>>Form a (contains a button with thisform.release) opens form b
>>Form b (contains a button with thisform.release) opens form c
>>Form c displays information (contains a button with thisform.release)
>>
>>when I click the button on form c it closes form b and form a
>>
>>??
>
>Could all forms go out of scope for some reason?

All forms modeless
forms are independent of the others

each form calls the other form with standard "Do form NameOfForm with..."