Luis Mendoza answered on the second ring.<\/p>\n
His voice sounded normal.<\/p>\n
That frightened me more than if he had sounded nervous.<\/p>\n
"Miranda."<\/p>\n
"Hey."<\/p>\n
"Everything okay?"<\/p>\n
I looked across the table at Mercer and Rachel.<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
"What happened?"<\/p>\n
"I need to ask you something."<\/p>\n
"Sure."<\/p>\n
"Do you know Daniel Price?"<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Not long.<\/p>\n
Long enough.<\/p>\n
"Why are you asking?"<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
"That's not an answer."<\/p>\n
Another pause.<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
Megan looked away.<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
"How?"<\/p>\n
"Construction financing."<\/p>\n
"What does that mean?"<\/p>\n
"I met him through a lender."<\/p>\n
"When?"<\/p>\n
"Years ago."<\/p>\n
"Did you introduce him to Brooke?"<\/p>\n
Luis went quiet.<\/p>\n
My grip tightened around the phone.<\/p>\n
"Luis."<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
The answer landed like a physical blow.<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"She asked me about someone who could help her get financing."<\/p>\n
"For what?"<\/p>\n
"She said she wanted to start a property business."<\/p>\n
I laughed once.<\/p>\n
Not because anything was funny.<\/p>\n
"Brooke?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"She has never worked in property."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
"Then why did you connect them?"<\/p>\n
"Because I thought she was your sister trying to build something."<\/p>\n
I stood and walked toward the window.<\/p>\n
"Did you tell Daniel anything about Holt Ridge?"<\/p>\n
"General things."<\/p>\n
"What general things?"<\/p>\n
"Projects. Market. Contractors."<\/p>\n
"Accounts?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Banking?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Logins?"<\/p>\n
"Absolutely not."<\/p>\n
"Project codes?"<\/p>\n
He hesitated.<\/p>\n
My chest tightened.<\/p>\n
"What project codes?"<\/p>\n
"Miranda\u2014"<\/p>\n
"Answer."<\/p>\n
"Sometimes invoice codes were on documents."<\/p>\n
"Documents he saw?"<\/p>\n
"He saw some proposals."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"We discussed financing options."<\/p>\n
I turned toward Mercer.<\/p>\n
He was taking notes.<\/p>\n
"Did Daniel ever ask about Ridgeview Commons?"<\/p>\n
Luis was quiet.<\/p>\n
Then: "Yes."<\/p>\n
Megan covered her mouth.<\/p>\n
"Did you give him documents?"<\/p>\n
"I showed him a cost schedule."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"Because I thought he represented a funding partner."<\/p>\n
"Who told you that?"<\/p>\n
"Brooke."<\/p>\n
Of course.<\/p>\n
Always Brooke standing between two people, telling each a slightly different story.<\/p>\n
"Did you verify him?"<\/p>\n
"Not enough."<\/p>\n
"Did you know Laurel Crest Consulting?"<\/p>\n
Long silence.<\/p>\n
"Luis."<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
I felt something inside me sink.<\/p>\n
"How?"<\/p>\n
"Daniel used the name."<\/p>\n
"For what?"<\/p>\n
"He said it was a consulting group."<\/p>\n
"Did you invoice Holt Ridge through it?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did you ever approve invoices from it?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did you help create it?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Do you know my father's name is on the registration?"<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
His surprise sounded real.<\/p>\n
That didn't mean it was.<\/p>\n
"Thomas Hale. Organizer."<\/p>\n
"I swear to you, I didn't know."<\/p>\n
"What about the photo?"<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
"Which photo?"<\/p>\n
"Brooke. Daniel. You."<\/p>\n
He exhaled.<\/p>\n
"That was taken two summers ago."<\/p>\n
"Where?"<\/p>\n
"At a contractor event."<\/p>\n
"What were all three of you doing there?"<\/p>\n
"Daniel invited Brooke. I ran into them."<\/p>\n
"You're standing together."<\/p>\n
"People take pictures."<\/p>\n
I wanted to believe him.<\/p>\n
That was dangerous.<\/p>\n
"Did you ever meet Daniel after that?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"How many times?"<\/p>\n
"I don't know. Three? Four?"<\/p>\n
"For what?"<\/p>\n
"Business."<\/p>\n
"What business?"<\/p>\n
"Financing."<\/p>\n
"What financing?"<\/p>\n
He became defensive.<\/p>\n
"My company."<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
"Mendoza Construction had cash-flow issues."<\/p>\n
"You never told me."<\/p>\n
"It wasn't your problem."<\/p>\n
"You were one of my biggest contractors."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
"Did Daniel lend you money?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"How much?"<\/p>\n
"Seventy-five thousand."<\/p>\n
Mercer looked up sharply.<\/p>\n
"When?"<\/p>\n
"About eighteen months ago."<\/p>\n
The same period again.<\/p>\n
Unknown device.<\/p>\n
Fraudulent loan.<\/p>\n
Laurel Crest.<\/p>\n
Everything clustered around the same months.<\/p>\n
"Did Brooke arrange it?"<\/p>\n
"She introduced us."<\/p>\n
"Did she receive anything?"<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"Luis."<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"Did Daniel ask you for information about Holt Ridge in exchange for the loan?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did Brooke?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did anyone?"<\/p>\n
He stopped.<\/p>\n
My stomach dropped.<\/p>\n
"Who?"<\/p>\n
"Daniel asked me once for a vendor contact list."<\/p>\n
"Did you give it to him?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Anything else?"<\/p>\n
"He wanted copies of invoices."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"To understand my receivables."<\/p>\n
"Did you give those?"<\/p>\n
"Some."<\/p>\n
"What invoices?"<\/p>\n
"Holt Ridge."<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
There it was.<\/p>\n
Maybe not malicious.<\/p>\n
Still consequential.<\/p>\n
"Those invoices contain project codes."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
"They contain internal contacts."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
"Sometimes banking instructions."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
His voice broke.<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
For a moment, neither of us spoke.<\/p>\n
Then Luis said, "Miranda, I didn't know what they were doing."<\/p>\n
"What were they doing?"<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"You said 'they.'"<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
"Who is they?"<\/p>\n
"Daniel and Brooke."<\/p>\n
Mercer leaned closer.<\/p>\n
"What did you see?"<\/p>\n
Luis lowered his voice.<\/p>\n
"I saw them arguing once."<\/p>\n
"About what?"<\/p>\n
"Money."<\/p>\n
"Where?"<\/p>\n
"Daniel's office."<\/p>\n
"When?"<\/p>\n
"Last year."<\/p>\n
"What did Brooke say?"<\/p>\n
"I don't remember everything."<\/p>\n
"Try."<\/p>\n
He breathed out.<\/p>\n
"She said he was taking too much."<\/p>\n
"Too much of what?"<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"Did he answer?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"What did he say?"<\/p>\n
Luis hesitated.<\/p>\n
"He said without him she wouldn't know where to move any of it."<\/p>\n
Nobody in my dining room moved.<\/p>\n
Money.<\/p>\n
Moving it.<\/p>\n
Daniel.<\/p>\n
Brooke.<\/p>\n
Laurel Crest.<\/p>\n
The pieces were no longer abstract.<\/p>\n
"Did you ask what they meant?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Why not?"<\/p>\n
"Because Daniel had my loan."<\/p>\n
That answer was painfully human.<\/p>\n
Fear makes cowards out of people who otherwise think of themselves as decent.<\/p>\n
"What happened after?"<\/p>\n
"Brooke saw me."<\/p>\n
"And?"<\/p>\n
"She told me it was family business."<\/p>\n
"Whose family?"<\/p>\n
"Yours."<\/p>\n
I laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n
Of course.<\/p>\n
"What else did she tell you?"<\/p>\n
"That you knew."<\/p>\n
My eyes opened.<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
"She said some of the financing structures were yours."<\/p>\n
"What structures?"<\/p>\n
"Consulting payments. Short-term transfers. Project reimbursements."<\/p>\n
I felt sick.<\/p>\n
"She told you I was involved?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"And you believed her?"<\/p>\n
"You were growing fast."<\/p>\n
"So fraud seemed plausible?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Then why didn't you ask me?"<\/p>\n
"I thought it was tax stuff."<\/p>\n
I stared through the window.<\/p>\n
There it was again.<\/p>\n
Nobody checked.<\/p>\n
Everyone believed the version easiest for them to accept.<\/p>\n
My parents believed I was struggling.<\/p>\n
Luis believed I was using complicated financial structures.<\/p>\n
Mom believed I had authorized backup access.<\/p>\n
Dad believed paying Daniel would end the problem.<\/p>\n
Brooke's talent was not merely lying.<\/p>\n
It was identifying what each person was prepared to believe.<\/p>\n
"Why were you at my house Christmas Day?" I asked.<\/p>\n
Luis sounded stunned.<\/p>\n
"What kind of question is that?"<\/p>\n
"A relevant one."<\/p>\n
"Because you invited me."<\/p>\n
"Did Brooke know you were coming?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Daniel?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did you take the photograph outside my window?"<\/p>\n
"What photograph?"<\/p>\n
His confusion sounded immediate.<\/p>\n
Mercer gestured for me to send it.<\/p>\n
I did.<\/p>\n
Luis cursed when he saw it.<\/p>\n
"That's not me."<\/p>\n
"How can I know?"<\/p>\n
"You can't."<\/p>\n
Correct answer.<\/p>\n
"Where were you Christmas Eve?"<\/p>\n
"With Sofia."<\/p>\n
His daughter.<\/p>\n
"All night?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"Can anyone verify?"<\/p>\n
"My sister. Her husband. Half the neighborhood."<\/p>\n
Mercer wrote it down.<\/p>\n
"One more question," I said.<\/p>\n
"Okay."<\/p>\n
"Did Daniel ever mention my garage?"<\/p>\n
Silence.<\/p>\n
Then Luis said something that made my blood run cold.<\/p>\n
"He asked where you kept old paper records."<\/p>\n
Mercer stood.<\/p>\n
"When?"<\/p>\n
I repeated the question.<\/p>\n
"About six months ago."<\/p>\n
"What did you tell him?"<\/p>\n
"Nothing."<\/p>\n
"Think carefully."<\/p>\n
"I told him you didn't keep much on-site anymore."<\/p>\n
"Anything else?"<\/p>\n
"That older records might be at your house."<\/p>\n
My hand tightened around the phone.<\/p>\n
"Did you tell him where?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did you describe the garage?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Could he know from project plans?"<\/p>\n
Luis was quiet.<\/p>\n
My house plans had passed through contractors.<\/p>\n
Including him.<\/p>\n
"Yes," he whispered.<\/p>\n
I ended the call only after Mercer collected everything he needed.<\/p>\n
For several minutes, the dining room remained silent.<\/p>\n
Rachel finally said, "Luis may be negligent without being involved."<\/p>\n
"Or involved."<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
Megan asked Mercer, "What happens now?"<\/p>\n
"We verify his alibi."<\/p>\n
"And Daniel?"<\/p>\n
"Still unconscious."<\/p>\n
"Brooke?"<\/p>\n
"Missing."<\/p>\n
I looked up.<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
"She isn't at her apartment."<\/p>\n
"When did anyone check?"<\/p>\n
"An officer went an hour ago."<\/p>\n
"Car?"<\/p>\n
"Gone."<\/p>\n
"Phone?"<\/p>\n
"Off."<\/p>\n
"Parents?"<\/p>\n
"She hasn't contacted them."<\/p>\n
The motel address she sent earlier returned to me.<\/p>\n
"Could she be there?"<\/p>\n
"Already checked."<\/p>\n
"Nothing?"<\/p>\n
"Empty."<\/p>\n
"What about the landlord?"<\/p>\n
Mercer opened his folder.<\/p>\n
"There's something else."<\/p>\n
I almost laughed.<\/p>\n
That phrase had become a curse.<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
"Brooke's eviction story wasn't accurate."<\/p>\n
"How inaccurate?"<\/p>\n
"She was not six months behind."<\/p>\n
Dad's earlier information echoed in my head.<\/p>\n
"Then why did she need twelve thousand?"<\/p>\n
"She didn't."<\/p>\n
"What happened to her rent?"<\/p>\n
"Paid on time."<\/p>\n
"By whom?"<\/p>\n
"Automatic payments from Laurel Crest."<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
My father's fraudulent company had been paying my sister's rent.<\/p>\n
For months.<\/p>\n
"How much?"<\/p>\n
"Nearly fifteen thousand."<\/p>\n
"So the rent emergency was fake."<\/p>\n
"Appears so."<\/p>\n
Christmas.<\/p>\n
Groceries.<\/p>\n
Bills.<\/p>\n
My parents abandoning the trip because Brooke claimed crisis.<\/p>\n
All of it built on a financial emergency that did not exist.<\/p>\n
I felt anger rise slowly.<\/p>\n
Different from panic.<\/p>\n
Cleaner.<\/p>\n
"She manufactured Christmas."<\/p>\n
Rachel looked at me.<\/p>\n
"Don't reduce this to Christmas."<\/p>\n
"I'm not."<\/p>\n
But part of me needed to say it.<\/p>\n
Because Christmas had seemed petty once the fraud emerged.<\/p>\n
It wasn't petty.<\/p>\n
It was evidence of method.<\/p>\n
Brooke created urgency.<\/p>\n
Urgency stopped questions.<\/p>\n
People rushed to rescue her before verifying the problem.<\/p>\n
That was how she had trained us.<\/p>\n
Mercer received another call.<\/p>\n
He walked into the study.<\/p>\n
When he returned, his expression was grave.<\/p>\n
"Daniel Price regained consciousness."<\/p>\n
My heart jumped.<\/p>\n
"Can he talk?"<\/p>\n
"Briefly."<\/p>\n
"Did he say anything?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
"He asked for you."<\/p>\n
I stared.<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
"Wouldn't say."<\/p>\n
"Can I see him?"<\/p>\n
Rachel immediately said, "Not alone."<\/p>\n
Mercer nodded.<\/p>\n
"Agreed."<\/p>\n
An hour later, I was sitting outside Daniel Price's hospital room with Mercer and an officer posted near the door.<\/p>\n
Daniel looked worse than I expected.<\/p>\n
Bruising covered one side of his face.<\/p>\n
His left arm was immobilized.<\/p>\n
When I entered, his eyes moved slowly toward me.<\/p>\n
"So," he whispered, "you finally know."<\/p>\n
I stayed several feet from the bed.<\/p>\n
"Know what?"<\/p>\n
"That Brooke doesn't need rescuing."<\/p>\n
My jaw tightened.<\/p>\n
"What happened to your car?"<\/p>\n
He smiled faintly.<\/p>\n
"Wrong question."<\/p>\n
"What should I ask?"<\/p>\n
"Who knew I was coming to your house."<\/p>\n
My skin prickled.<\/p>\n
"Who?"<\/p>\n
"Brooke."<\/p>\n
"Did she cause the crash?"<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"Why were you coming?"<\/p>\n
"To give you records."<\/p>\n
"Why?"<\/p>\n
His expression hardened.<\/p>\n
"Because she stopped paying me."<\/p>\n
Mercer stepped closer.<\/p>\n
"For what?"<\/p>\n
Daniel looked at him.<\/p>\n
"Keeping quiet."<\/p>\n
"So you were extorting her."<\/p>\n
He laughed weakly.<\/p>\n
"Call it whatever you want."<\/p>\n
"What were you keeping quiet about?"<\/p>\n
Daniel turned back to me.<\/p>\n
"Your sister started small."<\/p>\n
"How small?"<\/p>\n
"Credit cards."<\/p>\n
Mom.<\/p>\n
Then Dad.<\/p>\n
"Then?"<\/p>\n
"She figured out your parents would cover anything if she cried hard enough."<\/p>\n
I said nothing.<\/p>\n
"Then she found your files."<\/p>\n
"When?"<\/p>\n
"Years ago."<\/p>\n
"What did she do?"<\/p>\n
"At first? Nothing."<\/p>\n
"And later?"<\/p>\n
"She realized your company had something better than cash."<\/p>\n
"What?"<\/p>\n
"Movement."<\/p>\n
I frowned.<\/p>\n
"Money coming in. Money going out. Contractors. escrow. vendors. Nobody questions every transfer in a growing business."<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
"She used Holt Ridge to hide money?"<\/p>\n
"Sometimes."<\/p>\n
"Whose money?"<\/p>\n
"Loans. Credit. Fake consulting payments."<\/p>\n
"Laurel Crest?"<\/p>\n
He smiled.<\/p>\n
"You found that."<\/p>\n
"Who created it?"<\/p>\n
"Brooke."<\/p>\n
"Using my father's identity?"<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
"Did my father know?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"What was your role?"<\/p>\n
He looked toward the ceiling.<\/p>\n
"I built the paperwork."<\/p>\n
"So you were involved."<\/p>\n
"Yes."<\/p>\n
No excuse.<\/p>\n
No denial.<\/p>\n
That honesty made him frightening.<\/p>\n
"Why tell me now?"<\/p>\n
"Because Brooke decided she didn't need me anymore."<\/p>\n
"Why did she send me to that motel?"<\/p>\n
His eyes shifted toward me.<\/p>\n
"She wanted the envelope."<\/p>\n
"What was in it?"<\/p>\n
"Proof she thought I had."<\/p>\n
"Did you?"<\/p>\n
"I had better."<\/p>\n
"The laptop in your car?"<\/p>\n
"Part of it."<\/p>\n
Mercer asked, "Who broke into Ms. Hale's garage?"<\/p>\n
Daniel closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
"Not me."<\/p>\n
"Who?"<\/p>\n
"I don't know."<\/p>\n
"Brooke?"<\/p>\n
"Maybe."<\/p>\n
"You expect us to believe you don't know?"<\/p>\n
"I stopped trusting her months ago."<\/p>\n
I stepped closer.<\/p>\n
"Did you send the Christmas Eve photograph?"<\/p>\n
His eyes opened.<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Did you take it?"<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
"Who did?"<\/p>\n
He stared at me for a long moment.<\/p>\n
Then he whispered, "Luis."<\/p>\n
My stomach dropped.<\/p>\n
"No."<\/p>\n
Daniel gave a weak smile.<\/p>\n
"Ask him what Brooke promised his company if Holt Ridge ever cut him loose."<\/p>\n
I left the room shaking.<\/p>\n
Mercer followed.<\/p>\n
"Do not call Luis."<\/p>\n
"I know."<\/p>\n
"Miranda."<\/p>\n
"I said I know."<\/p>\n
My phone vibrated before we reached the elevator.<\/p>\n
A text from Luis.<\/p>\n
Please don't believe Daniel.<\/p>\n
I stopped walking.<\/p>\n
Mercer saw it.<\/p>\n
Neither of us spoke.<\/p>\n
Then another message arrived.<\/p>\n
I can explain the photo.<\/p>\n
My pulse pounded.<\/p>\n
I typed nothing.<\/p>\n
A third message.<\/p>\n
Brooke made me watch the house. I never touched your accounts. I swear.<\/p>\n
Mercer read over my shoulder.<\/p>\n
"Now we know Daniel wasn't lying about everything."<\/p>\n
I stared at the screen.<\/p>\n
The elevator doors opened.<\/p>\n
I did not move.<\/p>\n
Luis sent one final message.<\/p>\n
She said if I didn't help her, she'd make sure Holt Ridge found out where the missing money really went.<\/p>\n
Luis Mendoza answered on the second ring. His voice sounded normal. That frightened me more than if he had sounded nervous. "Miranda." "Hey." "Everything okay?" I looked across the table … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=27230"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27230\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27270,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27230\/revisions\/27270"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}