Chapter 8 - THE MONEY
Melissa claimed Daniel had convinced Rachel to send him money from prison. The withdrawals added up to nearly twenty thousand dollars.
Daniel had received no such money. He had worked in the prison laundry and left with sixty-three dollars to his name.
At the station, Priya asked for the account records. Every withdrawal had occurred after Rachel’s stroke. Most were cash transfers approved through an online account Rachel had never used before.
“Melissa managed her bills,” Daniel said.
“Then we look at the access records,” Priya replied.
Noah spent the night with the school counselor and her husband after a background check and court approval. Daniel called him before bed.
“I’m sorry you can’t stay with me yet.”
“It’s okay,” Noah said, though it plainly wasn’t. “Mrs. Bell made spaghetti.”
“Did you eat?”
“Two plates.”
Daniel smiled for the first time that day.
Then Noah said, “Melissa told me you went to prison because you stole from people.”
Daniel sat down. He had hoped to explain his conviction when they were together, when Noah was old enough to ask.
“I made a bad choice,” he said. “I drove a car for a man I knew was stealing equipment. I told myself it wasn’t my business. I was wrong. People lost their jobs, and I went to prison.”
“Did you steal from Aunt Rachel?”
“Never.”
Noah was quiet. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I was ashamed. You deserved the truth.”
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After the call, Priya sent Daniel the first bank record. The online account had been opened using Rachel’s information, but the recovery phone number belonged to someone else.
It belonged to Melissa’s brother—Daniel’s former boss, the man he had driven for on the night of the theft.
