Chapter 4: The First Forty-Eight Hours
By sunrise, three vehicles pulled up to the house I had left hours earlier.
Military police in uniform.
A CPS investigator.
My lawyer carrying a thick file.
Diane answered the door in her robe, smiling like she was receiving guests.
The smile died when she saw the uniformed officers.
Marcus stepped forward. “Ma’am, we have a warrant to enter and remove evidence related to the assault and neglect of Emma [Last Name] and minor child Lucas [Last Name].”
Rachel tried to block the doorway. “This is a family matter.”
Marcus looked at her without blinking. “Not anymore.”
They found Emma still on the nursery floor. She had tried to crawl to the phone after I left but couldn’t make it. Dehydrated. In pain. Terrified.
The CPS worker took one look at the bruises and the medical neglect and immediately placed Lucas in my temporary custody with Emma to be evaluated at the hospital.
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Diane started crying. Real tears this time. “We were just trying to help! She was being difficult!”
Marcus read her her rights.
