Chapter 5 - The Frame-Up Attempt
Desperate people do dangerous things. Realizing that the evidence was stacking against them, Eleanor and Vanessa attempted one last, reckless gamble to save themselves.
The next afternoon, while I was downstairs signing medical consent forms, two uniformed officers approached me in the hospital lobby alongside a social worker from CPS.
"Natalie Mercer?" one officer asked.
"Yes, what's wrong?"
"We've received a formal complaint and sworn affidavits from Eleanor Mercer and Vanessa Mercer alleging that you have been systematically abusing Eli for months and that you fled to Denver after injuring him yourself."
I stared at them, stunned. "That is absurd! I have flight tickets, hotel check-ins, and client receipts proving I was working in Denver. My neighbor dropped Eli off at my mother's house completely healthy!"
"We have to investigate all allegations, Ms. Mercer," the social worker said neutrally. "Until we clear this, an emergency temporary custody order has been requested."
Panic surged through my veins. "No! You cannot take him away from me! They are trying to cover up their own crimes because of a trust fund!"
Fortunately, Detective Miller intervened before things escalated. He marched into the lobby with a stack of files.
"Stand down, officers," Miller ordered sternly. "We just obtained bank records and text messages between Eleanor and Vanessa Mercer. Two days before Natalie left for Denver, Vanessa texted Eleanor: 'Once the kid is out of the picture, the trust defaults to us. Make sure he doesn't leave the house alive.'"
The social worker gasped. The uniformed officers immediately backed off.
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"We just secured warrants for the immediate arrest of Eleanor and Vanessa Mercer for attempted pre-meditated murder, felony child abuse, and filing false police reports," Miller declared.
A wave of profound relief washed over me so strongly that my knees gave out. Miller caught my elbow, keeping me upright. "Go back to your son, Natalie. We're going to pick them up now."
