Chapter 13 - THE DEAL
Mason had planned for everything.
Almost.
According to Harris, someone had activated the tracker remotely after the evidence was seized.
That gave investigators grounds to dig deeper into Daniel’s accounts.
They found money moving through shell companies.
Fake consulting invoices.
Fraudulent loan applications.
My family drama had opened the door to something much bigger.
Daniel wasn’t helping Teresa because she was special.
He had done versions of this before.
Older relatives.
Family disputes.
Property transfers.
People with equity and messy relationships.
Teresa had simply been willing.
When prosecutors showed Mason the evidence, he panicked.
He took a deal.
He agreed to testify against Daniel and my mother.
In exchange, prosecutors would recommend a reduced sentence.
When Teresa heard, she lost control.
Even her own attorney couldn’t keep her calm.
At a preliminary hearing, I sat beside Amy while my mother glared at us from across the courtroom.
Mason entered in county jail clothes.
Teresa whispered, “Coward.”
Mason heard her.
He smiled bitterly.
Then he testified.
He described the plan from beginning to end.
Teresa had approached Daniel.
Daniel had explained how equity fraud could work.
Mason gathered documents.
Betsy notarized forms she shouldn’t have.
The birthday party gave them cover.
“What was the defendant’s role?” the prosecutor asked.
Mason looked directly at Teresa.
“She ran everything.”
My mother shook her head.
“Liar.”
The judge warned her.
The prosecutor continued.
“What was supposed to happen after the property transfer?”
“Daniel would arrange a loan.”
“And after the money was distributed?”
Mason hesitated.
“Teresa was going to sell the house.”
Amy’s hand grabbed mine.
The prosecutor stared at him.
“With Connor and his family living there?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
Mason swallowed.
“She said she’d evict them.”
A sound escaped Amy.
I squeezed her hand.
The prosecutor stepped closer.
“And where did she expect Connor, Amy, and their baby to go?”
Mason looked ashamed.
“She didn’t care.”
Teresa stood.
“That’s a lie!”
The judge slammed the gavel.
My mother pointed at me.
“You chose her!”
Court officers moved toward Teresa.
She kept shouting.
“I gave you everything!”
I stood before Rachel could stop me.
“No.”
The courtroom went quiet.
I looked at my mother.
“You gave me a bill for everything.”
Her face froze.
I sat back down.
The judge ordered her removed.
As officers led Teresa away, she twisted toward me.
“You think this is over?”
Her smile returned.
That same cold smile from the party.
“Ask your wife what she signed.”
Amy stopped breathing.
I turned toward her.
May you like
“What is she talking about?”
And the look on Amy’s face told me my mother had finally found the one secret Amy had kept from me.
