Chapter 41 - the families demanded every file and i almost agreed
After the hearing, public pressure exploded.
Release the records.
All of them.
A coalition representing dozens of families demanded full disclosure of Sierra Vale’s internal archive.
I sympathized.
Then a nineteen-year-old former patient came to my office.
Her name was Brooke Allen.
She placed both hands on my desk.
“If you release my file, I will sue you personally.”
Fairly clear.
“We don’t control Sierra Vale’s entire archive.”
“But people keep saying Justice Center supports disclosure.”
“Pattern findings.”
“Not private files.”
“Say it louder.”
I did.
Publicly.
The backlash was immediate.
People called us hypocrites.
The institution built on exposing the Blackwells was now “hiding records.”
A commentator put my Chapter 1 wedding footage beside my current statement.
She asked:
“What happened to transparency?”
Everything happened to transparency.
Age.
Experience.
Victims.
Consequences.
I went on one interview.
Only one.
“The wedding screen exposed financial evidence about people actively committing crimes.”
I said.
“It did not give me permanent ownership over everybody else’s private suffering.”
The host pushed.
“Secrecy protected the Blackwells.”
“Yes.”
“And privacy protected victims.”
“Both are true.”
She hated that answer.
Television prefers one sentence.
Justice usually needs two.
The Commons board upheld restricted disclosure.
I lost the vote to release a broader set of institutional emails by one vote.
My own structure overruled me.
I went home furious.
Dad opened a beer.
Not for me.
For himself.
“Good day?”
“No.”
“Excellent.”
I glared.
He smiled.
“If a system you built can tell you no, perhaps you built a system.”
May you like
Annoying man.
Correct.
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