Chapter 10 - Plan B
I stopped breathing.
“What does ‘Plan B’ mean?”
Nobody answered immediately.
That terrified me more than an answer.
Agent Kim studied the page.
“We don’t know yet.”
“Then find out.”
“We will.”
“No. Now.”
Sophie was asleep down the hall.
Her school.
Her bus.
Her babysitter.
My mother had collected every detail.
I called Sophie’s babysitter, Rachel.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
My heartbeat climbed.
“She isn’t answering.”
Detective Reyes immediately sent officers to Rachel’s apartment.
I called the school even though it was Saturday.
Then my neighbor.
Then Rachel again.
Finally, she answered.
“Evelyn?”
“Where are you?”
“At my sister’s.”
“Is Sophie with you?”
“No. You have her.”
I almost cried with relief.
“Did my mother contact you recently?”
A pause.
“Actually… yes.”
“When?”
“Thursday.”
“What did she want?”
“She asked whether I could watch Sophie Monday morning.”
My skin went cold.
“Why?”
“She said you had a surprise business meeting and wanted Sophie kept somewhere private.”
I sat down.
“What else?”
“She offered me five hundred dollars.”
“Did you agree?”
“I said I needed to ask you first.”
“Thank God.”
“What’s happening?”
“I’ll explain later.”
Agent Kim was already writing.
Monday morning.
The deadline for Hartwell’s deal.
If the wedding scheme failed, Mom planned to get Sophie away from me before the vote.
Not necessarily hurt her.
She didn’t need to.
She only needed me terrified.
“Plan B was taking Sophie,” I said.
Margaret’s face hardened.
“Using custody as leverage.”
Vanessa looked sick.
“Preston told me Helen could ‘keep the girl busy’ if the wedding plan failed.”
I turned toward her.
“You knew that?”
“I thought she meant babysitting.”
“You people thought a lot.”
Sophie’s voice came from behind us.
“Mommy?”
We turned.
She stood in the doorway in hospital pajamas, one hand touching her bandage.
“How much did you hear?”
“Who was going to take me?”
My heart broke.
I knelt.
“Nobody is taking you anywhere.”
“Grandma?”
I couldn’t lie.
“She wanted you somewhere away from me.”
“Why?”
“Because she thought she could make me do what she wanted.”
Sophie stared at the floor.
Then she whispered, “Grandma doesn’t love me either.”
I pulled her into my arms.
“She may believe she does.”
“That sounds like fake love.”
The words cut deep.
“Yes.”
Sophie hugged me tighter.
“Then we don’t need it.”
At noon, police formally arrested Ethan for conspiracy, evidence tampering, identity theft, and financial fraud.
Before officers led him away, he asked to speak to me.
“One minute.”
I almost refused.
Then I nodded.
He stood six feet away.
“I’m sorry.”
“Live with it.”
“I deserve that.”
“Yes.”
He swallowed.
“There’s something Preston didn’t tell the others.”
“What?”
“He has a copy of your signature.”
I stared at him.
“For what?”
“He planned to forge the voting transfer if you refused.”
“That wouldn’t survive review.”
“It might long enough to close the Hartwell deal.”
My phone buzzed.
Margaret looked at hers at the same time.
Her face changed.
“No.”
“What?”
She turned the screen toward me.
Whitmore Holdings had just received an electronically signed voting transfer.
My name was on it.
My electronic certificate.
My supposed authorization.
According to the company system, I had signed away my thirty-four percent three minutes earlier.
And Hartwell Equity had moved the closing forward.
To 4:00 p.m.
May you like
That day.
---
