Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN THEY CAME TO ARREST
Arthur opened the door.
Two uniformed officers stood outside.
Behind them was a detective in a gray jacket.
“Arthur Vance?”
“Yes.”
“I’m Detective Warren. We received a report of theft and unlawful access to private financial records.”
Arthur slowly looked back at Elena.
She looked almost relieved.
Detective Warren continued.
“The complaint was filed against Maria Santos.”
Arthur stared at him.
“You’re kidding.”
Elena stepped forward.
“I called before Arthur came downstairs.”
“You called the police on Maria?” Arthur asked.
“She stole confidential documents from our bedroom.”
“They were in Noah’s backpack.”
“That’s her story.”
Footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Maria appeared.
Noah was behind her.
The moment he saw the officers, he grabbed Maria’s hand.
“Maria didn’t steal anything!”
Elena snapped, “Noah, go upstairs.”
“No!”
Everyone looked at the child.
Noah’s lower lip trembled.
“Mom put the papers in my bag.”
Silence.
Elena’s expression cracked.
“Noah.”
“You told me not to tell Dad.”
Arthur felt the room tilt.
“What?”
Noah looked terrified.
Elena stepped toward him.
“He’s confused.”
Noah backed away.
“No, I’m not!”
Maria knelt beside him.
“It’s okay.”
Elena pointed at Maria.
“Stop coaching him!”
Arthur’s voice cut through the room.
“Enough.”
Detective Warren looked from one adult to the next.
“Mr. Vance, I need to understand exactly what’s happening.”
Arthur handed him the documents.
“My wife may have attempted to steal eight million dollars from our son’s trust, and fourteen million disappeared from my company today.”
Elena laughed.
“This is insane.”
The detective examined the paperwork.
Then his expression changed.
“Mrs. Vance, where did you get these?”
“My attorney.”
“Name?”
Elena hesitated.
Arthur noticed.
So did Warren.
“Elena?”
She folded her arms.
“I don’t remember.”
Arthur almost laughed.
“You don’t remember your attorney’s name?”
“I have several attorneys.”
Detective Warren turned to Maria.
“Ms. Santos, did you enter the Vances’ bedroom today?”
“No.”
“Did you take these papers?”
“No. Noah came home from school with them sticking out of his backpack. I thought they were homework forms.”
Noah nodded quickly.
“Mom put them there this morning.”
Warren crouched down.
“Did she say why?”
Noah looked at Elena.
His face changed.
Fear.
Arthur saw it clearly.
He walked over and knelt beside his son.
“You can tell us.”
Noah whispered, “She told me to give them to Mr. Daniel.”
Arthur’s head snapped up.
“Daniel Price?”
Noah nodded.
“She said he’d be waiting outside school.”
Arthur’s blood turned to ice.
Daniel had called him minutes earlier pretending to discover the transfers.
Arthur immediately grabbed his phone.
He called Daniel.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
Arthur opened his company security app.
Daniel’s executive access badge had been used fourteen minutes earlier.
At headquarters.
On the twenty-seventh floor.
Arthur’s private office.
“What the hell is he doing there?”
Detective Warren looked at him.
“You need to stay here.”
Arthur was already grabbing his keys.
“My company servers contain every financial record connected to that trust.”
“Mr. Vance—”
“If Daniel is involved, he’s destroying evidence.”
Elena suddenly moved toward the back hallway.
Maria shouted.
“Arthur!”
Elena ran.
Warren’s officer went after her.
Arthur heard the rear door slam.
Then an engine roared outside.
Arthur rushed to the window.
Elena’s Mercedes shot down the driveway.
But she wasn’t alone.
Someone was sitting in the passenger seat.
Arthur squinted.
May you like
And his stomach dropped.
Noah was gone.
