Chapter 5
Uncle Thomas had eaten Thanksgiving dinner with us two months earlier.
He had given me a remote-control car.
He had kissed my mother on the cheek.
He had called Dad his best friend.
Now Detective Ruiz was telling us he might have helped steal millions from the company.
Dad did not believe it.
Not at first.
“No.”
Ruiz remained calm.
“The authorization token belonged to Thomas Hart.”
“Tokens can be copied.”
“Yes.”
“Credentials can be stolen.”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t tell me my brother did this until you know.”
Rachel watched him.
I could see something painful in her expression.
She had heard the same defense before.
Evidence could be wrong when it accused Thomas.
But when it accused her, Dad had fired her.
Mom noticed too.
“Daniel.”
He looked at her.
“You owe Rachel more care than that.”
Dad closed his eyes.
“You’re right.”
He turned to Rachel.
“I’m sorry.”
She said nothing.
The police escorted Martin out of the building.
He was not yet charged.
But his access to Hart Group was suspended immediately.
Dad called an emergency board meeting.
Then he did something nobody expected.
He told them Rachel Mercer would attend.
Rachel refused.
“No.”
Dad stared.
“You deserve to be there.”
“I have Caleb.”
Mom said, “I’ll stay with him.”
Rachel looked uncomfortable.
Caleb tugged her sleeve.
“Go.”
She looked down.
“I don’t want to leave you.”
“I’ll stay with Elliot.”
Everyone looked at me.
I nodded immediately.
“We can play.”
Caleb hesitated.
“I don’t know how.”
“What?”
“Play.”
The answer broke my heart.
I tried to smile.
“I’ll teach you.”
Rachel knelt and hugged him.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
She kissed his forehead.
Dad led her upstairs.
Mom stayed with us in a private lounge.
There were toys in a cabinet for employees’ children.
I pulled out blocks.
Caleb stared.
“You just build stuff.”
“What stuff?”
“Anything.”
He picked up a blue block.
“What if it falls?”
“You build it again.”
He looked at me.
Something about that answer affected him.
He began stacking.
We built a tower.
It fell.
He jumped.
Then stared.
I laughed.
“That’s supposed to happen.”
Slowly, he smiled.
We built another.
Then another.
By the third one, he knocked it down on purpose.
His laugh startled everyone.
Mom turned away and wiped her eyes.
I pretended not to notice.
Two hours later, Dad returned.
Rachel followed him.
Her face was pale.
“What happened?” Mom asked.
Dad sat down.
“The board voted unanimously to reinstate Rachel’s employment record as terminated without cause.”
Rachel said quietly, “That’s not the same as innocent.”
Dad looked at her.
“No.”
Then he continued.
“So I resigned as chairman pending the investigation.”
Mom stared.
“What?”
I stared too.
Dad was Hart Group.
At least that was how I had always seen it.
“You quit?”
“Temporarily.”
“Why?”
“Because I made decisions that harmed someone.”
Rachel looked shocked.
Dad continued.
“I also ordered an independent audit.”
Mom sat beside him.
“And Thomas?”
Dad’s face tightened.
“He’s on his way here.”
Rachel immediately grabbed Caleb.
“No.”
“Security is ready.”
“I don’t want him near my son.”
“He won’t be.”
Twenty minutes later, Uncle Thomas arrived.
I watched from behind a glass wall.
He looked exactly like himself.
Expensive coat.
Friendly smile.
Silver hair.
That made everything worse.
He hugged Dad.
“What the hell is going on?”
Dad did not hug him back.
“We need to talk.”
Thomas looked toward the room.
He saw Rachel.
His face changed.
Just for a second.
But I saw it.
So did Dad.
“What is she doing here?”
Rachel stepped forward.
“You remember me?”
“Of course.”
“You told Daniel to fire me.”
Thomas frowned.
“I supported the evidence.”
“What evidence?”
“The financial records.”
“Prepared by Martin?”
Thomas looked toward Dad.
“What is this?”
Dad’s voice was cold.
“The audit is being reopened.”
Thomas laughed.
“After three years?”
“Yes.”
“Because a disgruntled former employee shows up?”
Rachel stiffened.
I hated him immediately.
Dad said, “Her evidence shows your authorization token.”
Thomas stopped smiling.
“That’s impossible.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
Dad watched him.
Thomas looked toward Detective Ruiz, who had returned.
“Why are police here?”
“To ask questions.”
Thomas took one step backward.
That was when I knew.
Adults always said not to judge too quickly.
But fear looked different from surprise.
Thomas was afraid.
Ruiz asked him to sit.
He refused.
“I want counsel.”
“That’s your right.”
“I’m leaving.”
Dad stood.
“Thomas.”
His brother stopped.
“Look at me.”
Thomas did.
“Did you know Rachel was innocent?”
Silence.
“Did you?”
Thomas’s jaw tightened.
“Daniel, don’t do this here.”
Rachel laughed softly.
“Not here.”
Dad flinched at the familiar phrase.
Then he asked again.
“Did you know?”
Thomas looked toward me.
Then Caleb.
Then Rachel.
His face hardened.
“You don’t understand what was happening.”
Dad went pale.
Rachel stopped breathing.
“What does that mean?”
Thomas rubbed his face.
“The company was bleeding money.”
“You stole it.”
“No.”
“Then explain.”
Thomas lowered his voice.
“Martin had debts.”
Dad stared.
“What debts?”
“Gambling.”
My mother closed her eyes.
Rachel whispered, “Oh my God.”
Thomas continued.
“He started moving small amounts.”
“You knew?”
“Not initially.”
“When did you learn?”
“After the first year.”
Dad looked sick.
“And instead of stopping him?”
Thomas looked away.
“You helped.”
“No.”
“Your authorization is on the transfers.”
“I covered them.”
“That is helping!”
Thomas shouted back.
“I was protecting the company!”
Rachel laughed.
Everyone turned.
“You destroyed my life to protect the company?”
Thomas’s expression changed.
“You were supposed to get severance.”
“I got nothing.”
“I told Martin to make sure you were taken care of.”
She stared at him.
“You actually believe that makes it better?”
Thomas looked ashamed.
Rachel stepped closer.
“My son slept in an alley.”
He glanced at Caleb.
“I didn’t know.”
“You didn’t ask.”
The same words she had said to Dad.
Thomas sat down.
For the first time, he looked old.
Ruiz asked quietly, “Why frame Rachel?”
Thomas whispered, “Martin said somebody had to explain the missing money.”
“And you chose her?”
“She had access.”
Rachel’s face collapsed.
“You picked me because I was easy.”
Thomas did not answer.
She nodded.
“No family on the board.”
Silence.
“No money for lawyers.”
Silence.
“No power.”
Thomas lowered his head.
“Yes.”
Dad stood suddenly.
I thought he might hit his brother.
Instead, he walked away.
Mom followed.
I stayed with Caleb.
He whispered, “Is your uncle bad?”
I thought about it.
“Yes.”
Then I remembered something my teacher said.
“Or he did something really bad.”
“Same thing.”
“Maybe.”
Caleb looked at Thomas.
“I don’t like him.”
“Me neither.”
Detective Ruiz approached Thomas.
“You understand you’re not under arrest yet.”
Thomas nodded.
“But I strongly suggest you remain available.”
He laughed bitterly.
“Where would I go?”
Nobody answered.
Then Ruiz’s phone rang.
She listened.
Her face changed.
“What?”
Dad turned.
Ruiz ended the call.
“Martin Voss is gone.”
Dad frowned.
“Gone where?”
“We don’t know.”
“How?”
“He left before officers could formally detain him.”
Rachel’s hand tightened around Caleb’s shoulder.
Ruiz continued.
“And surveillance shows he took a company vehicle.”
Dad went pale.
“What vehicle?”
“A black SUV.”
Caleb suddenly grabbed my arm.
His face was white.
“That car.”
“What?”
He pointed toward the window.
May you like
Far below, across the street, a black SUV sat at the curb.
Then its headlights came on.
