Chapter 10 - The Arrest
Two patrol cars arrived with lights flashing.
Rosa did not run.
She had spent too many years teaching her children that running from fear only let fear choose the direction.
An officer approached. “Rosa Alvarez?”
“Yes.”
“We have a warrant related to theft of private corporate records.”
Naomi stepped forward. “That makes no sense. The documents were in Evelyn Whitmore’s bank box.”
Brent said, “Company records were stolen years ago. We have evidence linking Mrs. Alvarez’s late husband to the theft.”
Celeste spun on him. “You’re lying.”
“Ms. Whitmore, please let the police do their job.”
The officer handcuffed Rosa.
Naomi started recording.
Rosa looked directly into the camera. “Don’t edit this. Show all of it.”
“I will.”
As Rosa was placed in the patrol car, Celeste walked beside it.
“I’ll get you a lawyer.”
Rosa met her eyes through the open window. “Get yourself one too.”
At the station, detectives questioned Rosa about documents she had never seen before. They showed her scanned files marked CONFIDENTIAL and claimed they had been emailed from Miguel’s old account.
“That account was closed after he died.”
“When did he die?”
“Four years ago.”
The detective slid a printout across the table.
The email had been sent three days ago.
Rosa stared at it.
Someone had reactivated Miguel’s account.
Meanwhile, Naomi used the viral video to draw public attention to the arrest. Celeste posted her first statement against her father:
ROSA ALVAREZ DID NOT STEAL DOCUMENTS FROM ME OR MY MOTHER. I WAS PRESENT WHEN WE OPENED THE SAFE-DEPOSIT BOX.
Within an hour, Whitmore Development’s board announced Celeste had been placed on temporary leave.
Then Celeste received a call from an unknown number.
A man said, “Your mother tried to destroy your father too.”
“Who is this?”
“You want Rosa out of jail? Stop digging.”
Celeste’s voice dropped. “What did my father do to my mother?”
There was a pause.
May you like
Then the man whispered, “Ask him why the brakes failed.”
The line went dead.
