Chapter 14 - The Second Threat
Mom told me the second threat had been reported to a detective, but it never appeared in the public case file. Daniel had warned her that if she testified, he would use his connections to make sure I was placed with a relative who would never let her see me again.
"He said it like he was discussing a school transfer," Mom said. "That's what frightened me most."
Arthur had documented the threat, but the detective assigned to it had later resigned. His notes were missing from the department archive. Now, with the new break-in and the attempt to locate us, Investigator Brooks believed the missing notes might be important.
She tracked the former detective to a small town two hours away. He agreed to speak, but only in person, with no recording devices in the room.
We met him at a diner near the highway. He was older than I expected, with tired eyes and a wedding ring worn thin at the edges.
"I should have done more," he told Mom. "I had enough to ask for a stronger order. I didn't have enough to prove Daniel had someone inside the department."
"Who did you suspect?" Arthur asked.
The detective slid a folded page across the table.
A name was written at the top: Deputy Chief Warren Pike.
Pike had overseen the department's liaison with private security contractors. He had also approved the original access request that exposed our protected address.
Investigator Brooks photographed the page and thanked the detective. As we left, he caught my sleeve.
"Your father was never afraid of being caught for hitting your mom," he said quietly. "He was afraid of losing control of the story."
On the ride back, Arthur received a call. Pike had been located and was being questioned.
Then a second call came through.
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Dad had gone to the police station voluntarily.
He claimed he had evidence that would clear him—and prove Mom had fabricated everything.
