Chapter 10 - THE WOMAN I HATED
I hated Brenda.
That made what happened next harder.
When we reached the townhouse, she was sitting on the front steps barefoot.
Blood ran from her lip.
One eye was swelling.
Police surrounded the house.
I ran toward her.
“Where is he?”
“I’m sorry.”
I grabbed her shoulders.
“Where is my son?”
Christopher’s security officer pulled me back.
Brenda cried.
“A man came to the door. He said Chad sent him.”
“Victor?”
“No. Younger.”
“What happened?”
“He knew Toby’s name. He knew the custody schedule.”
“How?”
“I don't know!”
“You were living with Chad!”
“I didn't know what they were doing!”
I almost hit her.
She saw it in my face.
“Go ahead.”
“What?”
“Hit me.”
I stared at her.
“I deserve it.”
That took some of my anger away.
Not much.
Enough.
“Tell me everything.”
Brenda wiped blood from her lip.
“I met Chad eleven months ago.”
“While we were married.”
“Yes.”
“Did you know?”
“Yes.”
At least she didn't lie.
“He told me you were controlling. Cold. That your marriage was over.”
“Classic.”
“I know.”
“When did you learn about the fraud?”
“The week before your arrest.”
My stomach turned.
“And you stayed?”
“He said you had actually stolen the money.”
“You believed him?”
“I wanted to.”
That answer was brutally honest.
“And the bracelet?”
Her face reddened.
“He gave it to me.”
I held out my hand.
She removed it.
Placed it in my palm.
“I’m sorry.”
I closed my fingers around it.
“Later.”
“What?”
“You can apologize later. Right now, help me find my son.”
Her eyes filled.
She nodded.
Police recovered security footage.
The kidnapper’s car had fake plates.
But Toby had left something behind.
A tiny red plastic dinosaur on the sidewalk.
His favorite.
He carried it everywhere.
I picked it up.
Underneath was a folded piece of paper.
My hands shook as I opened it.
Mommy,
The bad man said not to talk.
I dropped Dino because you always find my stuff.
Love Toby.
My vision blurred.
Christopher rested a hand on my shoulder.
“He’s thinking.”
“He’s six.”
“He’s your son.”
A detective approached.
“We have a possible vehicle.”
“Where?”
“Traffic camera caught a matching SUV heading south toward Maricopa.”
Christopher’s phone rang simultaneously.
Naomi.
He answered.
Her voice came through the speaker.
“We found the second account Toby mentioned.”
Everyone stopped.
“How much?” Christopher asked.
“Three point four million.”
I stared at her voice through the phone.
“Whose account?”
“Technically? Genevieve’s.”
“What?”
“It was opened with forged identity documents.”
“Where did the money come from?”
Naomi hesitated.
“Victor.”
Why would Victor put money in my name?
Then I understood.
“He’s building another case.”
“Yes.”
“If the first conviction collapses…”
“He planned a second fraud trail.”
Christopher’s face hardened.
“Where is the account?”
“A private bank in Mexico.”
The detective looked at us.
“Mexico?”
My stomach dropped.
The road camera showed Victor’s vehicle moving south.
Toward the border.
May you like
Toward the money.
And my son was inside.
