Chapter 5 - THE FINANCIAL GUILLOTINE
At 4:00 AM,
Rachel and I sat in Nora’s kitchen,
surrounded by stacks of financial records.
“It’s worse than we thought,”
Rachel said,
pointing to a series of transfers.
“He didn't just try to lock you out.”
“He’s been embezzling from the estate’s maintenance fund for over a year.”
“He’s been paying his sister’s mortgage with your money.”
I felt a cold,
sharp anger.
It wasn't just about the house anymore.
It was about the systematic theft of my daughter’s future.
“How much?”
I asked.
“Six hundred thousand,”
Rachel said.
“Directly into an account he shared with his mother.”
I looked at the clock.
The banks would be opening soon.
“Call the fraud department,”
I said.
“I want a total freeze on every account associated with his name.”
“Including his mother’s.”
“And the sister’s.”
Rachel nodded.
“I’ve already drafted the affidavits.”
“We’re filing for a temporary restraining order and an emergency audit.”
I stood up,
stretching my sore back.
“What about the guard at the gate?”
“His company has been notified that the payment was fraudulent,”
Rachel said.
“They’re pulling him out at 6:00 AM.”
“They don't want any part of a legal battle with a Hayes.”
I walked to the window.
The rain had stopped,
leaving behind a thick,
gray mist.
The city was waking up,
unaware of the war that was being fought in the shadows.
I felt a strange sense of clarity.
The emotions that had clouded my judgment for years were gone.
The love was gone.
The guilt was gone.
The hope for a ‘normal’ family was gone.
There was only the mission.
Protect the child.
Protect the home.
Exterminate the threat.
Nora walked in,
carrying a thermos of coffee.
“The SUV is loaded,”
she said.
“Ava is in her car seat.”
“Are you ready?”
I looked at my sister.
She had always been my protector.
Now,
it was my turn to show her I could protect myself.
“I’m ready,”
May you like
I said.
“Let’s go home.”
