Chapter 1 - THE THING INSIDE THE RABBIT
Grant seized Lily’s stuffed rabbit by one ear and yanked it from her arms.
“That filthy thing isn’t going before the judge.”
Six-year-old Lily lunged after it.
Grant shoved the rabbit toward the courthouse trash bin.
Laura stepped between them.
“Give it back.”
Grant dropped it at her feet instead, then straightened the cuffs of his navy suit as though nothing ugly had happened.
“You already lost the house,” he said. “Don’t make her watch you lose her too.”
People were passing through the Westchester County courthouse hallway.
Two attorneys looked over.
A couple waiting outside another courtroom stared and then looked away.
Lily immediately dropped to her knees.
She grabbed the worn rabbit.
Its side seam tore.
Something deep burgundy slid halfway through the stuffing.
A small fabric pouch.
Lily stopped.
“Mom…”
Laura crouched.
“What is it?”
Lily looked at Grant before answering.
“Daddy said nobody could find this.”
Grant’s face changed.
Not confusion.
Recognition.
He stepped forward.
Laura reached first.
Inside the pouch was an old smartphone.
“Give me that,” Grant said.
Laura stood.
“Why?”
“Because it isn't yours.”
“You hid it inside her toy?”
“I said give it to me.”
Laura pressed the power button.
The screen came alive.
There was no password.
A paused video filled the display.
Grant was crouched directly in front of Lily.
Behind him stood his mother, Evelyn, holding several sheets of paper.
Laura’s stomach tightened.
Grant lowered his voice.
“That never enters that courtroom.”
Laura looked at him.
Then at the phone.
Lily gripped the back of Laura’s coat.
Their custody hearing was scheduled to begin in four minutes.
Laura did not press play.
She walked directly to her attorney, Rachel Kim.
“I think you need to see this.”
Grant followed.
“Laura.”
Rachel looked at his face, then the phone.
“What happened?”
Grant answered before Laura could.
“My daughter took an old device she wasn't supposed to have.”
Lily whispered:
“Grandma said I kept saying it wrong.”
Nobody in the hallway moved for a second.
Rachel took the phone without opening the video.
May you like
Then she said the sentence Grant clearly had not expected.
“We're asking the court to preserve this before anybody watches anything else.”
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