Chapter 8 - Claire is arrested
Claire was not dragged out by my men.
Police arrested her.
That distinction mattered to me.
A detective named Marcus Bell interviewed everyone separately.
Claire had legal custody of Ethan.
No authority over Eliza beyond Megan’s temporary caregiver permission.
Megan had consented to Claire caring for her for the day based partly on the representation that I knew.
That deception complicated things.
But prosecutors were careful.
No sensational kidnapping charge that night.
The clean fact:
Claire knowingly locked a five-year-old child inside a maintenance compartment and refused to let her out when she wanted to leave.
She then blocked me from accessing the compartment.
Potential unlawful restraint.
Child endangerment.
Maybe additional custodial issues depending what evidence showed.
Claire was taken for processing.
Released the next afternoon under conditions.
No contact with Eliza.
No unsupervised contact with Ethan until child protective services completed an initial review.
She stayed with her sister Brooke.
Ethan cried.
That hurt me.
He loved his mother.
Of course he did.
I hated that part of myself wanted him not to.
At bedtime he asked:
“Is Mom jail?”
“Not now.”
“Did police take?”
“Yes.”
“Because Eliza?”
“Because of choices Mom made.”
“Is Eliza my sister?”
“I don’t know yet.”
He frowned.
“She says.”
“I know.”
“Grandpa knew?”
That question startled me.
“Why?”
“I heard Mom say Grandpa.”
Children hear everything.
“I’m learning.”
Ethan held my sleeve.
“Are you mad?”
“Yes.”
“Scary mad?”
There.
I sat.
“Do I look scary?”
He nodded.
Fair.
“I’m not going to hurt Mom.”
“You hurt people.”
The Carter name entering my son’s room.
I swallowed.
“I have done things in my life I’m not proud of.”
“Are you going to?”
“No.”
He watched my face.
“Promise?”
“Yes.”
May you like
That promise mattered.
Because twenty minutes later I nearly broke its spirit without touching anyone.
