Chapter 3 - The Second Ledger
Daniel looked straight at me.
"What second ledger?"
"I don't know."
On speaker, Marcus went silent.
Then the call disconnected.
Evelyn moved first. She grabbed her purse and headed for the back door.
Robert blocked her. "Where are you going?"
"Move."
"Not until you tell me what you've done."
She laughed, but there was no humor in it. "You think Emma is saving you? She's been in your office, in your files, in our private business."
"Because you told everyone I stole five hundred dollars," I said. "You planted a small crime so nobody would listen when I found a big one."
Daniel flinched at the word planted.
"Mom," he said, "did you put that money somewhere?"
Evelyn stared at him. "You are really going to question me in front of her?"
He hesitated.
That tiny pause hurt worse than the slap.
I picked up my phone. "I am done begging anyone in this room to believe me. Call the police. Call the bank. Call whoever you want."
Robert nodded. "We're calling both."
Evelyn's control cracked. "No police."
Claire whispered, "Why not?"
Evelyn turned on her. "Stay out of this."
"I'm your daughter. I'm already in it."
The safe door stood open.
Robert stopped.
"I locked this before dinner."
Inside, folders had been pulled apart. A small black notebook was gone.
"The ledger?" I asked.
He nodded.
Daniel checked the desk. "Who has the safe code?"
"Your mother. Me. Marcus."
Evelyn folded her arms. "Convenient."
A chime sounded from the security panel.
Front gate motion.
Claire pulled up the camera feed on her phone.
A black SUV was racing away from the property.
"That's Marcus's car," she said.
Robert swore and grabbed his keys.
I stopped him. "Wait. If he has the ledger, he'll destroy it."
"Then what do you suggest?"
Marcus had said, The old place is still clean.
I looked at Daniel.
"Where is the old place?"
His face went pale.
"My grandfather's lake house."
Evelyn whispered, "Don't."
May you like
Daniel turned toward her.
And that was the moment I knew the lake house held more than a ledger.
