Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN THEY BLAMED
For twenty-four hours, every document made Laura look guilty.
Hollow Ridge Holdings had been created using her Social Security number.
Her electronic signature appeared on loan agreements totaling more than seven million dollars.
Funds had moved through an account in her name.
Thomas used that evidence immediately.
By noon, his attorney had issued a statement claiming Laura had secretly defrauded Mercer Development and that Diane had protected me from discovering my wife’s crimes.
It was elegant.
Cruel.
And almost believable.
Until Ortiz asked one question.
“When was Hollow Ridge created?”
I checked the date.
Eight months after Laura died.
Forgery.
Someone had built a financial ghost using my dead wife’s identity.
The discovery should have relieved me.
Instead it made everything darker.
“They’re preparing to blame her,” I said.
Ortiz nodded.
“They already are.”
Diane called that evening.
I almost didn’t answer.
Then I remembered Laura’s phone.
My father’s letter.
Emma on the floor.
I picked up.
“Tell me the truth.”
My mother began crying immediately.
Not loudly.
Diane never lost control elegantly.
“Daniel, I was trying to protect you.”
“From what?”
“Laura.”
I closed my eyes.
“Hollow Ridge was created after she died.”
Silence.
“You didn’t know I knew that.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain it.”
“Grant had debts.”
“How much?”
“I don’t know.”
“Liar.”
“Millions.”
“And Dad discovered them.”
“Yes.”
The word came so quietly I nearly missed it.
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What happened to Dad?”
“He had a heart attack.”
“Laura said otherwise.”
“Laura was wrong.”
“Why did you keep her phone?”
Another silence.
“Because Thomas told me to.”
That startled me.
“Why?”
“He said it contained privileged family information.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
Her voice broke.
“I don’t expect you to believe anything I say anymore.”
For one dangerous second, she sounded like my mother.
The woman who had bandaged my knees.
Sat beside me in emergency rooms.
Held Emma the day she was born.
Then I remembered Emma’s terrified eyes.
“What did Laura discover?”
“She discovered Grant had forged Robert’s signatures.”
“And you?”
“I knew about some transfers.”
“How many?”
“I don’t remember.”
“You remember every birthday anyone has forgotten since 1987. You remember.”
“Enough.”
“Enough what?”
“Enough to know your father would send Grant to prison.”
“And you stopped him.”
“I asked him to wait.”
Just like Dad’s letter said.
“Why?”
“Because Grant was his brother.”
“That’s not why.”
Diane inhaled sharply.
“Because some of the accounts were mine.”
There it was.
Not innocence.
Not confusion.
Participation.
“How much did you take?”
“I didn’t take it.”
“How much?”
“Two hundred thousand.”
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because after everything I had learned, two hundred thousand almost sounded small.
“What for?”
“Your father controlled everything.”
“He gave you everything.”
“He gave me an allowance.”
“You lived in a six-million-dollar house.”
“You don’t understand what it was like.”
“No.”
My voice hardened.
“I understand exactly what it was like. You wanted money that wasn’t yours.”
She began crying again.
“Daniel—”
“Did you kill Dad?”
“No!”
The answer came instantly.
“Did Grant?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Thomas?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you kill Laura?”
This time—
she hesitated.
Only a second.
But a second was enough.
“Mom.”
“No.”
Too late.
“What happened to Laura?”
“Daniel, please.”
“What happened?”
“I can’t tell you over the phone.”
“Why?”
“Because Grant is listening.”
The line went dead.
I stared at the screen.
Then Ortiz called.
“Daniel.”
“What?”
“We found something in the old crash file.”
I stood.
“What?”
“A witness.”
I stopped breathing.
“There was no witness.”
“There was.”
“Then why wasn’t I told?”
“Because the witness disappeared before detectives could take a formal statement.”
“Who?”
“A mechanic named Caleb Rhodes.”
The name meant nothing.
Ortiz continued.
“He worked for Victor Hale.”
Grant’s friend.
The shop that serviced Laura’s car.
“We found him.”
“Where?”
“Arizona.”
“Is he talking?”
Ortiz paused.
“Yes.”
I gripped the edge of the table.
“And?”
“He says Laura’s brake line didn’t fail.”
May you like
My mouth went dry.
“He says someone cut it.”
