Chapter 12 - The Door Under the Garden
Thomas held out his hand.
“Give me the key.”
Helen gripped it tightly.
“I only wanted her away from the police.”
“You locked my daughter underground.”
“It is a storage room.”
“She is afraid of the dark.”
“I was going to release her.”
“When?”
Helen looked toward Robert.
“After he fixed the transfers.”
Thomas stepped closer.
“Give me the key.”
Helen’s hand trembled.
She dropped it into the grass.
Thomas unlocked the padlock.
The door opened.
Rebecca rushed into his arms.
Her cheeks were wet.
Dirt covered the front of her dress.
Thomas held her against his chest.
“I’m here.”
“I knew you would come.”
“I am never letting them take you anywhere again.”
Behind them, Detective Ellis placed Helen in handcuffs.
Helen stared at Rebecca.
“You left me no choice.”
Rebecca looked at her grandmother.
“You always had a choice.”
Helen’s face fell.
Nolan entered the storage room with a flashlight.
“Thomas, you need to see this.”
Shelves covered the walls.
They held old files, banker’s boxes, company ledgers, and sealed envelopes.
A portable scanner sat on a folding table.
Beside it was Robert’s missing office computer.
The screen remained active.
A countdown showed eleven minutes until the trust transfers were complete.
Thomas called Nina.
“We found the computer.”
“Do not touch anything unless law enforcement approves.”
Detective Ellis entered.
She photographed the screen.
Then she allowed Nolan to disconnect the network cable.
The countdown continued.
Nina spoke through Thomas’s phone.
“The instructions were already sent.”
“Can the bank reverse them?”
“They are reviewing the fraud notice.”
“How long?”
“I do not know.”
Thomas hated those words.
Detective Ellis searched the desk.
She found the original yellow envelope beneath the keyboard.
Inside were the signed transfer requests.
Thomas’s name had been forged three times.
Rebecca pointed toward a black ledger.
“Grandpa was writing in that when I opened the office.”
Detective Ellis opened it.
Each page listed names, investments, and payments.
Several entries were marked with the word PRESSURE.
Beside Denise’s name was a note about her husband’s medical debt.
Beside Peter’s name was a note about his tax problems.
Beside Thomas’s name were three words.
USE THE CHILDREN.
Peter read the words over her shoulder.
His face twisted with disgust.
Robert had not made mistakes.
He had studied every relative’s weakness and used it to collect money.
Thomas looked at the countdown.
Seven minutes remained.
Nina spoke again.
“The bank needs verbal confirmation from the original trustee.”
“That is me.”
“No.”
“The original trustee listed in their system is Robert.”
Thomas looked at his father.
Robert smiled from the doorway.
“You need my voice.”
Thomas walked toward him.
“Call the bank.”
Robert shook his head.
“Give me the estate.”
“No.”
“Restore my position at Northline.”
“No.”
“Drop the criminal complaint.”
Thomas stared at him.
“You are bargaining with your grandchildren’s future.”
“I am bargaining with the only thing you value.”
Thomas looked at the clock.
Three minutes remained.
Then Jacob quietly stepped toward the computer.
He pointed at a small audio icon.
“Dad, Grandpa already talked to the bank.”
May you like
Nolan clicked it.
A recorded verification call began to play.
