Chapter 8
I left the office with Lila, crying and shaking.
Jake followed behind us.
We took her back to Mia’s.
Mia made her tea and sat with her while she calmed down.
I paced the living room, furious.
Helpless.
Margaret was always one step ahead.
Every time we found proof, she had a new lie ready.
Every time we tried to tell Daniel the truth, she twisted it to make us the bad guys.
He’d never believe us now.
Not after she’d told him Lila was a gambling addict being blackmailed by me.
Jake touched my arm.
“Wait,” he said.
He was looking at his phone.
“I just got an email from the forensic accountant we hired to go through the company books. There’s more. Margaret didn’t just steal the money. She never reported it to the IRS. None of it. Not the $80k from the estate. Not the $220k from the company. She left it all off the tax returns. The ones Daniel signed. Because he trusted her to do the books.”
I stared at him.
“So?” I said.
“So the IRS doesn’t care who stole it,” Jake said. “They care who signed the return. Daniel is the owner of the company. He’s the one who signed the estate tax forms. Legally, he’s on the hook for all of it. Back taxes. Penalties. Interest. Total is almost $180k. And if they decide it was intentional fraud? He could face jail time, Emily. Felony charges. Up to five years.”
My blood ran cold.
Jail.
Daniel could go to jail.
Because of his mother.
“When will they contact him?” I said.
“Any day now,” Jake said. “The audit notice went out last week. He should have it already.”
I looked at my phone.
I called Daniel.
Straight to voicemail again.
I texted him.
We need to talk. It’s about the IRS. Your mom didn’t report the stolen money. You’re going to be audited. You could go to jail. Please call me. Please.
I hit send.
I waited.
An hour went by.
Nothing.
Two hours.
Nothing.
I was about to drive over to the house when my phone rang.
It was Daniel.
His voice was broken.
Shattered.
“I got the notice,” he said.
He was crying.
“Emily, what do I do? They want $180k. They said if I don’t pay in 30 days, they’re going to seize the company. The house. Everything. Mom said it’s a mistake. That she’ll fix it. But I looked at the returns, Emily. I saw the numbers. They match the papers in the envelope. The ones you gave me. She lied. All of it. She lied about everything. I’m so sorry. I was so stupid. I should have believed you. I should have chosen you. Please, Emily. Come home. I need you. I need you more than anything.”
I grabbed my keys.
“I’m on my way,” I said.
I drove to the house as fast as I could.
The front door was unlocked.
I walked in.
The house was quiet.
Daniel was sitting on the floor in the middle of the living room, surrounded by papers.
The IRS notice was in his lap.
He looked up when I walked in.
His face was streaked with tears.
He looked ten years older.
I ran to him.
I dropped to my knees and wrapped my arms around him.
He held me so tight I could barely breathe.
“I’m sorry,” he kept saying, over and over. “I’m so sorry. I’ll never doubt you again. Never. I promise.”
We sat there for a long time.
Holding each other.
Crying.
Then I told him everything.
About Lila’s gambling.
About the texts on the flip phone.
About the letters from his dad.
About the life insurance.
About the drugs in his system.
About the text that said Problem solved.
Daniel didn’t say a word while I talked.
He just sat there, his face getting whiter and whiter.
When I finished, he stood up.
He walked to the kitchen.
He grabbed his car keys.
“Where are you going?” I said.
“To Mom’s house,” he said.
His voice was dead.
Empty.
“She’s going to tell me the truth. All of it. Or I’m calling the police myself. Tonight.”
I grabbed his arm.
“Daniel, no,” I said. “She’s dangerous. You heard what Lila said. She’ll do anything to protect herself. Let’s call the police first. Let them handle it.”
Daniel pulled his arm away.
“No,” he said. “She’s my mother. I owe it to my dad to hear her say it. To her face. I’ll be fine. I’ll call you the second I leave. I promise.”
He left before I could stop him.
I called Jake.
“Follow him,” I said. “He’s going to Margaret’s house alone. I’m scared. I’m so scared of what she’ll do.”
Jake was already in his car.
“I’m five minutes from her house,” he said. “I’ll be there before he is. I’ll stay outside. If anything goes wrong, I’ll call 911 immediately.”
I sat on the couch and waited.
Every minute felt like an hour.
Thirty minutes went by.
Then forty.
Then an hour.
No call from Daniel.
No text.
I called him.
Straight to voicemail.
I called Jake.
He picked up on the first ring.
“Emily,” he said.
His voice was tight.
“Something’s wrong. I’ve been outside for an hour. The lights are on, but no one’s come out. I heard yelling a few minutes ago. Then silence. I called 911. They’re on their way.”
My heart stopped.
“I’m coming,” I said.
I ran out the door.
I drove to Margaret’s house faster than I’d ever driven in my life.
Sirens blared behind me.
When I got there, the street was full of police cars.
Ambulances.
Flashing lights.
I ran toward the house.
A cop stopped me.
“Sorry, ma’am,” he said. “No one goes in there right now.”
“That’s my husband,” I screamed. “Daniel Hale. He was in there. Where is he? Is he okay?”
The cop looked at me.
May you like
His face was sad.
“Ma’am,” he said softly. “There’s been an incident. We have one woman deceased. And one man in critical condition. They’re taking him to Northwestern Memorial right now.”
