Chapter 14 - FOLLOW THE MONEY

Four hundred thirteen thousand dollars.

Not including the forged mortgage.

Not including stolen property.

Sarah pointed to categories.

Cash withdrawals.

Gambling.

Trips I thought Ryan had taken for work.

Payments to Victor.

Payments to Linda.

Forty-five thousand dollars to a fertility clinic.

I looked up.

“What is this?”

Sarah’s expression changed.

“We’re still checking.”

Ryan and I had discussed children years earlier.

He always said he did not want them.

My career was too demanding.

The world was too unstable.

He was not ready.

The clinic confirmed the account belonged to Linda.

She had paid for storage and procedures under a patient name I did not recognize.

Melissa.

No.

A younger woman named Ashley Mercer.

Victor’s niece.

My stomach turned.

The clinic refused details without legal process.

Investigators obtained records later.

Ryan had been providing genetic material for IVF attempts with Ashley.

During our marriage.

While telling me he never wanted children.

Ashley cooperated immediately.

She had believed Ryan was divorced.

Linda told her I was “only a legal complication.”

There had been one pregnancy.

It ended early.

I expected jealousy.

Instead, I felt exhausted compassion.

Another life used.

Ashley provided messages.

Linda wrote:

GRACE IS TEMPORARY. ONCE RYAN IS SECURE, YOU’LL HAVE THE FAMILY HE DESERVES.

Temporary.

Sarah said gently, “You don’t have to keep reading.”

“Yes, I do.”

Because the truth did not become safer when ignored.

Then Ashley produced something more important.

Ryan had told her he expected “a major payout” once I left the Army.

“He said you were resigning?” I asked.

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Months ago.”

Before Linda shaved my head.

Before my promotion.

The resignation plan had existed for much longer.

Ashley showed investigators a message from Ryan:

ONCE SHE’S OUT, VICTOR CAN USE HER NAME WITHOUT ALL THE ARMY PEOPLE WATCHING.

Major Ellis read it.

Then said, “That’s intent.”

Not suspicion.

Not inference.

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Intent.

The case against Ryan had just changed again.