Chapter 13 - THE DOCTOR WHO NEVER EXAMINED HER
The evaluation was devastating.
It described Ava as emotionally volatile.
Trauma-reactive.
Potentially paranoid.
Prone to catastrophizing threats.
The doctor:
Dr. Stephen Reeve.
Ava had never met him.
Naomi stared.
“How did he evaluate you?”
“He didn’t.”
The report was based on documents Ryan provided.
Texts.
Videos.
Therapy summaries.
Ava’s private therapy summaries.
Her face went cold.
Ryan had accessed them through the insurance account.
Maybe illegally.
Maybe through marital credentials she once shared.
Again:
Access versus permission.
Dr. Reeve’s report contained a disclaimer:
No direct clinical evaluation conducted.
Yet Ryan presented it to the board as an “independent fitness review.”
Misleading.
Not fully fabricated.
Smart.
Naomi subpoenaed the materials Ryan sent.
One file contained a therapy note:
Patient reports increasing fear when spouse begins counting backward during arguments.
Ava stared.
Ryan had included that.
Why?
Because he thought fear made her look unstable.
But the note was dated nine months earlier.
Long before the Northstar deal.
Long before the poker.
It proved the countdown was real.
Dr. Reeve was questioned.
“Did Mr. Carter tell you the countdown was a grounding method?”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you Ava described it as threatening?”
“No.”
Another selective truth.
Then police recovered a deleted message between Ryan and Michael Vale.
Ryan:
She already reacts to counting. We won’t need to teach the behavior.
Vale:
Then use existing conditioning.
Ava read the words.
Existing conditioning.
Her marriage reduced to a technique.
The district attorney opened a formal coercive-control and assault investigation.
Ryan’s criminal attorney finally advised total silence.
For the first time, Ryan stopped explaining.
Then Michael Vale was found.
Not hiding overseas.
May you like
In Wisconsin.
And he was ready to talk.
