Chapter 8
Chloe sat behind thick glass.
The bruise on her cheek had faded.
I felt nothing when I saw her.
Not anger.
Not love.
Nothing.
She picked up the phone.
I did the same.
"Ryan."
"Don't call me that like we're still family."
Her eyes flickered.
"I know you're angry."
"You beat my pregnant wife."
"Mom started it."
I almost hung up.
Chloe rushed on.
"I know. It doesn't matter. I did it."
"Why?"
"Because I was scared."
"That's your excuse?"
"No."
For the first time, she looked ashamed.
"Nothing excuses it."
I waited.
She leaned closer to the glass.
"Dad has controlled everyone for years."
"So you decided to become him?"
That hit her.
She looked down.
"He told me if Emily turned those financial records over, I'd go to prison."
"You forged her signature."
"I know."
"You tried to steal almost two million dollars."
"I know."
"And when she refused, you attacked her."
Tears filled Chloe's eyes.
"Yes."
I wanted to hate her.
Maybe I did.
But I also wanted the truth.
"What proof do you have about Sarah?"
She swallowed.
"Recording."
"Grandma's?"
"No."
"Dad's."
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Explain."
"Two years ago, Dad got drunk at my apartment."
"That wasn't unusual."
"He started talking about Michael."
Chloe stared through the glass.
"He said Michael should have stayed loyal."
"What did that mean?"
"I asked."
Her voice dropped.
"Dad said Michael helped clean up Sarah's accident, then became weak."
"What else?"
"He said, 'I took care of Sarah. I could've taken care of Michael too.'"
Cold spread through me.
"You recorded him?"
"After he started threatening me, yes."
"Where is it?"
She looked toward the camera.
"Somewhere Dad can't reach."
"Where?"
"I'll tell Detective Bell after the deal is signed."
I leaned back.
"Then why did you need me?"
Her face crumpled.
"Because I needed to tell you something before you hear it from them."
"What?"
"I knew Emily was pregnant."
"Obviously."
"No."
She shook her head.
"I knew she was having complications."
I stopped moving.
"What are you talking about?"
"Mom found medical paperwork in your bedroom."
My rage returned instantly.
"You went through our room?"
"Mom did."
"What paperwork?"
Chloe whispered.
"Emily had been told to avoid stress."
I looked at her through the glass.
"You knew hurting her could threaten the baby."
She began crying.
"I didn't think—"
"You knew."
"Ryan—"
"You knew!"
A guard stepped closer.
I lowered my voice.
"If anything happens to my child, don't ever expect me to forgive you."
"I don't."
That stopped me.
Chloe pressed a hand against the glass.
"I don't expect forgiveness."
I stood.
Then she said, "Dad wasn't the one who told us to get Emily's money."
I slowly sat back down.
"What?"
"He wanted it, but someone else designed the transfer."
"Who?"
Chloe hesitated.
"A woman named Rebecca Sloan."
"Who's that?"
"She worked for Grandma."
I frowned.
Grandma had dozens of employees.
"What did she do?"
"Accounting."
Chloe leaned closer.
"She contacted Dad after Grandma died. She knew which documents had been changed."
"Why help him?"
"I don't know."
"Where is she now?"
Chloe's eyes filled with fear.
"That's the problem."
"What?"
"She's the person who sent you the photograph."
My breath stopped.
"How do you know?"
"Because she sent me one too."
"Of Sarah?"
"No."
Chloe swallowed.
"Of Emily."
My heart pounded.
"What kind of photograph?"
"Taken outside your house three weeks ago."
I slammed the phone down and left.
Bell was waiting.
"We need protection around Emily."
"Already arranged."
"Rebecca Sloan is watching her."
Bell's face changed.
"Who told you that?"
"Chloe."
He immediately called another officer.
Within minutes, Rebecca Sloan's name was being searched.
Then Bell received an answer.
He looked confused.
"What?"
He turned the computer screen toward me.
A death certificate.
Rebecca Sloan.
Date of death: eleven years ago.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
Bell stared at the record.
"Either Chloe is lying..."
He opened another database.
"...or someone has been using a dead woman's identity."
Then my phone rang.
Emily.
I answered immediately.
"Ryan?"
Her voice trembled.
"What's wrong?"
"There's a woman outside the house."
My heart stopped.
"Get away from the windows."
"Ryan..."
May you like
"What?"
"She says she knew your mother."
