Chapter 4 - Yesterday's Mixture
Patricia's confidence grew when Claire stopped resisting.
Cruel people often mistook silence for surrender.
Claire learned to use that.
"Use the same mixture as yesterday," Patricia told Michael one morning.
Claire sat in the attic chair, head bowed.
The hidden phone was taped beneath the side of the mattress.
Recording.
Michael looked at the feeding syringe.
"She threw up after yesterday's."
"She kept enough down."
"People noticed she looked worse."
"Isn't that what you want?"
Michael laughed.
Claire felt something inside her become very still.
He walked toward the window with his phone.
"Not too bad. The comments get weird if she looks actually sick."
Patricia rolled her eyes.
"You are unbelievable."
"I know my audience."
"Your audience isn't paying the lawyer."
Michael's smile disappeared.
Claire remained motionless.
Lawyer.
He lowered his voice.
"You said we had time."
"We did. Then Hannah started calling everyone."
Michael cursed.
Patricia continued.
"You need Claire to sign before her sister gets someone inside this house."
"What if she won't?"
"She will."
"She's stubborn."
"Not forever."
Claire's fingers curled against her dress.
Patricia stepped closer and connected the feeding syringe.
The mixture smelled sour.
Claire suppressed a gag.
Michael watched.
"Should we film this?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't need strangers watching every mistake you make."
Michael frowned.
"You were the one who said content helps."
"It did."
"Did?"
Patricia pushed the mixture slowly.
"Michael, the channel was useful because it established a pattern. Publicly, everyone has watched Claire deteriorate for weeks."
Claire's pulse hammered.
Patricia continued speaking as if Claire were furniture.
"If she leaves tomorrow and suddenly claims you imprisoned her, thousands of people have already watched you caring for her."
Michael's expression changed.
Understanding.
Admiration.
"You planned that?"
Patricia smiled.
"I told you from the beginning. Never waste a crisis."
Claire fought the urge to look toward the mattress.
The phone was capturing everything.
Michael whispered, "Jesus, Mom."
"You wanted the house."
"The account too."
"And custody."
Claire's breath caught.
Michael looked toward her.
She allowed her head to sag.
He lowered his voice.
"Do you think we'd get full custody?"
"If she is hospitalized for psychiatric evaluation at the right time."
Claire's baby kicked hard.
She nearly reacted.
Michael said, "And how do we make that happen?"
Patricia disconnected the syringe.
"You let her appear unstable."
Michael's eyes flicked toward his phone.
"That's easy."
Patricia gave him a cold smile.
"It already is."
They left twenty minutes later.
Claire waited until the latch clicked.
Then she rushed to the mattress.
The recording was clear.
Better than clear.
Devastating.
She messaged Hannah.
I HAVE THEM TALKING ABOUT TAKING THE BABY.
Hannah responded:
SEND IT.
Claire tried.
The old phone failed.
File too large.
Hannah wrote:
DO NOT DELETE IT.
WE NEED A WAY TO BACK IT UP.
Claire searched the phone settings.
There was almost no storage remaining.
Only enough for maybe two more long recordings.
She needed a plan.
Hannah sent instructions.
Compress audio if possible.
Send short sections.
Keep originals.
Claire transferred three clips.
The first contained Patricia saying the channel established a pattern.
The second contained Michael asking about custody.
The third contained Patricia discussing psychiatric hospitalization.
Hannah replied:
GOT THEM.
Then:
I'M TAKING THESE TO A LAWYER.
Claire typed:
POLICE?
Hannah's reply came carefully.
LAWYER FIRST.
WE NEED SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS HOW TO STOP MICHAEL FROM USING THE DOCUMENTS AGAINST YOU.
Claire hated waiting.
But she trusted Hannah now.
That night Michael came upstairs with papers.
Claire's stomach tightened immediately.
He sat beside her.
"Baby, we need to talk."
She recognized the voice.
The husband voice.
Soft.
Concerned.
Reasonable.
The voice he used on camera.
"What about?"
"Finances."
Claire looked toward the papers.
"I don't feel well."
"I know."
"Tomorrow."
"This will take two minutes."
He placed a pen beside her.
"I need temporary authority over your investment account."
Claire looked at him.
"Why?"
"In case you're hospitalized."
"I'm not going to be hospitalized."
"Your condition isn't improving."
"My doctor didn't say that."
Michael sighed.
"Claire, please."
She read the first page.
Durable financial power of attorney.
Broad authority.
Far broader than necessary.
"No."
Michael's jaw tightened.
"It's temporary."
"No."
"I can't protect this family if you refuse every reasonable request."
Claire let her voice shake.
"I'm tired."
"Then sign."
"No."
Michael moved closer.
"Do you understand how much I've done for you?"
Claire looked into his eyes.
For the first time she saw something clearly.
Michael did not think of himself as cruel.
He believed he was entitled.
To her money.
Her body.
Her obedience.
Her child.
Her story.
Anything Claire refused felt to him like theft.
She whispered, "I'm going to sleep."
Michael stood.
"Fine."
At the door he stopped.
"Tomorrow."
Claire said nothing.
The latch closed.
She waited.
Then checked the hidden phone.
It had recorded everything.
She almost smiled.
Until she noticed a new message from Hannah.
CLAIRE, LISTEN CAREFULLY.
I TALKED TO AN ATTORNEY.
Claire opened the next message.
HE THINKS MICHAEL MAY ALREADY HAVE A SIGNED POWER OF ATTORNEY.
Claire's breath stopped.
May you like
The next message came.
AND IF HE DOES, WE NEED TO KNOW WHAT ELSE YOU SIGNED.
