Chapter 8 - The Divorce Wasn't Private
My divorce attorney had warned me to keep custody notes private.
I had kept them in a blue folder inside my desk.
The recovered video showed Evelyn entering the office while Taylor was asleep upstairs.
She opened the desk with a key.
She removed the folder.
Then she photographed every page.
My proposed parenting schedule.
Notes from Lily's school counselor.
A list of concerns I had written about Taylor missing pickups.
Private emails between me and my lawyer.
Everything.
"How did she get the key?" I asked.
Taylor sat across from me in a conference room at the police station.
"I gave her one months ago."
"Why?"
"She used to water plants when we traveled."
"You changed the locks after I moved out."
Taylor didn't answer.
"Did you give her the new key too?"
"Yes."
I rubbed both hands over my face.
"Did she use any of those documents?"
Taylor looked at the detective.
He answered.
"We're reviewing communications between Ms. Shaw and your wife's divorce attorney."
Taylor snapped, "My former attorney. I fired him this morning."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because Mom introduced us."
That landed hard.
I leaned back.
"You think he knew?"
"I don't know."
Keller slid a still image across the table.
It showed Evelyn photographing one of my legal pages.
On the corner of the desk sat a small digital recorder.
I recognized it.
"That's mine."
"We noticed," Keller said.
"I couldn't find it during the divorce."
"Your daughter mentioned a recorder during her interview."
I looked up.
"What did she say?"
"That Grandma kept a 'black talking box' in a drawer."
Taylor pressed a hand to her mouth.
"Mom records people."
"What?"
"She did it to my father when they divorced. She recorded arguments. Phone calls. She said it was protection."
I stared at her.
"And you never thought to mention this?"
"I hadn't thought about it in years."
Keller stood.
"We obtained a warrant for Ms. Shaw's residence."
Three hours later, they searched Evelyn's house.
At 8:40 that evening, Keller called me.
"We found the recorder."
"Anything useful?"
There was a long pause.
"There are dozens of files. One is labeled BEN - GARAGE."
"What's on it?"
"I can't send it yet."
"Tell me."
May you like
Keller lowered his voice.
"It's your ex-wife and Evelyn talking after Lily was put in the freezer."
