Chapter 8 - HE CAME BACK FOR THE CARD
“Call the police.”
Mom grabbed her phone.
I pulled the memory card from the laptop.
Sophie woke on the couch.
“What’s happening?”
“Come here.”
Grant unlocked the front door.
Mom shouted through the hallway.
“You’re not supposed to be here!”
The door opened.
Grant stepped inside.
He looked at the broken office door.
Then at us.
Then at the laptop.
His face became still.
“What did you do?”
I held the memory card behind my back.
Grant walked forward.
“Emma.”
I backed away.
“What did you do to my dad?”
Mom dialed 911.
Grant lunged.
I swung a crutch.
It hit his shoulder.
He cursed.
Mom stepped between us.
“Get out!”
Grant shoved her aside.
Sophie screamed.
I ran.
Or tried to.
With one injured ankle and one crutch, I made it three steps before Grant caught my sweater.
The fabric ripped.
I fell.
The memory card flew from my hand.
It landed under the dining table.
Grant saw it.
So did Sophie.
She moved first.
My little sister dove beneath the table.
Grant grabbed her ankle.
“Sophie!”
She kicked wildly.
I slammed the crutch into his hand.
He released her.
“Run!”
Sophie crawled out the other side.
Grant turned toward me.
His face was full of rage.
“You stupid little—”
The front door burst open.
Officer Ramirez entered with two officers behind her.
“Hands where I can see them!”
Grant froze.
Mom was crying.
I was on the floor.
Sophie clutched the memory card in both hands.
Ramirez saw everything.
“Get down.”
Grant slowly raised his hands.
“This is insane.”
“On your knees.”
“I live here.”
“On your knees.”
Grant finally obeyed.
An officer cuffed him.
As they pulled him toward the door, he looked at Mom.
“You think this ends with me?”
She stared back.
Then Grant looked at me.
“Your father wasn’t innocent.”
I wanted to hit him.
Ramirez pushed him outside.
“What does that mean?” I shouted.
Grant twisted in the officers’ grip.
“He knew where the money came from!”
“Shut up,” Mom screamed.
Grant laughed.
“There it is.”
He looked at me one last time.
“Ask your mother who signed the Riverton checks.”
Then he disappeared into the police car.
I turned toward Mom.
She looked shattered.
“Mom?”
She sat down slowly.
May you like
I already knew I wasn’t going to like the answer.
“Who signed the checks?”
