Chapter 7 - The Man at the Side Door
Julian remembered Owen carrying a toolbox into the house, always through the side entrance.
Meredith called him handy.
Once, Owen had replaced a kitchen faucet and insisted he didn't want payment.
Julian had thanked him for being family.
"How do you know he's her brother?" Julian asked.
"I checked after the wedding," Mae said.
"Their mother's obituary listed both children. I thought the different last names were ordinary family business."
There had been no reason to suspect fraud then.
Now it mattered.
Julian gave the information to Detective Sonia Brooks, who had been assigned the medical-interference report.
"Please don't contact Mr. Fitch," Brooks said.
"We will check the business records and payments."
"Will you arrest Meredith?"
"We'll follow the evidence. A serious allegation isn't the same thing as a completed investigation."
Julian hated that answer and understood why it was necessary.
At the hospital, Lena drew a blue van beside a tiny house.
"Is that his van?" Julian asked.
"He brought big boxes sometimes."
"Did you see what was in them?"
"No. They left again."
"Did Meredith tell you not to mention them?"
Lena's pencil stopped.
"She said it wasn't my business because I didn't pay for anything."
Julian didn't ask more.
Ruth had explained that children should not have to repeat frightening accounts to every adult who wanted answers.
Detective Brooks arranged for a trained interviewer.
After dinner, Julian stepped into the quiet corridor to return a work call.
An unknown number appeared on his screen.
He almost ignored it.
Then a man's voice said, "This is Owen. I hear you're making trouble."
Julian put the call on speaker so Mae, standing beside him, could hear it, then wrote down what Owen said.
"Talk to your wife," Owen said.
"Tell the police the mask slipped. There's money we can put back."
Julian's hand tightened around the phone.
"You just offered me money to change my statement."
May you like
Owen stopped speaking.
Then the line went dead.
