“Six months ago,” Renata said, speaking over her attorney’s attempt to intervene.
“Six months ago.”
Marcus nodded.
“So six months ago, you filed a claim seeking authority over Luther Hart’s assets.”
He paced one step.
“Then forty-eight hours ago, immediately after the private investigator you hired located Skyla at a garage operated by people named within Luther Hart’s own records, you filed an emergency welfare petition concerning Skyla.”
Marcus paused.
“Ms. Voss, is it possible that your concern regarding Skyla’s welfare intensified specifically because she located the people Luther intended to help her?”
The hearing room was silent.
“I object to the characterization,” Caldwell said.
“Withdrawn.”
Marcus did not need the answer.
The silence had already done enough work.
He turned toward the judge.
“One final item, Your Honor.”
Marcus did not submit Luther’s full private letter.
Sky had reviewed it that morning and authorized two relevant paragraphs.
Only those portions entered the record.
The sections where Luther wrote about the guardianship filing.
Why he had started it.
What he intended.
Judge Odum read them.
Then she looked directly at Sky.
“Ms. Hart.”
Sky straightened.
“You’re eighteen.”
“Yes, Your Honor.”
“You’re legally an adult.”
Judge Odum folded her hands.
“I want to hear from you directly.”
She paused.
“What do you want?”
Sky stood.
She had thought about the question since 5:30 that morning.
Since Patrice’s kitchen.
Since the coffee.
Since the folder.
“I want what my brother was trying to give me.”
Judge Odum waited.
“Stability.”
Sky continued.
“Community.”
“A place to work and belong.”
She took a breath.
“I found that over the last few days.”
“I know that sounds fast.”
Sky glanced briefly toward Gregory.
“But I’ve been looking for it for fourteen months.”
Her eyes returned to the judge.
“And I know what something real feels like when I finally find it.”
She paused.
“I’m not asking this court to give me something I can’t stand on my own.”
Her voice remained level.
“I’m asking the court to recognize that I’m already standing.”
“And to stop someone from using a legal process to knock me down because they want what my brother left behind.”
The room stayed silent.
Judge Odum looked at Renata.
Then Marcus.
Then back at the documents.
“I am taking a thirty-minute recess.”
She gathered the papers.
“When I return, I will rule on the emergency petition.”
“The estate issue is a separate proceeding.”
She looked over her glasses at everyone.
“I will say something now, off the record.”
The room remained still.
“I have been on this bench nineteen years.”
“I have significant experience distinguishing between petitions filed from genuine concern and petitions filed from strategic interest.”
Judge Odum stood.
“Thirty minutes.”
Everyone stood.
For the first time since arriving, Renata Voss looked like someone doing arithmetic she did not like.
In the hallway, Jimmy leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.
The button-down shirt looked as though it was struggling.
Gregory walked out.
Jimmy watched his face.
Gregory gave him a tiny nod.
“How’d she do?”
Gregory thought.
“Like Luther.”
Jimmy waited.
“She said exactly what needed to be said and not one word more.”
Jimmy looked toward the closed hearing-room door.