Chapter 4 - The Doctor Who Would Not Lie)
The unknown woman's name was Dr. Elaine Porter.
Allison identified her by noon the next day.
Claire sat at Rebecca's kitchen table with coffee she had forgotten to drink while the children watched movies in the living room.
Allison spoke through the phone.
"Dr. Porter is a licensed psychiatrist. Private practice. No disciplinary history that I can find."
"Then why was she helping Derek?"
"Maybe she wasn't."
Claire remembered the recording.
The woman's hesitation.
Her insistence that she had never evaluated Claire.
"You think he was using her name?"
"I think we find out before assuming anything."
Allison had already contacted Dr. Porter's office.
At 2:10 that afternoon, the doctor called Claire personally.
Her voice was unmistakable.
Claire recognized it immediately.
Dr. Porter did not waste time.
"Mrs. Bennett, I believe your husband misrepresented several things to me."
Claire's fingers tightened around the phone.
"What things?"
"Starting with your consent."
Dr. Porter explained.
She had met Derek through Margaret.
Margaret attended a charity board on which Dr. Porter once served.
Two months earlier, Margaret asked whether Dr. Porter could offer general advice about a "family situation."
Then Derek contacted her.
He claimed Claire had agreed to seek help but was embarrassed about scheduling a formal appointment.
He sent emails describing alleged mood swings, screaming episodes and impulsive behavior.
He asked whether Dr. Porter could write a preliminary letter advising that the children remain in a "stable environment" while Claire sought treatment.
Dr. Porter refused.
Derek kept pushing.
He eventually sent her a document that appeared to contain Claire's electronic signature authorizing limited consultation.
Claire had never signed it.
"Can you send me the document?"
"I have already preserved everything."
"Doctor, were you planning to write the evaluation?"
"No."
Claire closed her eyes.
A small portion of the fear inside her loosened.
Dr. Porter continued.
"Last week I became concerned enough that I told Mr. Bennett directly that I would not participate without meeting you in person and obtaining consent myself."
"Was that the conversation Lily recorded?"
"Partly. Margaret invited me to stop by yesterday afternoon. She said you would arrive shortly and wanted me to see the family dynamic informally."
Claire nearly laughed.
"They wanted you there for Thanksgiving?"
"Yes."
"Why did you leave?"
There was a pause.
"Because before you arrived, I heard Mr. Bennett discussing provoking you."
Claire's eyes opened.
"You heard that?"
"I did."
"Why didn't you stop them?"
The question came out harder than Claire intended.
Dr. Porter did not become defensive.
"I should have done more."
Claire said nothing.
"I told them I would have no part in it. I left through the side entrance. I did not know Lily had already been locked in the pantry. If I had known, I would have called the police."
Claire looked toward Lily.
Her daughter was sitting on the floor with Noah, sharing a blanket.
"Will you tell that to my lawyer?"
"Yes."
"Will you say it in court?"
Another pause.
"Yes."
That one word changed everything.
Derek had attempted to manufacture professional evidence.
Instead, he had created a professional witness.
Allison called back twenty minutes later.
"This is bigger than the pantry."
Claire almost said she already knew.
Instead she asked, "How bad?"
"For Derek? Potentially very bad."
Allison had also received the first financial records.
The account called Bennett Family Holdings had been opened eight months earlier.
Derek was the managing member.
Margaret was the secondary authorized signer.
Vanessa was listed as an administrative consultant.
Claire stared at the email Allison sent.
"Why is my name on the transfers?"
"Because the money came from your joint investment account."
"I never approved those withdrawals."
"Some are carrying electronic authorization."
Claire felt nauseated.
"Forged?"
"We need forensic review before using that word."
"But you think it."
"I think Derek became very confident you weren't checking."
Claire was.
Eventually.
That was why he had taken her files.
Allison continued.
"I filed for emergency temporary custody this morning."
Claire's throat tightened.
"When will we know?"
"Possibly Monday."
"And Derek?"
"He'll be served."
Claire imagined his face.
Then Allison added, "There is something else."
"What?"
"His attorney contacted me."
"Already?"
"He says Derek intends to accuse you of assaulting him and Margaret during Thanksgiving."
Claire stared at the kitchen wall.
Of course.
The chair.
Margaret hitting the table.
Claire's threat.
Everything had been designed for this.
"Is that going to hurt me?"
"It can."
Claire swallowed.
"But?"
"But we have twenty witnesses, an ongoing confinement of a child, Derek physically grabbing you first, and a recording of them discussing provoking a reaction."
Claire breathed again.
"Still, from this moment forward, you give him nothing."
"I understand."
"No angry texts. No threats. No confronting Vanessa. No social media."
"I won't."
"Lily's recording may save you. Don't make the mistake of thinking one piece of evidence means you're safe."
After the call, Claire found Lily standing in the doorway.
"Are you in trouble because you pushed Grandma?"
Claire stood.
"No."
Lily looked unconvinced.
Claire walked over and knelt.
"I got angry because I was scared for you. But from now on, I'm going to handle things differently."
Lily looked down.
"I shouldn't have made you come."
Claire felt the sentence like a cut.
"What?"
"Grandma said if you came, you'd ruin Thanksgiving."
Claire cupped her daughter's face.
"You did not make me do anything."
Lily's eyes filled.
"Dad said if you got mad enough, people would finally see what you're really like."
There it was again.
The script.
Claire hugged her.
Over Lily's shoulder, she saw Noah watching.
And Claire understood the most frightening part of Derek's plan.
May you like
He had not only been trying to convince a judge that Claire was unstable.
He had been trying to convince their children.
