Page 26 of Beneath the Surface
Isobel closed her eyes, the memories of that case swirling in the darkness behind her lids. The room felt smaller, the air thicker, as she forced herself to dig through the details she had tried so hard to forget. Her breath hitched. “There was… something,” she murmured, her voice a whisper. “Brenda had a boyfriend. He was controlling, abusive. But, according to her friends, she was too scared to talk about it.”
Brad’s posture straightened, his focus sharpening as her words took shape. “Do you remember his name?”
Her mouth felt dry as she nodded, the name coming to her reluctantly, like it had been hiding in the corners of her mind. “Thomas Gray. But the police proved he wasn’t involved.”
The air between them grew heavier, but Brad’s hand didn’t leave her shoulder. If anything, his grip tightened slightly, a silent reassurance. “You did good, Belle,” he said gently. “I’m going to take care of you.”
Her breath caught. As if something inside her finally gave way, Isobel let herself lean fully into him, her head just brushing his chest. His hand moved slightly, almost instinctively, anchoring her.
Ten
Isobel stepped from the elevator. She had a meeting with Emma Coltrane’s parents and mom’s boyfriend and dad’s girlfriend to discuss their feelings about Emma. Both Brad and Larson appeared worried when she insisted on being dropped off at her car.
As she entered her office, she saw Kathy already set up a tray of fruit and water bottles. She would serve anyone who wanted coffee, tea or cocoa.
Isobel pointed to a comfortable armchair in the small seating area in her office. Thomas Coltrane sat stiffly on the chair, his face etched with worry.
“Mr. Coltrane, I understand this is a difficult time for you. I need to ask you a few questions about Emma.”
Thomas blew out a breath. “Of course. Anything to help my daughter.” His voice cracked.
“I've been informed that Emma's cancer has relapsed. Can you tell me about her current treatment plan?”
He spoke slowly, “Emma's been undergoing chemotherapy. It is more grueling than her first round. The drugs are more toxic with some miserable side effects, but they have other drugs to mitigate them. The doctors have assured her the cancer iscurable. It's hard on her, partially because she’s anticipating the worst. And how lonely it is. Only her best friends are coming around, and she’s missing out on school events and family events. Julia and I are doing everything we can to support her.”
Isobel’s eyebrow rose. “Julia, your girlfriend?”
“Yes, Julia Bennett. She's been a rock for both of us. We’ve been together for five years. We want to make sure Emma gets through this, whatever it takes.”
“I've heard there have been some disagreements between you and your ex-wife, Eleanor, regarding Emma's treatment. Can you elaborate on that?”
“Disagreements. That’s a civilized word.” Thomas Coltrane tensed. “Eleanor... Eleanor thinks the treatment is too harsh on Emma. She wants to try alternative methods, or even stop treatment altogether. I think... I think she wants to start a new life with Andrew, her boyfriend, and she's scared Emma's illness will make that difficult.”
Isobel pursed her lips. “That's a serious concern. Do you have any evidence to support this?”
“No concrete evidence, but I've seen how distant she's become. She leaves Emma home alone often when Andrew takes her to his adult club. She used to be so involved in Emma's care, never missed an appointment, but now it feels like she's pulling away. I take Emma to most of her appointments because Eleanor is always busy. She's more focused on her new relationship than on our daughter's health. And she blames it on the treatment being too harsh, that she can’t bear it. I can’t bear it either. To see your child burn with fever or vomit. The rings under her eyes. But it has an end date. And the doctors tell us it’s survivable. I’d cut an arm off if the doctor said it would help her get through it.”
“And how does Emma feel about all this?” Isobel leaned toward him.
Her father sighed deeply. “She wants to get better. But she wishes it wasn’t painful. She's afraid. She also wants her mother and me to stop fighting with each other. I think she wants to trust us to make the right decisions for her, but, like I said, she's scared too. I include her in the doctor discussions even when her mom doesn’t want to. She needs stability and love, not conflict. Unfortunately, the conflict is why we are here.” He looked at his hands.
Isobel nodded. Her father understood Emma. “It's essential that Emma feels supported and that her health remains the priority. I'll be speaking with Eleanor as well. In the meantime, ensure Emma feels secure and loved. We need to navigate this situation carefully.” She paused. “I will also arrange a discussion between you and Eleanor separately with Emma, her doctors and her guardian ad litem.”
Thomas nodded. “Thank you, Dr. Everhart. “All I want is for Emma to have the best chance at beating this. But if the doctors feel the treatment isn’t working, I want my little girl to be comfortable.”
“We're here to help. We'll make sure Emma gets the appropriate care she needs.”
Thomas nodded, his eyes glistening with unshed tears. Isobel stood up, offering a reassuring smile before walking him to the waiting room. She called on his girlfriend next.
After discussing things with Julia, Isobel felt she was on the same page as Thomas. Both understood the commitment to treatment and Emma. She waited for the waiting room to clear, not wanting the estranged parents to meet there. Soon she heard the hidden bell in the mat ping.
Isobel stood up, pressed her blouse smooth and went out to greet Emma’s mother.
Eleanor Coltrane sat nervously on a chair, fidgeting with her hands.
“Mrs. Coltrane, thank you for speaking with me. I understand this is a challenging time for everyone involved. I have a few questions about your daughter, Emma.”
Slightly agitated, she answered, “Yes, of course. Anything for Emma.”
