Court Papers in the Locked Drawer of a Community Doctor
“He filed the petition under an emergency seal to keep you from getting a summons,” Karen said, her pen stopping its rhythm against the paper. “In these cases, if the petitioner claims there is an immediate danger of physical or financial harm, the court can proceed without prior notice.”
She clicked a print icon on her screen, and the machine in the corner began to whir, its warm motor pulling three sheets of white paper through the rollers. She slid the sheets across the dark wood of her desk, her face set in a cold, professional mask.
At the top of the first page, the name Arthur Sterling was printed in bold block letters. This was the same name from the gloss black business card I had found in the pocket of David’s winter coat, the one he had dismissed as a contact for a geriatric patient’s family.
“Sterling is a specialist,” Karen said, pointing to the signature at the bottom of the page. “He does not handle standard estate planning or wills. He handles contested incompetency cases for families with significant assets.”
