{"id":27319,"date":"2026-10-01T19:36:18","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T19:36:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=27319"},"modified":"2026-10-01T19:36:18","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T19:36:18","slug":"part-16-the-search-for-owens-family-source-forced-emily-to-revisit-years-of-private-moments-and-exposed-a-betrayal-much-closer-than-laura","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=27319","title":{"rendered":"PART 16 \u2013 The Search for Owen\u2019s Family Source Forced Emily to Revisit Years of Private Moments\u2014and Exposed a Betrayal Much Closer Than Laura"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Nobody moved for several seconds.<\/p>\n<p>Dust floated through the attic light.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel still held Marissa\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n<p>Ava sat on the floor beside Laura\u2019s boxes, her face wet with tears.<\/p>\n<p>Emily took the page back.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cInside your family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked around as though the answer might be hidden among the rafters.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily folded the letter carefully.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t guess.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel exhaled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava whispered, \u201cCould it have been me?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou were a child.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI still told Mom things.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is different.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut Owen could have gotten information through her.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPossible.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava\u2019s face tightened.<\/p>\n<p>Emily continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut Marissa wrote \u2018approached someone.\u2019 That sounds deliberate.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel called Detective Ramos.<\/p>\n<p>The detective asked them not to handle the envelope more than necessary.<\/p>\n<p>Emily almost laughed.<\/p>\n<p>Too late.<\/p>\n<p>Still, they placed everything into a clean folder and photographed where it had been found.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos arrived less than an hour later.<\/p>\n<p>He read Marissa\u2019s letter in silence.<\/p>\n<p>Then he looked at Ava.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou found this fourteen months ago?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd you put it here?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid anyone know?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you photograph it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTell anyone?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava looked ashamed.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos remained neutral.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy hide it?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She explained the letters from Laura.<\/p>\n<p>The fear.<\/p>\n<p>The belief that anything mysterious involving Emily might somehow be connected to her mother.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos listened without judgment.<\/p>\n<p>Emily appreciated that.<\/p>\n<p>When he finished, he asked Daniel for a list of people who had regular access to the house during the surveillance period.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared at him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat could be dozens.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cStart with family.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel\u2019s brother Mark.<\/p>\n<p>Mark\u2019s former wife Sharon.<\/p>\n<p>A few cousins.<\/p>\n<p>A housekeeper they had used briefly.<\/p>\n<p>A neighbor who fed their dog during vacations.<\/p>\n<p>Ava\u2019s babysitter in earlier years.<\/p>\n<p>Emily added people from her side.<\/p>\n<p>Nina.<\/p>\n<p>Her sister Rachel.<\/p>\n<p>Several coworkers.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos wrote everything down.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo not confront anyone.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel gave a humorless smile.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m getting tired of hearing that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s why I keep saying it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>After he left, Ava went downstairs.<\/p>\n<p>Emily remained in the attic.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel watched her examine the old boxes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat are you looking for?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing specific.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He leaned against a beam.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat usually means something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily ignored him.<\/p>\n<p>She found old Christmas cards.<\/p>\n<p>Photographs.<\/p>\n<p>Tax documents.<\/p>\n<p>Ava\u2019s childhood artwork.<\/p>\n<p>Then a small accordion folder.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily opened it.<\/p>\n<p>Receipts.<\/p>\n<p>Household warranties.<\/p>\n<p>Old utility bills.<\/p>\n<p>Nothing unusual.<\/p>\n<p>She was about to close it when she saw a business card.<\/p>\n<p>Pike Investigations.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel took it.<\/p>\n<p>On the back was a handwritten phone number.<\/p>\n<p>And one word.<\/p>\n<p>Call.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhose handwriting?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily looked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot Laura\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He compared it to Marissa\u2019s letter.<\/p>\n<p>Not hers either.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel called Helen upstairs.<\/p>\n<p>She arrived ten minutes later.<\/p>\n<p>The moment she saw the card, her face changed.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel noticed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMom.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen sat down.<\/p>\n<p>Emily felt something in her chest tighten.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou recognize it.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen nodded.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel\u2019s voice dropped.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI met him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava, standing on the attic stairs, froze.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared at his mother.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou met Owen Pike?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen looked sick.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnce.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAfter you married Emily.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stepped back.<\/p>\n<p>Emily remained still.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen clasped her hands.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe contacted me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The attic seemed to shrink.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did he want?\u201d Emily asked.<\/p>\n<p>Helen looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe said Laura had hired him years earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel\u2019s face hardened.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd you never told me?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe said she was worried about Ava.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat should have made you tell me immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo, Mom. Stop saying that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen flinched.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel paced.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou knew there was an investigator?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI didn\u2019t know what he was really doing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did you think he was doing?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen\u2019s voice shook.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cChecking whether Ava was happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel laughed in disbelief.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou let a stranger investigate our daughter?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen shook her head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI told him she was fine.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily\u2019s attention sharpened.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat else did you tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing important.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily\u2019s expression changed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat phrase has caused enough damage.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen lowered her eyes.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did you tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat Daniel was happy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily waited.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat Ava was having trouble adjusting.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel went still.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat kind of trouble?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen\u2019s eyes filled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat she resented Emily.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava stepped fully into the attic.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cGrandma.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen turned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava looked stunned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou told some man that?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought he worked for your mother.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat makes it worse.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen\u2019s face crumpled.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel asked, \u201cDid you tell him about arguments?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat arguments?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen could barely look at Emily.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe school ceremony.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily remembered.<\/p>\n<p>Ava had told the counselor Emily was not family and should not sit in the reserved parent section.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel had asked Emily not to make a scene.<\/p>\n<p>Owen had known.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe anniversary dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel closed his eyes.<\/p>\n<p>Emily\u2019s voice remained calm.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy studio?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen looked confused.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe spare room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen hesitated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily felt something cold settle in her stomach.<\/p>\n<p>That had not been public.<\/p>\n<p>She had told almost no one how much losing the room hurt.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel had mentioned it to Helen after Emily became upset.<\/p>\n<p>Helen had told Owen.<\/p>\n<p>Owen had known exactly where the fractures were.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked devastated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow long did this go on?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen whispered, \u201cA few years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava stared.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYears?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot regularly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPlease stop making it smaller.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen began crying.<\/p>\n<p>Emily did not comfort her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did he give you in return?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen looked up sharply.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNothing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThen why keep talking to him?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She stopped.<\/p>\n<p>Emily waited.<\/p>\n<p>Helen wiped her face.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause he told me things about Laura.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel went still.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat things?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhere she was.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava made a sound somewhere between a gasp and a sob.<\/p>\n<p>Helen turned toward her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAva\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou knew?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNot exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou knew where Mom was?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI knew states. Sometimes cities.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava backed toward the stairs.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel caught her arm gently.<\/p>\n<p>She pulled away.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHow long?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen cried openly now.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOwen would call and say Laura was safe.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDid you tell Dad?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava stared at her grandmother.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause I thought knowing without being able to reach her would hurt you more.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava shook her head.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou all keep deciding what hurts me.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The sentence silenced everyone.<\/p>\n<p>Helen covered her mouth.<\/p>\n<p>Ava went downstairs.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at his mother.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou need to leave.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI understand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>His voice was tired rather than angry.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou need to understand why.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen waited.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou gave a private investigator information about my wife, my daughter, and our marriage for years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI thought\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI know what you thought.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel\u2019s voice broke.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat is the problem.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen looked toward Emily.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI am so sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily answered quietly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI believe you are.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Helen waited.<\/p>\n<p>Emily did not add forgiveness.<\/p>\n<p>Helen left.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel remained in the attic.<\/p>\n<p>He looked older.<\/p>\n<p>Emily sat on a storage box.<\/p>\n<p>Neither spoke for a while.<\/p>\n<p>Finally Daniel said, \u201cShe was the source.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOne source.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou think there were others?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think Owen collected information wherever he could.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel rubbed his hands over his face.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy own mother.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily looked at the Pike business card.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHelen probably thought she was helping.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t make it better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel sat across from her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI did the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily looked at him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI kept choosing intention over impact.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She understood.<\/p>\n<p>Ava didn\u2019t mean it.<\/p>\n<p>Helen didn\u2019t mean it.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel didn\u2019t mean it.<\/p>\n<p>Everyone had meant something else.<\/p>\n<p>Emily had still been hurt.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared at the floor.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think I finally understand why you planned for eight months.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily said nothing.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou weren\u2019t planning because one terrible thing happened.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou were planning because a thousand small things kept being explained away.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019m sorry.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This apology sounded different.<\/p>\n<p>Not larger.<\/p>\n<p>Quieter.<\/p>\n<p>More accurate.<\/p>\n<p>Emily nodded.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThank you.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>He did not ask whether it changed anything.<\/p>\n<p>That helped more than asking would have.<\/p>\n<p>Downstairs, Ava sat on the patio.<\/p>\n<p>Emily found her there.<\/p>\n<p>The chair from the barbecue had been returned to its place.<\/p>\n<p>Ava looked toward the spot where the pitcher shattered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFunny.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis is where I broke everything.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily sat in another chair.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou broke something.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily folded her hands.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was already damaged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava stared at the patio stones.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat doesn\u2019t make me feel better.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt isn\u2019t supposed to.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava nodded.<\/p>\n<p>They sat quietly.<\/p>\n<p>Then Ava asked, \u201cDid Grandma ruin things too?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily considered the question.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cShe contributed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMom?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMe?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava swallowed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd you?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily looked toward the yard.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava seemed surprised.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did you do?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI stayed silent longer than I should have.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s not the same.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBut I kept hoping patience would solve a problem that required boundaries.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava absorbed that.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDo you wish you never met us?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily\u2019s answer came slowly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ava looked up.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI wish some things had been different.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s not the same.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A faint smile passed between them.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel watched through the kitchen window but did not come outside.<\/p>\n<p>That mattered.<\/p>\n<p>He let the conversation belong to them.<\/p>\n<p>The next morning, Ramos called.<\/p>\n<p>Helen had voluntarily spoken with him.<\/p>\n<p>Her account matched the business card and several phone records found in Owen\u2019s storage files.<\/p>\n<p>She had been a source.<\/p>\n<p>But not the source Marissa feared most.<\/p>\n<p>Emily stood in her apartment, phone pressed to her ear.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramos answered carefully.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOwen coded his contacts.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHelen had a code?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cH.W.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily waited.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was another source marked only F.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFamily?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPossibly.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel, listening on speaker, frowned.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat did F provide?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramos turned pages.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFinancial information.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily\u2019s expression changed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat kind?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMortgage payments. Renovation costs. Vehicle purchase information.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared at her.<\/p>\n<p>Those were details Emily had documented in the black folder.<\/p>\n<p>Details proving how much she had financially carried.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCould they be public records?\u201d Daniel asked.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd the rest?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily\u2019s pulse quickened.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cF also provided information about a separate bank account.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily froze.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel turned toward her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat account?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She did not answer him.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos did.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe account Emily opened eight months before leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared.<\/p>\n<p>Emily\u2019s face went cold.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat account was private.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramos said, \u201cI understand.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo one knew.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at her.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYour attorney?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnyone else?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramos continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe notation appears in Owen\u2019s records six months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily did the calculation.<\/p>\n<p>Two months after she opened it.<\/p>\n<p>Long before the barbecue.<\/p>\n<p>Long before she left.<\/p>\n<p>Someone had known she was preparing.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel whispered, \u201cWho had access?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily thought about statements.<\/p>\n<p>Passwords.<\/p>\n<p>Mail.<\/p>\n<p>Her laptop.<\/p>\n<p>The office.<\/p>\n<p>The house.<\/p>\n<p>Then she remembered something.<\/p>\n<p>The black folder had not always been locked away.<\/p>\n<p>During the first months of preparation, she kept documents inside a desk drawer in the home office.<\/p>\n<p>The room Daniel used.<\/p>\n<p>The room Ava entered.<\/p>\n<p>The room Helen sometimes used.<\/p>\n<p>The room family members passed through without asking.<\/p>\n<p>But one person had specifically helped Emily organize tax documents there.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel\u2019s brother.<\/p>\n<p>Mark.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel saw her expression.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily looked at him.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMark helped me with taxes six months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel\u2019s face drained.<\/p>\n<p>His brother.<\/p>\n<p>The same man whose divorce packet had helped ignite Laura\u2019s original fear.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos spoke through the phone.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe were about to ask you about him.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel stared at the speaker.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBecause we found a recent payment from Owen Pike.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel\u2019s brow furrowed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo Mark?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Ramos paused.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFrom Mark.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Emily felt the room go cold.<\/p>\n<p>Daniel whispered, \u201cMy brother paid Owen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSix months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Daniel looked at Emily.<\/p>\n<p>Ramos continued.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd the memo attached to the payment contained two words.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat words?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The detective answered.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEmily Carter.\u201d<\/p>\n<hr>\n<h2><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/?p=27320\">Click here to continue reading: PART 17: Mark\u2019s Payment to Owen Forced Daniel to Question His Own Brother\u2014and Revealed a Financial Secret Emily Never Knew Existed<\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Nobody moved for several seconds. Dust floated through the attic light. Daniel still held Marissa\u2019s letter. Ava sat on the floor beside Laura\u2019s boxes, her face wet with tears. Emily &hellip; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":27303,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27319","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\/27319","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=27319"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27319\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":27365,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27319\/revisions\/27365"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/27303"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=27319"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=27319"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=27319"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}