Chapter 11 - THE FAKE SCRATCHES
Brooks recognized the problem immediately.
"She wants Sofia on record as violent."
"She's eight."
"Exactly. Children can be framed as unstable in guardianship fights."
Hannah added, "If Veronica can create enough doubt about Sofia's identity or fitness, the trust stays tied up."
She was in the garden with Maria.
He felt rage.
Then he noticed something.
"Zoom in."
Hannah enlarged the image.
Veronica's wrist had a watch tan.
But the watch in the photograph was worn on the opposite arm from every public photo Veronica had taken that month.
"Mirrored image."
A forensic analyst checked it.
The timestamp metadata had been altered.
The scratches were real.
The context was fake.
Then a second problem arrived.
Child services received an anonymous report claiming Maria had coached Sofia to call Alexander "Daddy" for money.
A social worker came to interview them.
Alexander wanted lawyers in the room.
Sofia said no.
"I can talk."
The worker asked if Maria told her what to say.
"No."
"Did Alexander give you gifts?"
"He gave me pancakes."
The worker smiled despite herself.
"Anything else?"
"A jacket."
"Why?"
"Because Veronica made me wear the maid clothes."
The smile vanished.
Sofia described the shoe polish.
The stool.
The shove.
The threats.
No drama.
Just a child telling facts.
Then she said, "My mom told me my dad wasn't bad. She said he just didn't know."
After the interview, the social worker told Hannah the anonymous report appeared retaliatory.
Good.
But Brooks arrived with worse news.
Peter Ashford had been released pending further evidence.
The pharmacy log was not enough.
And within an hour of his release, he vanished.
His car was found at the airport.
No commercial ticket.
Alexander checked the Sterling aviation database.
One of his company jets had departed forty minutes earlier without authorization.
Destination filed:
Toronto.
Passenger manifest:
Dr. Peter Ashford.
And one additional passenger.
Sofia Reyes.
Alexander felt the room tilt.
May you like
Sofia was still in the garden.
So someone had created travel documents in her name.
