Chapter 3 - Marcus Brought Forged Custody Papers
Rachel did not go to Elena’s hotel.
Ethan did not force her onto his jet either.
Instead, he gave her three choices.
A public airport hotel.
An airport police station.
Or a private family lounge where she could wait while contacting an
attorney.
Rachel chose the police station.
Ethan nodded once.
“Good choice.”
That surprised her.
The man Chicago supposedly feared was not trying to isolate her.
He was helping her find witnesses.
At the airport police office, Rachel showed an officer Elena’s messages.
She explained the history with Marcus.
Ethan waited outside.
He did not enter until Rachel asked him to.
That mattered.
Elena emailed photographs of the documents Marcus had shown her.
Rachel stared at the signature.
It looked like hers.
The custody agreement stated Rachel voluntarily granted Marcus temporary
physical custody of Sophie for ninety days.
It also claimed Rachel planned to enter an inpatient treatment program
in California.
Rachel felt sick.
“I don’t even drink.”
The document was notarized by someone named Patricia Sloan.
The date was three weeks earlier.
Chicago.
Rachel had been working a double shift in East L.A. that day.
Her manager could prove it.
The officer explained that the document did not automatically give
Marcus the right to take Sophie, especially if its authenticity was
disputed.
Rachel needed legal help quickly.
Ethan made one call.
Rachel immediately stiffened.
“I can’t afford some mob lawyer.”
Ethan looked at her.
“I didn’t call a mob lawyer.”
Twenty minutes later, a woman named Danielle Brooks arrived.
She introduced herself as a family-law attorney who volunteered with a
legal aid organization Ethan funded.
Rachel looked suspiciously at him.
“You fund legal aid?”
Ethan shrugged.
“Chicago contains more than nightclubs and rumors.”
Danielle reviewed the documents.
Then she pointed to the notary stamp.
“I know this name.”
Rachel leaned forward.
“Who is she?”
“Patricia Sloan lost her commission eight months ago.”
The notarization was invalid.
But that was not the most troubling part.
Danielle enlarged the scanned page.
At the bottom was a preparation code.
CBF-4471.
Danielle frowned.
“That code belongs to Callahan Business & Fiduciary.”
Rachel slowly turned toward Ethan.
His face had gone completely still.
May you like
The forged custody papers had apparently been prepared using a document
system connected to his own company.
