Chapter 6 - The Arrival of Linda
The sound of sharp, clicking heels echoed down the quiet linoleum hallway of the NICU, stopping abruptly outside Cubicle 4.
The glass door swung open. Standing in the threshold was Linda Vance—Derek’s older sister and a corporate tax attorney in downtown Seattle. She wore a tailored charcoal pantsuit, diamond stud earrings, and carried a stiff leather briefcase. Her expression was a masterclass in calculated grief and righteous authority.
“Teresa,” Linda said, stepping into the room with her chin held high, casting a fleeting, dismissive glance at the incubator before turning her cold eyes toward me. “I heard what happened. It is absolute tragedy. My brother has always been... high-strung, but this situation is entirely out of hand.”
I planted my hands on the edge of the metal tray table, ignoring the sharp pull of my incision. “Get out of here, Linda.”
“Now, is that any way to speak to your sister-in-law?” Linda chided smoothly, turning to Evelyn Vance, the DCS caseworker. “Evelyn, I have the certified copy of the active probate guardianship right here. As my brother’s designated proxy and the legal aunt of this child, I am prepared to assume immediate medical and physical custody of the infant.”
Evelyn Vance sighed, taking the paperwork Linda handed her and checking the county stamp. “The paperwork is technically valid, Ms. Vance. Until Judge Sterling signs the emergency injunction requested by the District Attorney’s office—which won't happen until tomorrow morning’s docket hearing—I am obligated to comply.”
“No!” Claire shouted, stepping between Linda and the incubator. “You can’t take this baby! She’s recovering from a trauma her own father and his family caused!”
“Step aside, neighbor,” Linda snapped, her voice sharpening into a lethal edge. “You have no legal standing here. Neither does Teresa, as long as the probate court recognizes her as incapacitated. This baby belongs to the Carter family.”
“I am her mother!” I screamed, a sob breaking through my raw throat as I lunged forward, throwing my body between Linda and Maya’s incubator. “You won’t touch her! If you take one step closer, I swear to God I will shatter every piece of glass in this room!”
Linda sneered, raising her hand to gesture for the hospital security guard standing in the hallway. “Security, please escort this unstable woman away from the incubator. She is clearly a danger to the child.”
Before the guard could cross the threshold, Detective Cole Voss stepped into the doorway, his massive frame blocking the entrance completely. His hand rested casually, yet pointedly, on the butt of his holstered service weapon.
“I wouldn't do that, security,” Detective Voss said, his voice dropping into a dangerous, gravelly register. “And I wouldn't pack that baby up just yet, counselor.”
Linda frowned, her composure slipping for a fraction of a second. “Detective Voss, what is the meaning of this? I have a legally binding probate order!”
“You have a piece of paper obtained through federal wire fraud, identity forgery, and subornation of perjury,” Voss replied coldly, pulling a crisp, newly printed document from his inner jacket pocket and handing it directly to Evelyn Vance.
The DCS caseworker scanned the text, her eyes widening.
“What is that?” Linda demanded, her voice rising in panic.
“That,” Detective Voss said with a grim smile, “is an emergency criminal stay of execution and federal asset-guardianship freeze signed twenty minutes ago by Judge Miller. Because Derek Carter used forged medical evaluations to fraudulently strip his wife of her civil rights in order to loot her multi-million-dollar inheritance, the federal court has nullified every single document filed under that fraudulent probate petition, retroactive to date of entry.”
Linda stared at the paper in horror. “That’s impossible! A state probate court overrides—”
“A state probate court doesn't supersede federal racketeering and attempted murder investigations,” Voss interrupted, stepping closer to her until she was forced to back out into the hallway. “You want to take custody of this baby, Linda? You can explain it to the federal grand jury convening on Monday morning to discuss your firm's involvement in Derek's shell companies.”
Linda’s face turned the color of ash. She clutched her briefcase tightly to her chest, glared at me with pure, unadulterated hatred, and turned on her heel, storming down the hallway without another word.
May you like
Evelyn Vance handed the paperwork back to Voss, cleared her throat, and offered me a small, professional nod. “It appears, Mrs. Carter, that your parental rights are fully intact. The baby stays with you.”
As the DCS caseworker and the security guard retreated, I collapsed back into the vinyl chair, burying my face in my hands as the overwhelming weight of the victory finally broke over me.
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