Chapter 6 - The TrapThe police moved Maya into protective custody.
My mother refused to leave my hospital room.
I was discharged two days later.
Not to my father's house.
To a secure apartment arranged through the investigation.
For the first time in my life, I had a place that belonged to nobody else.
No Richard.
No Evelyn.
No rules.
Just me.
And one kidney.
Recovery was painful.
But emotional pain was worse.
Every morning, I woke up expecting to hear my father's voice.
Instead, I heard silence.
It took time to realize silence could be peaceful.
Then Detective Bennett arrived with news.
"We found him."
My heart jumped.
"Where?"
"An airport hotel."
"Is he arrested?"
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because he contacted us."
I stared at her.
"What did he want?"
"To negotiate."
I laughed bitterly.
"Of course."
She sat across from me.
"He claims he has information about the medical brokerage."
"Does he?"
"Probably."
"Then arrest him."
"We need evidence."
I looked at her.
"What do you want me to do?"
She hesitated.
"We need him to talk."
I understood immediately.
"No."
"We won't put you in danger."
"No."
"Anna—"
"I spent my entire life letting him decide what happened to me."
I looked at her.
"I'm not going back into that room."
She nodded.
"I understand."
But that night, something changed.
Maya called me.
Her voice was trembling.
"He contacted me."
"What did he say?"
"He wants to see you."
"No."
"He said if you don't come, he'll release something."
"What?"
"I don't know."
Then she whispered:
"Anna, he said he has proof that Mom isn't who she says she is."
I froze.
"What?"
"He said Mom helped him."
I looked at my mother.
She was asleep on the couch.
I didn't believe him.
But I knew Richard.
He had always been good at finding the one sentence that made people doubt themselves.
The next morning, I agreed to cooperate with the police.
But I had one condition.
I would not meet him alone.
The meeting took place in a private conference room at a federal building.
Cameras everywhere.
Officers behind the glass.
Detective Bennett beside me.
Richard entered wearing the same expensive suit he had worn at my hospital bed.
But he looked different.
Older.
Smaller.
He sat across from me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he smiled.
"You look well."
I stared at him.
"Do I?"
"Better than I expected."
"Why?"
He shrugged.
"You've always been stronger than you look."
I laughed.
"Don't pretend you ever believed that."
His smile disappeared.
"I made mistakes."
"You sold my kidney."
"I didn't."
"You threatened me."
"I pressured you."
"You took out insurance on me."
"That was financial planning."
"You photographed me sleeping."
He looked away.
"You're twisting things."
I leaned forward.
"No."
I looked directly into his eyes.
"For the first time, I'm not."
His jaw tightened.
Then he pushed a folder across the table.
"Your mother lied to you."
I didn't touch it.
"Open it."
I did.
Inside were photographs.
Documents.
Bank statements.
Letters.
At first, nothing made sense.
Then I saw a signature.
My mother's.
The document was dated eighteen years ago.
It showed a transfer of money from Richard to Claire.
"What's this?"
"She took money."
I looked up.
"For what?"
"To disappear."
I stared at the document.
"Why?"
"Because she was going to expose me."
He leaned closer.
"But she didn't."
I turned the page.
Another document.
This one showed a payment from Northbridge Medical Brokerage.
To my mother.
I felt the room spin.
I looked at Richard.
"Did she help you?"
He smiled.
"I told you."
I looked through the glass.
Detective Bennett was watching.
I suddenly realized something.
Richard wanted me angry.
He wanted me to distrust my mother.
He wanted me emotionally unstable.
So I asked:
"If Mom helped you, why did you spend twenty years pretending she was dead?"
His smile disappeared.
"Because she betrayed me."
"Then why pay her?"
"She threatened me."
"With what?"
He hesitated.
I leaned closer.
"With what, Dad?"
He said nothing.
I suddenly understood.
My mother had not been his accomplice.
She had been his hostage.
I pushed the documents back.
"You're lying."
His eyes hardened.
"You always were difficult."
"And you always underestimated me."
He stood.
"You're making a mistake."
"No."
I looked at the hidden camera.
"I think you already made yours."
The officers entered.
Richard's face changed.
Detective Bennett placed handcuffs around his wrists.
He looked at me.
"You'll regret this."
I shook my head.
"I regret giving you my trust."
As he was led away, he shouted:
"You don't know what you're protecting!"
The door closed.
Detective Bennett looked at me.
"You did well."
I exhaled.
"What happens now?"
May you like
She smiled slightly.
"Now we find out how deep this goes."
