“Now let’s talk about who really owns what.”
Judge Alvarez stopped the recording. She looked at Kristen for a long moment.
The silk, the pearls, and the practiced grief suddenly looked like what they were, a costume.
“Mrs. Sutter,” she said. “Is this your voice?”
Kristen’s lawyer touched her arm. She shook it off.
“This is a family misunderstanding—”
“The document you emailed to the respondent bears a forged signature. Did you create it?”
Silence.
“I’ll rephrase. Do you wish to consult counsel before answering?”
Kristen’s lawyer leaned over and whispered. Her face went through several expressions and settled, finally, on none.
“I’d like to withdraw the petition,” she said.
“I’m
sure you would.” Judge Alvarez wrote something down. “The petition is denied with prejudice. I’m referring the forged document to the district attorney’s office. Counsel, you may want to speak with your client about her exposure.”
