“Or I will have the bailiff remove you and place you in a holding cell.”

Linda slowly sat back down, her chest heaving as she stared at me with desperate rage.

My father looked at her, his face showing only a quiet, tired sadness.

Judge Ramirez turned her attention back to the ledger and the USB drive.

She compared the signatures on the ledger receipts with the signed guardianship document.

The differences were obvious, even from where I sat.

The judge looked at Sarah, then at me.

“The court will take a fifteen-minute recess to review these logs,” Judge Ramirez said.

“I suggest the petitioner’s counsel uses this time to talk to his clients.”

She stood up and walked into her chambers, the door clicking shut behind her.

The courtroom immediately erupted into hushed whispers.

Linda’s attorney grabbed Linda by the arm and pulled her into the hallway.

Hannah followed them, still sobbing into a tissue.

My father stood up from the witness box and walked over to my table.

“Are you alright, Mark?” he asked.

“I am,” I said, looking at him.

“Thank you, Dad.”