Chapter 17 - The Hearing
The emergency hearing took place eleven days later.
Leah was still recovering.
Eli slept beside her in a portable bassinet.
Doreen sat across the courtroom wearing a navy suit and an expression of perfect composure.
Nathan sat beside his attorney.
Simone appeared by video from the hospital because Ava remained in neonatal care.
Dr. Rusk had retained criminal counsel.
The hearing concerned one issue.
Who would control Eli’s trust and guardianship while the investigation continued?
Doreen’s attorney argued that Leah had displayed signs of instability.
Leah’s attorney stood.
“What signs?”
The attorney mentioned anxiety.
A nightmare.
Distrust of family.
Leaving her hospital room.
Then Mae testified.
She explained the falsified chart entry.
The unauthorized medication.
The hidden supply closet.
The conversation she recorded.
The courtroom became completely silent when Doreen’s voice played through the speakers.
“Once the psychiatric hold is approved, the baby goes home with the family.”
Then Nathan’s voice.
“And if she challenges it?”
Then Doreen again.
“She’ll be medicated.”
Leah watched the judge’s expression harden.
The recording continued.
“The trust becomes irrevocable once the first male grandchild is registered.”
“Eli controls forty-two million dollars through his guardian.”
Doreen did not move.
Then Simone’s recordings were admitted.
Dr. Rusk’s voice.
Doreen’s instructions.
Nathan’s protests.
His cooperation.
His silence.
All of it.
Nathan eventually took the stand.
His attorney advised him not to.
He did it anyway.
“Did you sign an affidavit describing your wife as unstable?”
“Yes.”
“Was it truthful?”
“No.”
“Did you have an affair?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know your mother intended to seek emergency custody?”
“Yes.”
“Did you assist her?”
Nathan looked at Leah.
Tears filled his eyes.
“Yes.”
The judge removed his glasses.
“Why are you admitting this?”
Nathan swallowed.
“Because my son deserves at least one honest thing from me.”
Leah looked away.
When the ruling came, Doreen finally lost her composure.
The judge granted Leah sole temporary legal and physical custody.
Nathan received no unsupervised contact.
Doreen was prohibited from contacting Leah or Eli.
The court appointed an independent professional trustee to manage Eli’s inheritance.
Doreen stood.
“You cannot do this.”
The judge looked at her.
“Sit down.”
“That money belongs to my family.”
Leah slowly rose.
She held Eli against her chest.
“No.”
Her voice carried across the courtroom.
May you like
“He is your family.”
“That was the difference you never understood.”
