Chapter 7 - The Grandmother’s Second Phone
Helen stared at Nolan.
“That is ridiculous.”
Nolan checked his tablet.
“The device is registered under your name.”
“I have one phone.”
Nolan walked toward the antique cabinet.
The signal strengthened.
Helen moved in front of it.
“There is nothing inside.”
Thomas opened the cabinet.
Behind a row of crystal glasses sat a small black phone.
The screen was still active.
A camera deletion application remained open.
Robert looked at Helen.
“What did you do?”
Helen turned on him.
“What you were too frightened to finish.”
The children stared at their grandmother.
Thomas lifted the phone carefully.
“You erased footage showing what happened to my children.”
Helen’s voice remained icy.
“I erased a humiliating family scene before strangers could twist it.”
“You were not protecting the children.”
“I was protecting all of us.”
Rebecca stepped forward.
“You watched them laugh at us.”
Helen looked down at her.
“You should have stayed out of the office.”
Thomas moved between them.
“Do not speak to her again.”
Helen’s eyes narrowed.
“She needs to understand consequences.”
“She is a child.”
“She is Emily’s child.”
Thomas went still.
Samuel reached for his father’s hand.
Helen seemed unable to stop herself.
“Emily filled their heads with the idea that they were equal to this family.”
Thomas stared at her.
“They are better than this family.”
Robert struck the desk with his fist.
“Stop talking.”
Helen laughed bitterly.
“Why?”
“The truth is already coming out.”
“You lost everything.”
“You signed loans you could not repay.”
“You forged Thomas’s name.”
“And now you expect me to stand here quietly while you pretend this was all my idea?”
Robert’s face twisted.
“You prepared the trust documents.”
“Because you told me Thomas would never let us survive unless we gave him no choice.”
The room became silent.
Thomas looked from one parent to the other.
For the first time, neither could hide behind him.
Detective Ellis entered with two uniformed officers.
Conrad followed in handcuffs.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
He could not look at Robert.
Detective Ellis took the forged guarantee from Thomas.
“Did you sign this?”
“No.”
“Did you authorize anyone to sign for you?”
“No.”
She turned toward Robert.
“Mr. Robert, I need you to remain inside the office.”
Robert lifted his chin.
“I will speak through counsel.”
Conrad finally looked at him.
“I am no longer representing you.”
Robert’s eyes widened.
Conrad continued.
“You told me Thomas had verbally approved the guarantee.”
“You said the signature page was coming from his office.”
“You knew exactly what you were doing.”
“So did you.”
“Yes.”
Conrad looked toward the children.
“And I am done lying about it.”
Detective Ellis asked Nolan to preserve the second phone.
Thomas looked toward the officers.
“Before anyone leaves, I want the pantry photographed.”
“I want the signs collected.”
“I want statements from the catering staff.”
Helen scoffed.
“You are involving police over chores.”
Mrs. Alvarez appeared in the doorway.
“No.”
“We are involving police because you locked hungry children behind a door.”
One of the officers left with her.
Detective Ellis turned toward Thomas.
“Is there anywhere your daughter may have placed additional evidence?”
Rebecca thought for a moment.
“The greenhouse.”
Helen’s head snapped toward her.
Thomas noticed.
“What is in the greenhouse?”
Rebecca looked confused.
“I don’t know.”
“Grandma told Grandpa she moved Mom’s box there.”
Thomas slowly turned toward Helen.
“What box?”
May you like
Helen backed toward the door.
Then the garden lights suddenly went out.
