""
"You're his mother.""
"I know.""
"How much did he lose?""
She finally whispered, "More than eighty thousand dollars.""
My stomach dropped.
Eighty thousand.
And he had used our daughter's college savings to help cover his financial problems.
But why involve Megan?
Patricia looked toward Rebecca and Zoe.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Because Megan wasn't just helping him. She was receiving money in exchange for agreeing to take Lily.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"Receiving money from whom?""
Patricia opened the final document.
It was a transfer confirmation.
The amount was $15,000.
The sender was Mark Bennett.
The recipient was Megan Bennett.
The description read:
*GUARDIANSHIP SUPPORT.*
I stared at it.
My husband had paid his sister to become our daughter's guardian.
Patricia leaned closer.
"There's another reason Megan wanted Lily. Something she has been hiding from everyone.""
"What?""
Patricia's voice dropped to a whisper.
"Megan cannot have children. She has been telling people for years that she wants to adopt. But after her divorce, no agency would approve her.""
I looked at the transfer confirmation again.
"She wanted Lily instead.""
Patricia nodded.
"She believes that once the court gives her temporary guardianship, she can make herself indispensable.""
I couldn't speak.
Then Patricia said something that changed the entire situation.
"Chloe, I didn't tell you everything because I was afraid.""
"Afraid of what?""
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a small USB drive.
"Last week, I found another recording on the house security system. Megan was talking to Mark in the garage.""
She placed the drive on the table.
"She said that once Lily was living with her, she would make sure Mark never got her back.""
My heart pounded.
"Did Mark agree?""
Patricia shook her head.
"I don't know. But there's something in that recording about the night Lily was taken to Megan's apartment.""
I picked up the USB drive.
Then Patricia grabbed my wrist.
"Chloe, there's one more thing.""
I looked at her.
"Mark didn't just take Lily to see that psychologist.""
Her voice cracked.
"He signed a document saying you had already agreed to the evaluation.""
I froze.
"That's impossible.""
Patricia nodded.
"I know.""
"Then who signed my name?""
She looked directly into my eyes.
And whispered:
"Megan.""
I pulled my hand away.
Rebecca immediately approached our table.
"Chloe, we need to preserve that drive and get it examined.""
I nodded, unable to form a sentence.
But before we could leave, Patricia spoke again.
"There's a reason you need to act quickly.""
"What reason?""
She looked toward the coffee shop entrance.
A black SUV had just pulled into the parking lot.
Mark stepped out.
He wasn't alone.
Megan was sitting in the passenger seat.
And when she saw us through the window, she smiled.
Patricia went pale.
"She knows I'm here.""
Then my phone rang.
The screen displayed Mark's name.
I answered.
His voice was cold.
"Chloe, I know what my mother gave you.""
I looked through the window at Megan.
Mark continued.
"Whatever is on that USB drive, don't watch it.""
"Why?""
He paused.
May you like
Then he said:
"Because the recording proves that Lily wasn't the only person they planned to use against you.""
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