Chapter 11 - The Confession He Never Made
“Put your hands where I can see them,” Mara said.
She hated the words. Roman could hear it.
He held out his wrists anyway.
Elena caught Mara's arm. “He just saved those men.”
“I know what he did tonight,” Mara replied. “I also know a judge signed this warrant at six o'clock, hours before your rescue call. Victor's video is being used to justify executing it immediately.”
Roman looked at Elena. “Go to your daughter.”
“You don't get to tell me what to do.”
“Then do it because she needs you.”
The cuffs clicked shut. A local news helicopter circled above the river, its spotlight washing over the wrecked pump house. Someone had leaked the arrest before the police cars even arrived.
As Mara guided Roman into her vehicle, his phone rang from Anika's number. Mara allowed him to answer on speaker.
“Roman,” Anika said, “the video is everywhere. It shows you telling Dax to lock the workers down there. There's even footage of you signing the order.”
“I didn't.”
“I know. The signature looks wrong. You always sign your last name with an open loop on the C.”
“How can you tell?”
“Because I've watched you sign payroll checks for nine years.”
Roman closed his eyes. Anika was the only person he knew who could turn handwriting into hope.
At the station, two detectives marched him through a corridor crowded with reporters. Questions flew like thrown stones.
“Did you hold six employees hostage?”
“Was the flood an insurance scheme?”
“Is your uncle a cooperating witness?”
Roman said nothing until one reporter shouted, “What about the maid's daughter?”
He turned. “Leave the child out of it.”
At 11:20, Elena finally returned to the mansion. Maisie ran into her arms, then stopped at the sight of the bandage on her cheek.
“Did the floor bite you?”
Elena laughed and cried at once. “No, honey. A bad person hurt me.”
“Are they going to put you there again?”
“Never.”
Anika's laptop chimed. She read the message, and all the color left her face.
May you like
The sender claimed to represent the county's child welfare office. A formal complaint accused Elena of putting her daughter in criminal danger.
The final line read: A TEMPORARY REMOVAL REQUEST HAS BEEN FILED.
