Chapter 14 - BEFORE ME
When Ryan was twenty-four, he worked for a small contractor owned by Mom’s cousin, Peter Walsh.
I had never heard the story.
Ryan handled vendor payments.
Twenty-two thousand dollars disappeared.
Peter suspected Ryan but could not prove it.
Dad quietly repaid part of the loss while he investigated. Peter died in a car accident six months later, and the matter disappeared.
“You let me marry Ryan knowing this?”
Mom flinched.
“We had suspicion. No proof.”
“You had enough to warn me.”
“Your father did warn you.”
I remembered Dad asking before my wedding whether I trusted Ryan with money.
I had laughed.
Mom said, “He made me promise not to destroy your marriage with something we couldn’t prove.”
I turned away.
Everyone had made promises around me, and somehow I was last to know my own life.
Mom whispered, “I am sorry.”
I believed her.
I was still angry.
Both could be true.
That night, Jensen called with news about Peter’s old company.
A retired bookkeeper had kept archived ledgers.
One vendor account receiving the missing money belonged to a company registered by Alan Price.
The same Alan.
The same pattern.
Ryan had not become this man during our marriage.
He had arrived this way.
Then Priya called.
“The court received a new filing from Ryan.”
“What now?”
“He’s accusing you of parental alienation and assault.”
I laughed without humor.
“Of course.”
“He also submitted photographs of bruises.”
“He got those when I defended myself.”
“I know.”
“But?”
“But he attached a sworn statement from someone saying you have a history of violence.”
“Who?”
Priya hesitated.
“Kate.”
“That’s impossible. Kate is in the next room.”
We found her in the kitchen.
I showed her the document.
Her face went blank.
“That’s not my signature.”
Another forgery.
Then she pointed at the notary stamp.
“I know that name.”
“Who?”
May you like
Kate looked at me.
“Ryan’s sister.”
