Chapter 22 - DECLAN HAYES IS NOT ALLOWED TO FIX THE HEARING
Before the district appeal, I hired an attorney.
Reasonable.
Then a private investigator.
Less reasonable.
I told him:
“Find every complaint ever made against Brady Collins.”
He looked at me.
“He’s thirteen.”
“I know.”
“School records are protected.”
“Public sources. Parents. Sports.”
He paused.
“What are you trying to learn?”
“Pattern.”
My attorney overheard.
“No.”
I turned.
“What?”
“Cancel it.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re proposing an opposition-research file on a middle-school child.”
The sentence sounded as bad as the idea was.
I canceled.
Paid the investigator for one hour.
No work performed beyond intake.
Then my attorney said:
“You already have the evidence relevant to Rosalie.”
“What if there’s more?”
“The district can investigate relevant reports.”
“I don’t trust them.”
“Then use process.”
I hated that phrase by now.
Use process.
Slow.
Imperfect.
Adult.
May you like
Rosalie did not need her father proving he could out-resource a thirteen-year-old.
She needed me to make sure adults did their jobs without becoming another source of fear.
