Chapter 12 - What Richard Was Really ProtectingThe dependency court scheduled a family-team conference before the next custody hearing.
Tommy was not present.
No one wanted a six-year-old sitting through adults arguing about his injuries.
Sophie asked to attend part of it.
Beth sat beside her.
Richard sat across the table with his attorney.
Tessa Green and a county lawyer occupied the end.
Lorraine was not invited.
The restraining order remained in place.
For several minutes, nobody knew how to begin.
Then Sophie did.
“Did you ever believe her?”
Richard looked at her.
“Believe who?”
“Mom.”
His eyes dropped.
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Sophie—”
“When?”
Richard rubbed his thumb against the edge of the table.
“Before she died.”
Sophie laughed once.
It sounded nothing like amusement.
“So all those times you told me Mom was scared because she had cancer…”
“I was trying to keep things together.”
“You were lying.”
“Yes.”
Beth leaned forward.
“What were you keeping together?”
Richard looked at her.
“My job.”
Beth shook her head.
“No.”
“My house.”
“No.”
“My kids.”
Sophie stood up.
“You didn't keep us.”
The room tightened.
Richard looked at his daughter.
She was crying now but did not wipe her face.
“You kept her.”
Richard did not answer.
Sophie stepped away from the table.
“That's what you protected.”
He whispered, “I was afraid.”
“So was Tommy.”
“I know.”
“No, you don't.”
“I do.”
Sophie shook her head.
“Then why did you keep taking him back?”
Richard's voice cracked.
“Because every time I thought about cutting her off, I remembered what happened when Dad tried.”
Sophie stopped.
Nobody had heard that part.
Richard stared at the table.
“When I was thirteen, my father told her he was taking me and leaving.”
“What happened?” Beth asked.
“My mother emptied their joint account.”
His attorney shifted but did not interrupt.
“She called his employer and told them he was drinking on job sites. He wasn't. He lost two weeks of work while they investigated. Then she told everybody at church he'd abandoned his family.”
Richard swallowed.
“He came back.”
Beth's expression hardened.
“And that was enough to make you sacrifice Tommy?”
“No.”
“That's what you did.”
Richard looked at Sophie.
“I kept thinking I'd get stable first.”
“With what?”
“A better contract. More savings. Another job.”
“Then?”
“Then I'd leave the company.”
Sophie stared at him.
“You had six years.”
Richard closed his eyes.
“I know.”
Tessa finally spoke.
“Richard, what are you asking for now?”
He took several seconds.
“My kids back.”
Sophie moved toward the door.
Beth reached for her hand.
Richard added quickly, “Not now.”
Sophie stopped.
Richard forced himself to continue.
“I know I can't have them back now.”
He looked at Tessa.
“I want a chance to become someone they could safely come back to.”
That was different from demanding custody.
It was also far too late to mean much by itself.
“What are you willing to do?” Tessa asked.
“Anything.”
Beth said, “People always say anything when they've already lost control.”
Richard looked at her.
“You're right.”
The answer surprised her.
Richard reached into his pocket.
His attorney immediately placed a hand on his arm.
“Richard.”
Richard looked at him.
“I know.”
He took out his phone.
For months investigators had sought access to some of his communications with Lorraine. His lawyer had advised caution while the criminal investigation remained open.
Richard put the phone on the table.
“My mother changed phones last year.”
Detective Ellis had already been told that.
Richard continued.
“I didn't.”
His attorney exhaled.
“Do not say anything else without speaking to me privately.”
Richard nodded.
Then looked toward Tessa.
“The messages go back years.”
Sophie stared at the phone.
Richard's hand remained beside it.
“I was protecting the person who taught me to be afraid of losing everything.”
He pushed the phone across the table.
“I already lost everything.”
For the first time, he was wrong.
He still had something left to lose.
May you like
His own legal protection.
And he had just chosen to risk it.
