Chapter 12 - Forty-Eight Hours
By ten that night, Lily and I were no longer at home.
David had insisted.
My mother agreed.
We went to my parents’ house.
The police had taken Chloe’s flash drive for review.
Daniel had not been arrested.
Not yet.
There were questions about the medication.
Questions about the insurance application.
Questions about the company money.
Questions about whether evidence existed beyond Chloe’s screenshots.
Daniel sent me twenty-three messages.
I answered none.
At 11:14 p.m., David called.
“We filed for emergency temporary custody.”
“How soon?”
“The judge can review it tomorrow.”
I looked at Lily sleeping in the portable crib beside me.
“What if Daniel comes here?”
“Call police.”
I hated hearing those words connected to my husband.
Former husband, I corrected silently.
The divorce petition would be filed in the morning.
My marriage had ended long before I admitted it.
At midnight, Robert called.
I almost ignored him.
Then I answered.
“Jennifer.”
His voice sounded older.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“When Daniel joined the company, I gave him access to one operational account.”
“The one he used for Chloe?”
“Yes.”
“But those transfers were not the only problem.”
My stomach tightened.
“How bad?”
“We found payments to a consulting firm.”
“What consulting firm?”
“Westbridge Advisory.”
I had never heard the name.
Robert continued.
“Almost ninety thousand dollars over eighteen months.”
“Daniel stole ninety thousand more?”
“Maybe.”
“What do you mean maybe?”
“The company exists.”
“But?”
“The registered owner is someone I know.”
“Who?”
Robert was quiet.
“Chloe’s ex-husband.”
I sat upright.
“What?”
“His name is Marcus Bennett.”
I remembered Chloe telling Daniel she had gone through a divorce.
I knew almost nothing else about him.
Robert continued.
“I called our forensic accountant.”
“Westbridge received money from us.”
“Then some of it moved into an account connected to Daniel.”
“So they were working together?”
“I don’t know.”
Then Robert said, “Jennifer, there’s something else.”
I closed my eyes.
There was always something else.
“Tell me.”
“Daniel told us Chloe’s ex-husband disappeared after the divorce.”
“Yes.”
“He didn’t.”
“Where is he?”
Robert paused.
“He has been working for Daniel.”
My eyes opened.
“Doing what?”
“I don’t know yet.”
Then another call came through.
David.
I told Robert I would call back.
When I answered David, he did not greet me.
“Lock the doors.”
My heart stopped.
“What happened?”
“The police opened part of the flash drive.”
“And?”
“There are photographs of your house.”
I looked toward my parents’ front door.
David continued.
“Not from inside.”
“From across the street.”
“There are dozens.”
May you like
“Jennifer, someone has been watching you for months.”
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