Chapter 18 - The Last Door
The dispatch employee, Craig Benton, had worked with Paul for eight years. Paul knew the names of Craig's dogs, knew he took his daughter fishing on Sundays. Leah's team found unauthorized access logs linking Craig's account to searches for Elena, Richard, and the girls' hospital room. When confronted with records, Craig requested an attorney and stopped answering questions.
Investigators didn't need a confession to act on what the documents showed. They suspended his access, secured department systems, and moved the protected family again. Paul had to accept that trust and proof were different things.
At a confidential hearing, the judge reviewed the custody order's false service, the medical concerns, and the ongoing investigation. Grant's temporary order was suspended pending further proceedings. Elena and the girls were placed under a safety plan that kept them together while independent professionals evaluated their needs.
Nora asked whether that meant they could go home. Elena said, “It means we can make a new one.” Violet wanted a yellow bedroom. Nora wanted a lock she could open from the inside.
A judge also appointed an independent advocate to represent the children's interests while custody proceedings continued. Elena welcomed the extra scrutiny, even when it asked painful questions. 'I want them safe more than I want anyone to agree with me,' she said. Nora overheard and asked what an advocate was. Elena told her, 'Someone whose job is to make sure people hear you.'
That night Price attempted to leave the state on a chartered plane. Federal and state investigators, coordinating on financial crimes and child-safety allegations, detained him under a lawful arrest warrant. Grant Mercer was taken into custody separately at a property owned by his company. Captain Vale was suspended and then arrested following charges supported by the crash-file and payment evidence.
Paul received the news at the hospital, where Violet was being discharged. He should have felt the case was over.
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Then Leah called again.
“Paul, we recovered the missing sign-in sheet from Bellwether,” she said. “There's a fourth child's name. Benji. And his appointment was scheduled for tomorrow morning.”
