Chapter 11 - The Man Who Had Been Helping Richard
The enemy had been inside our family longer than I knew.
My brother-in-law, Martin, arrived with the police.
For one strange second, I felt relieved.
Then Evan said, “Don't trust him.”
Martin stopped.
“Kent?”
I stared at him.
He looked exactly as he always had.
Calm.
Friendly.
Reliable.
He had helped me after my wife's death.
He had driven me to appointments.
He had helped Trent move into Brentwood.
He'd even recommended the contractor who handled the kitchen renovation.
Now I wondered why.
A detective approached Richard.
“Mr. Hale, step away from the others.”
Richard didn't move.
Instead, he stared at Martin.
“What are you doing here?”
Martin smiled.
“Helping the family.”
Evan laughed.
“No.”
Martin's smile disappeared.
“You've always had a talent for drama.”
Evan stepped forward.
“You funded the first shell company.”
Martin said nothing.
I looked at him.
“What shell company?”
He ignored me.
Evan continued.
“You helped Richard move the money after the fraud.”
Martin finally spoke.
“You have no proof.”
Evan looked at me.
“I do.”
He handed a drive to the detective.
“Everything is there.”
The detective took it.
Martin's expression changed.
Not much.
Just enough.
Calder arrived moments later.
He looked at the documents.
Then at Martin.
“I wondered when you'd appear.”
Martin glared at him.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
I turned to Calder.
“You suspected my brother-in-law?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because suspicion isn't evidence.”
Martin stepped closer.
“Kent, listen to me.”
I held up my hand.
“No.”
“Your son is in trouble.”
“I know.”
“I was trying to protect him.”
“By helping them steal his father's house?”
Martin's face tightened.
“Your son was in over his head.”
“And you helped push him deeper.”
He looked away.
Richard suddenly laughed.
“You should ask him who introduced Trent to the lender.”
I looked at Martin.
His silence answered.
“You did.”
Martin finally nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought I could fix it.”
“Fix what?”
“Richard's debt.”
I stared.
“How long?”
“Two years.”
Two years.
Two years of conversations behind my back.
Two years of financial pressure.
Two years of my son being manipulated.
And I had been fixing roofs while they were plotting around a house I owned.
Then Madison spoke.
“Dad.”
Richard turned.
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“You lied to everyone.”
He said nothing.
“You told me Evan stole the money.”
Nothing.
“You told me Kent was going to give Trent the house.”
Nothing.
“You told Trent that the loan was safe.”
Still nothing.
“You told me Martin was helping us.”
Martin looked down.
Madison shook her head.
“You ruined everyone.”
Richard finally spoke.
“I was protecting this family.”
“No,” she said.
“You don't understand what I sacrificed.”
“I understand exactly.”
She stood.
The detective untied her.
Richard watched her.
“You're choosing them?”
She looked at me.
Then at Trent.
Then at Evan.
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I'm choosing the truth.”
Richard's face darkened.
“That will cost you.”
“It already did.”
The police moved Richard and Martin toward the door.
Before Richard left, he looked back at me.
“This isn't over.”
I believed him.
But what happened next surprised everyone.
A detective stopped Martin.
“Mr. Mercer, you're under arrest.”
Martin's eyes widened.
“For what?”
The detective opened the drive Evan had provided.
“Multiple counts related to financial fraud and falsification.”
Martin looked at me.
“Kent.”
I said nothing.
The doors closed behind him.
Trent stood beside me.
“I am so sorry.”
I looked at him.
“You've said that before.”
“I mean it now.”
I nodded.
“Good.”
He seemed relieved.
Then Calder approached.
“There is still one unresolved issue.”
“What?”
“The amendment.”
“What about it?”
“We know it's forged.”
“Yes.”
“But we still don't know why Richard was so confident it would work.”
He handed me another paper.
At the bottom was a clause I'd never seen before.
I read it once.
Then again.
Then my hands started to shake.
“Calder…”
“Yes?”
“This isn't an amendment.”
“What is it?”
I looked up.
“It's a transfer clause.”
“To whom?”
May you like
I whispered:
“Not Trent.”
