Chapter 6 - THE TRAP
Marcus threw the front door open so violently that the hinges screamed in protest.
Valerie jumped back, expecting him to come out and defend her against his father.
Instead, Marcus held up the glossy photographs, shoving them directly into her face.
"What the hell is this, Valerie?!" he roared, his voice echoing loudly down the quiet suburban street.
Valerie’s fake tears vanished instantly, replaced by a mask of cold, calculated panic.
"She did that to herself, Marcus, I swear!" Valerie stammered, backing away toward the expensive sports car.
"She is crazy, she just wants to ruin our marriage!"
"She gave herself defensive grip marks on the back of her own arms?!" Marcus screamed, stepping aggressively toward her.
Valerie realized in that exact moment that she had completely lost control of the narrative.
She spun around on her heels, sprinting toward the passenger side of the car to grab her designer purse.
She frantically dug through her bag, pulling out her cell phone and a thick ring of keys.
"If you don't believe me, then I am leaving!" she yelled, unlocking the car doors.
Grandpa Silas stepped out onto the porch, watching her scramble with complete serenity.
"You can try to run, Valerie, but you won't get very far," Grandpa stated calmly.
Valerie ignored him, jumping into the driver's seat and frantically pushing the ignition button.
The car engine roared to life, and she slammed it into reverse, tires screeching as she backed out of the driveway.
Marcus watched her drive away, his hands pulling at his own hair in complete despair.
"She's going to empty the bank accounts and leave the state," Marcus groaned, pulling out his own phone.
"No, she isn't," Grandpa said softly, placing a reassuring hand on his son's shoulder.
"I worked in the steel mills for forty years, Marcus, I know a lot of people in this town."
"I already called my old friend at the local bank branch this morning."
"All of your joint accounts were completely frozen two hours ago pending a domestic fraud investigation."
Marcus looked at his father in stunned silence, realizing how efficiently Silas had handled the situation.
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"And that's not the only call I made," Grandpa added, pointing down the street.
Two black and white police cruisers were already turning the corner, their lights flashing silently in the morning sun.
