Chapter 3 - The Price of Betrayal
We relocated to the central police precinct, placing Ava and Lucy in a secure family room with juice boxes and coloring books.
I sat in a sterile interrogation room with Detective Evans, a seasoned investigator who had just taken over the case.
The detective placed a recorded tape on the table and pressed play.
It was an audio file recovered from David’s abandoned burner phone, which he had dropped during his escape.
The voices belonged to David and my sister, Sarah.
“You promised you would get the folder, Sarah,” David’s voice hissed through the speaker.
“I did get it,” my sister’s voice whined in response.
“I had Dad put it in Lucy's suitcase so Megan wouldn't suspect a thing.”
I closed my eyes, feeling a sickening wave of nausea roll through my stomach.
My own father had smuggled the evidence out of my house.
“And leaving the kid at the airport?” David demanded on the tape.
“That was Mom's idea,” Sarah replied.
“She said canceling Lucy's ticket would keep Megan busy at the terminal while we got on the flight to Hawaii.”
“Good,” David said smoothly.
“Once the offshore accounts are cleared, I’ll transfer your cut, and you can start your new life in Maui.”
The recording clicked off, leaving a suffocating silence in the room.
My sister had sold me out for a cut of my ex-husband's hidden fortune.
My parents had gone along with it, likely promised a comfortable, luxury retirement funded by my misery.
They had intentionally traumatized my nine-year-old daughter to buy themselves time.
And they had let David take Ava to ensure Sarah didn't get cold feet and back out of the deal.
“They are arresting your family upon arrival in Honolulu,” Detective Evans said softly.
“Federal marshals are waiting at the gate.”
I looked at the detective, my expression hardening into stone.
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“I don't just want them arrested,” I said.
“I want everything David is trying to hide.”
