Chapter 14 - THE BETRAYAL IN THE HOUSE
We searched Diane’s house.
In my father’s study, behind an old framed photograph, we found a small safe.
Inside was a ledger.
A flash drive.
And a cassette tape.
The tape was labeled:
ROBERT - AUGUST 14
The day before he died.
Ortiz found an old player.
My father’s voice filled the room.
“I know you forged my signature.”
Thomas answered.
“You’re making accusations you can’t prove.”
“I can prove everything.”
“You’ll destroy your family.”
“No. You did that.”
Then Diane.
“Robert, please.”
My father sounded exhausted.
“Did you know?”
Silence.
“Diane.”
“Yes.”
One word.
Then Grant.
“We can fix this.”
My father laughed bitterly.
“There is no we.”
The tape continued for thirty-eight minutes.
By the end, the entire structure was clear.
Thomas designed the shell companies.
Grant used them.
Diane signed documents.
Robert discovered the fraud.
Laura helped gather proof.
Thomas threatened to expose Diane’s participation unless she kept Robert quiet.
Then came the final exchange.
Thomas said:
“Robert, tomorrow morning none of this will matter.”
My father answered:
“Is that a threat?”
Thomas laughed.
“No.”
“A prediction.”
The tape stopped.
We had him.
Then Natalie disappeared.
Her phone remained on the kitchen counter.
Her car remained outside.
A note sat on the table.
I’m sorry.
My stomach dropped.
Ortiz checked surveillance.
Natalie had walked voluntarily into a car registered under a fake company.
I called her repeatedly.
Finally she answered.
“Daniel.”
“Where are you?”
“I’m with Thomas.”
“Why?”
“He has something.”
“What?”
“Evidence.”
“About what?”
“Mom.”
My jaw tightened.
“He says Mom didn’t give Dad digoxin.”
“We have the video.”
“He says the pill wasn’t digoxin.”
“Get away from him.”
“I can’t.”
“Natalie.”
“He knows where Mark and the kids are.”
There it was.
Not betrayal.
Coercion.
Thomas came onto the line.
“Daniel.”
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
“No.”
“Then your sister’s family spends the rest of their lives looking over their shoulders.”
“You’re finished.”
“So people keep telling me.”
He gave an address.
Exchange at dawn.
Ortiz shook her head.
“It’s a trap.”
“I know.”
“We don’t hand him evidence.”
“I know.”
“What are you thinking?”
I looked at the original ledger.
Then at the copy machine.
“Thomas has spent his whole life believing he’s smarter than everyone.”
May you like
Ortiz understood.
“So we let him.”
