“My name is Rachel Morgan.
If Anna is hearing this, David failed to destroy everything.”
My knees weakened.
Emily caught my arm.
Rachel continued.
“Michael discovered that David had taken money from our parents’ estate.
David used Michael’s signature to move it.
When Michael confronted him, David threatened to ruin us both.”
David reached for the recorder.
Claire held it behind her back.
“Turn that off.”
Rachel’s voice shook through the tiny speaker.
“When I tried to tell Anna, David showed me photographs of Emily outside her preschool.
He said children get lost every day.”
Emily went white.
“You threatened me?” she whispered.
“I never touched you,” David snapped.
“Rachel was confused.”
The recording continued.
“I ran with Claire because David said he would take her and make Anna believe I had abandoned everyone.
Three years later, he found us.”
A second voice spoke in the background.
“Rachel, sign the guardianship form.”
Margaret’s folder slipped from her hands.
“That’s my voice,” she whispered.
Margaret shut off the recorder.
“That conversation did not happen the way it sounds.”
Claire stared at her.
“How else can it sound?”
“I believed Rachel was voluntarily placing you in temporary care.”
“Did you see her sign anything?” I asked.
Margaret picked up her folder.
“I will not discuss a former client’s confidential matter.”
David stepped beside her.
“You heard her.
This is over.”
Emily blocked the office door.
“You threatened Mom’s sister with my safety.”
David pointed at the recorder.
“That file is eighteen years old.
It has been edited.”
Claire’s voice trembled.
“My mother was crying.”
“Rachel cried whenever she wanted sympathy.”
My palm struck the desk.
“Do not speak about my sister that way.”
David leaned closer.
“Your sister lied to you.
She stole from us, disappeared, and left you to clean up the shame.”
“No,” Claire said.
“You left me in foster care.”
“She signed you away.”
David opened Margaret’s folder and removed a document.
“Here is the surrender agreement.
Rachel’s signature is at the bottom.”
Claire read it.
Her face crumpled.
