Chapter 18 - The Wrong Pickup Name
We sent the voicemail to Ortiz at once. Deputies alerted the school and everyone responsible for Sophie's care.
I paced the safe house so long the worn carpet left a pattern in my socks.
By Monday, Sophie had returned to Dad's house and was attending school under its new safety plan. At ten that morning, the school called him. A woman had telephoned the school claiming to be an aunt and asking whether Sophie would attend an afternoon activity. The caller used a name from our extended family, but the receptionist followed the new procedure and refused to share information.
The same woman later arrived in person with a fake authorization letter.
The school kept the doors locked and called police. Officers detained her outside. She was a temporary assistant from Margaret's office.
"Margaret told me it was a custody misunderstanding," the woman said. "I didn't know about the court order."
Ortiz told us the woman had turned over her messages voluntarily.
I sat down on the kitchen floor.
Ethan and his mother had treated Sophie like a document they could move from one signature line to another. My little girl had already watched her father injure me. Now they were trying to put her back inside the same fear.
Dad arrived an hour later. He had driven back from my cousin's house after another trusted adult took over Sophie's care.
"Sophie is safe," he said before I could speak.
"I know. But how long do we have to keep doing this?"
He lowered himself onto the floor beside me.
"As long as we have to. You did it when you could barely stand. Now let the rest of us do our part."
I leaned against his shoulder, the same way I had when I was little.
Later that evening, Ortiz called again. Ethan had been taken into custody at a motel two counties away. Margaret was being questioned in connection with the fraudulent documents, evidence tampering, and the attempts to contact Sophie.
"Are they charging her?" I asked.
"The prosecutor is reviewing several charges. We need to be exact about what we can prove."
I thought the worst was finally behind us.
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Then Tessa arrived with another envelope. A creditor had filed a claim against the Maple House, alleging that I'd personally guaranteed Ethan's construction debts.
My supposed signature appeared on that document, too.
