Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN THEY WANTED UNFIT
Senator Thorne's lawyers moved fast.
Anonymous medical affidavits appeared claiming Mara suffered untreated depression, paranoia, and episodes of self-harm.
All false.
One belonged to Dr. Neil Foster, a physician who had treated Mara's mother years earlier.
Mara stared at the report.
"I've never met him."
Chen said, "He says he evaluated you twice."
"Then he's lying."
Matteo wanted Foster brought in immediately.
Chen gave him a look.
"By police. Not by three men named Rocco."
"I only have one Rocco."
"That was not comforting."
The court hearing became a circus.
Bianca arrived in white with cameras outside.
Mara arrived in a plain navy dress, cheek still bruised.
When Bianca's attorney described her as "emotionally fixated on the Thorne family," Mara almost laughed.
A groundskeeper's distant security camera had recorded everything.
Bianca approaching.
Bianca slapping Mara.
Mara never striking back.
Matteo stopping the second blow.
The judge's expression changed.
Bianca's petition collapsed in twenty minutes.
But Foster's affidavits remained.
After court, Chen's officers went to his clinic.
On the wall behind his desk, investigators found one framed photograph.
Dr. Foster shaking hands with Senator Thorne.
Beside them stood Victor Saye.
And Preston.
Mara looked at Preston's face in the photograph.
"He knew Victor?"
Matteo's phone buzzed.
A message from Preston.
I'M SORRY. I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WOULD DO TO ELEANOR.
Mara stopped breathing.
Her mother had died six months after Preston left.
Official cause: stroke.
Chen traced the phone.
It was moving north on Interstate 87.
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Police found Preston's car abandoned at a rest area.
And Mara's mother's name written across the windshield in red marker.
