My Ex-husband Accused Me Of Selling Our Son After He Vanished At The Park. Then My 7-year-old Daughter Handed The Police A Secret Notebook. Am I Wrong For Wanting Them Both To Rot In Prison?

“Your son missed three child support payments while buying a new BMW!” The words burst out before I could stop them.

Officer Hallstead made another note.

“Mrs. Turner have you been experiencing financial difficulties?”

“I’m a single mother money is tight but my children have everything they need their teachers their pediatrician everyone will tell you they’re well cared for.”

“Except right now one of them is missing,” Derek said coldly.

I wanted to scream at him to help find our son instead of trying to destroy me but I knew that would only make me look more unstable.

Through the glass I saw Vera suddenly stop coloring. She stood up and Mrs. Chen tried to redirect her back to the table but Vera shook her head and walked toward the door.

The Hiding Game Revealed

“I need to talk to my mom,” I heard her say clearly through the thin walls.

“Sweetie the adults are having an important conversation right now,” Mrs. Chen replied gently.

“About my brother and they’re getting it wrong.”

The door opened and Vera walked in with the determination I’d seen when she’d decided she was ready to ride her bike without training wheels. Mrs. Chen followed looking apologetic.

“I’m sorry she insisted,” Mrs. Chen said.

Derek’s face shifted into his fake father smile.

“Vera sweetheart go back and color daddy and mommy are talking to the nice officer.”

“You’re not talking you’re lying,” Vera said flatly.

“That recording is fake I was there for all those conversations mom said you couldn’t take us to Florida she said she couldn’t let you take us away where she’d never see us again.”

The room went quiet. Officer Hallstead leaned forward slightly his interest clearly peaked.

Derek’s jaw tightened a tell I recognized from years of marriage. He was calculating his next move.

“Vera you’re confused,” Derek said carefully.

“You don’t understand adult conversations.”

Vera turned to face Officer Hallstead directly her small frame straight and confident.

“I understand everything and I know something else too something about where Jonah really is.”

Vera stood in the center of that interrogation room like a tiny warrior facing down an army. Her eyes moved from Officer Hallstead to Derek then back again.

She still held the picture she’d been drawing and I could see now it was a map of some kind drawn in purple and green crayon.

“What do you know about your brother Vera?” Officer Hallstead asked gently pulling out a chair for her.

She didn’t sit instead she placed her drawing on the table and pointed to it.

“Yesterday when Daddy picked us up for his visit he told Jonah they were going to play a special game a hiding game for today.”

Derek shot to his feet.

“She’s making things up kids have wild imaginations when they’re stressed.”

“Let her speak,” Officer Hallstead said firmly.

Vera continued her voice steady and clear.

“Daddy said it was like a treasure hunt he told Jonah that when we went to the park today he should wait until mommy wasn’t looking then run to the parking lot where Uncle Mason would be waiting in his truck.”

“Uncle Mason would take him to the cabin by the lake for a special surprise.”

“That’s absurd!” Constance sputtered.

“A three-year-old couldn’t remember such complicated instructions.”

“Daddy made him practice,” Vera said simply.

“Three times in the backyard he gave Jonah a candy bar each time he did it right run to the fence pretend it’s Uncle Mason’s truck get in fast Jonah was really good at it.”

My heart was pounding so hard I thought it might burst.

“Mason’s cabin the one where you took them fishing last month?” I asked.

Derek’s face had gone from red to white.

“She’s confused maybe she had a dream.”

“It’s not a dream,” Vera insisted.

She turned to Officer Hallstead.

“Jonah is at the cabin with Miss Amber Daddy’s girlfriend she was supposed to watch him until Monday then Daddy would find him and be the hero he explained it all to Grandma Constance on the phone I was sitting on the stairs listening.”

“You little liar!” Constance stood up her notebook falling to the floor.

“How dare you make up such stories!”

But Vera wasn’t finished.

“Grandma said once everyone thought mommy lost Jonah or heard him the judge would give daddy both of us she said the police would believe daddy because he has a job and owns a house and mommy is just a poor single mother those were her exact words.”

The Rescue and the Arrests

Officer Hallstead was already reaching for his phone.

“What’s the address of this cabin?” He asked.

“I don’t know the address,” I said desperately.

“Derek never told me exactly where it was.”

“1847 Lakeshore Road,” Vera recited.

“I remembered it because 1847 is the year they founded our town we learned that in social studies.”

Officer Hallstead spoke rapidly into his phone dispatching units to the location. Derek grabbed his phone frantically typing something but Officer Hallstead took it from his hand.

“I’ll need to hold on to this for now,” He said kindly.

“You can’t just believe a seven-year-old’s fantasy!” Derek’s controlled facade was cracking.

“She’s been coached Renata probably told her to say all this.”

“I didn’t know anything about this,” I said my voice shaking.

“Vera how long have you known?”

“Since yesterday but I thought maybe Daddy would change his mind I thought maybe he’d realize it was mean.”