Chapter 8 - The Doctor
Dr. Collins called us at seven the next morning.
“I’m sorry I didn’t catch this sooner.”
“What happened?”
She sounded shaken.
“Someone contacted our office claiming to be Megan.”
Megan gripped my hand.
“When?”
“Several times.”
“What did they say?”
“They asked that certain concerns be added to Noah’s chart.”
“What concerns?”
Dr. Collins hesitated.
“Possible falls. Lack of supervision. Feeding problems.”
I stood.
“All false.”
“I suspected that.”
“Why?”
“Because I’ve treated Noah since birth. His growth has been normal. His development has been normal. Neither of you ever reported those incidents.”
Megan said, “Rachel works in healthcare.”
“Yes.”
“Could she access his records?”
“Not directly through our system.”
“Could she influence someone?”
“I can’t speculate.”
“What can you prove?”
“A staff member documented a phone call from someone claiming to be you.”
“Is it recorded?”
“No.”
My heart sank.
“But,” Dr. Collins continued, “we have a voicemail.”
Megan looked at me.
“What does it say?”
“I’m forwarding it.”
Thirty seconds later, it arrived.
We played it.
A woman spoke softly.
“Hi, this is Megan Carter. Noah fell again yesterday. Daniel doesn’t know because he overreacts. I’m worried maybe I’m not watching him closely enough.”
The voice was trying to sound like Megan.
It wasn’t perfect.
But I recognized it.
Rachel.
My sister.
Megan covered her mouth.
I called Rachel immediately.
She declined.
I called again.
Declined.
A message arrived.
Stop harassing me.
I typed:
Did you call Noah’s doctor pretending to be Megan?
No reply.
Then another message.
Mom is right. You’ve lost perspective.
I showed Megan.
“That’s not a denial.”
“No.”
I called Officer Martinez.
He told me to preserve everything and contact an attorney.
By noon, we were sitting across from family-law attorney Rebecca Shaw.
Rebecca was in her fifties, sharp-eyed, calm, and direct.
She listened without interrupting.
Then she placed her pen down.
“You have two separate problems.”
“Only two?”
She didn’t smile.
“First, potential criminal conduct: harassment, threats, possible property damage, identity misuse.”
“And second?”
“A coordinated attempt to create documentation suggesting Megan is an unsafe parent.”
Megan whispered, “Can they take Noah?”
“Based on what you’ve shown me? Not easily.”
“Not easily isn’t no.”
Rebecca leaned forward.
“Listen carefully. You have actual medical records, actual witnesses, actual recordings, and Daniel’s support. Their fabricated narrative falls apart when examined.”
“What should we do?”
“Document everything. No private meetings. No phone conversations unless legally recorded according to state law. Communicate in writing.”
“And my mother?”
“Do not let her near your child.”
That felt strange.
Painful.
Necessary.
Rebecca began preparing protective-order paperwork.
Then my phone rang.
Ryan.
I answered.
“Hey.”
His breathing sounded heavy.
“Daniel, are you at the cabin?”
“Yes.”
“Get out.”
I stood.
“What?”
“Now.”
“Why?”
“I just got an alert from the property camera.”
My skin went cold.
“What alert?”
“A vehicle pulled into the lower driveway ten minutes ago.”
“Who?”
“I can’t see the plate.”
“Ryan.”
He sent me a screenshot.
Dark SUV.
Tinted windows.
Parked among the trees.
Megan saw it.
“That’s Rachel’s car.”
Then someone knocked on the cabin door.
Three slow knocks.
May you like
And a voice called from outside.
“Daniel, we just want to talk.”
