Chapter 10 - The Accomplice
Peter Brennan showed up at Hale Construction the next morning like nothing had happened.
Daniel was waiting in the conference room with Detective Ruiz and the company attorney.
Peter stopped in the doorway.
“This looks dramatic.”
“Sit down,” Daniel said.
Peter smiled. “Am I under arrest?”
Ruiz answered. “Not at this moment.”
“Then I’m going back to work.”
Daniel slid a bank statement across the table.
Peter looked at it.
His smile faded.
“PBR Consulting,” Daniel said. “Want to explain?”
Peter leaned back. “Consulting work.”
“For my mother?”
“For whoever paid the invoice.”
“Eighty-six thousand dollars came from a credit account opened using Emily’s stolen identity.”
Peter’s face tightened.
Ruiz watched him carefully.
Daniel pushed another page forward.
“And two hundred forty thousand was almost wired out of my company yesterday.”
Peter said nothing.
“Mom told you I authorized it, didn’t she?” Daniel asked.
Peter looked at him sharply.
That was enough.
Daniel sat back.
“She told you she still had power of attorney.”
Peter rubbed his jaw.
“I want a lawyer.”
Ruiz nodded. “That would be wise.”
Peter stood.
Before leaving, he looked at Daniel.
“You think this is about money?”
“What is it about?”
Peter’s mouth twisted. “Ask your mother why she needed Emily gone before the baby came.”
Daniel’s stomach dropped.
At home, Emily was in the nursery folding tiny blankets when she heard a faint click downstairs.
She froze.
Daniel had installed new locks.
Rachel was at work.
No one else was supposed to be there.
“Hello?”
Silence.
Emily reached for her phone.
No signal.
She frowned.
The Wi-Fi symbol had disappeared too.
Then she heard the office door open.
Emily moved quietly to the hallway and looked down the stairs.
A man in a dark jacket stepped out of the office holding the white envelope with the forged signatures.
Peter.
“Peter?”
He looked up.
For one second, neither of them moved.
Then Emily backed toward the nursery.
Peter raised both hands.
“Emily, don’t panic.”
“You broke into my house.”
“I used a key.”
“What key?”
He glanced toward the front door.
“The one your mother-in-law gave me months ago.”
Emily lifted her phone.
“I’m calling the police.”
Peter’s face changed.
“Wait.”
May you like
He looked at the envelope in his hand.
“You need to see what’s inside before Daniel does.”
