Chapter 9 - The mystery contact
The contact labeled C. Vale was Caroline.
But the messages revealed another person.
Not because I hacked Morwenna’s phone.
During custody discovery, relevant communications were produced through counsel.
The thread showed Caroline receiving videos.
Sometimes asking:
What happened?
Sometimes:
Did she say why she was crying?
Sometimes:
Please don’t question her about moving. I need to talk to Rachel first.
Important.
Caroline had not consistently encouraged the provocation.
Then another thread appeared.
Morwenna and:
Evelyn Price.
Who?
A private parenting consultant Caroline had briefly hired after receiving the first few videos.
Not a court evaluator.
Not appointed.
A consultant who helped families prepare parenting plans and document routines.
Evelyn’s role was not sinister either.
She had never met Odelia.
She had asked Caroline to gather:
School schedules.
Parenting calendars.
Travel records.
Any preexisting examples of separation distress.
Morwenna had somehow heard about Evelyn through Caroline.
Then began sending her directly?
No.
Caroline had not authorized that.
Instead Morwenna sent clips to Caroline with messages:
Send this to Evelyn.
She needs to see how bad it is.
Then one that chilled me:
If Odelia is calm every time, nobody will understand why she needs change.
There.
And:
We need the truth visible before Leander smooths everything over.
“They want your daughter scared.”
Who was they?
Not Evelyn.
Not Rachel Stein.
The word was Morwenna’s own dramatization of a process she had decided required stronger evidence.
Later she admitted “they” meant:
Caroline.
Her lawyer.
The consultant.
The court.
Everybody she imagined needed to see Odelia distressed.
None of those people had instructed her to create distress.
The conspiracy shrank.
May you like
Good.
The truth remained bad enough.
