“And the extortion?” Leo asked.

“The texts show a clear pattern,” Sarah said.

“Josephine threatened to use her connections in the family court to declare Grace unfit,” she said.

“She told Melanie that if Grace didn’t sign over the deed to the Iowa City property, they would keep Sam forever.”

Leo stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the gray sky over Des Moines.

“My sister helped her do all of this,” Leo said.

“Melanie is in a bad position,” Sarah said.

“She is currently sitting in a holding cell down the hall from her mother,” she said.

Sarah leaned closer to me, her voice dropping to a whisper.

“The police showed Melanie the text logs,” Sarah said.

“She is terrified,” she added.

“She keeps asking for her lawyer, but she also keeps talking.”

“What is she saying?” I asked.

“She claims she was only doing what she was told,” Sarah said.

“She said Josephine threatened to cut her off financially if she didn’t help,” she said.

“But the prosecutor isn’t buying it.”

Sarah turned a page in the folder.