Chapter 12 - The Fingerprints
Daniel laughed when Emily told him.
It was a broken, disbelieving sound.
"Of course my fingerprints are on the gas can. It was mine. I used it for the lawn mower."
"Ramirez knows that."
"The insurance company won't care until they can prove it."
Daniel walked to the sink and braced both hands on the counter.
Noah entered carrying a plastic plate.
"Daddy, I made sandwich."
On the plate sat two crackers with a slice of banana between them.
Daniel turned.
"That looks amazing."
"It has no fire."
Emily and Daniel both went quiet.
Noah looked between them. "Fire bad."
Daniel lifted him and held him tightly.
"Yeah, buddy. Fire bad."
That afternoon, Daniel's attorney called with another problem.
Marcus's lawyer had filed the second will with probate court and requested an emergency order preventing Daniel from selling or refinancing the property.
"He's building pressure from every direction," Emily said.
"Then we push back from every direction."
It was the first time Daniel had sounded like himself in days.
They sat at the dining table and made a list.
The false will.
The brick.
The CPS report.
The basement break-in.
The stolen blue file.
The workshop intruder.
The storage unit.
The recording.
The fire.
"Everything circles Marcus," Emily said.
"But circles aren't proof."
Ruth arrived carrying a box of old family photos.
"I remembered something," she said.
She pulled out a picture from her birthday dinner.
In the background, Marcus stood near the coffee table.
Daniel's open laptop was beside him.
And in his hand was a red work glove.
Emily's pulse jumped.
"Where did he get that glove?"
Ruth shook her head. "I don't know."
Daniel zoomed in on the photo.
A white logo was printed across the glove.
KELLER INDUSTRIAL SUPPLY.
Shane Keller's family business.
Ramirez took the photo.
Two hours later, police brought Shane in for questioning.
At first he denied everything.
Then they showed him the storage unit evidence.
Then the photo.
Then the audio recording.
At 9:30 p.m., Ramirez called.
"Shane wants a deal."
Daniel stood up.
"What is he saying?"
"He says Marcus paid him to break into the basement and workshop."
Emily covered her mouth.
"And the fire?"
Ramirez exhaled.
"Shane says he didn't set it."
Daniel frowned.
"Then who did?"
"He says Marcus told him somebody else would handle that part."
"Who?"
Ramirez's voice lowered.
May you like
"Shane says the person has been inside your house many times."
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