Chapter 8 - The Dose Change
Detective Ortiz took Jason's phone before breakfast.
For the first time in his life, he did not argue about losing it.
He looked hollow.
The email from Grant Voss had changed something in him.
Maybe he finally understood that his mother had not merely used him for money.
She had used him as camouflage.
His name was attached to transfers.
His signature appeared on documents.
If my father ever exposed the theft, Jason would look guilty too.
"She was setting me up."
He said it quietly in the kitchen.
Nicole stood beside him with their baby asleep against her chest.
"Maybe."
I did not soften the answer.
"Or maybe she thought you would never ask questions."
Jason looked at me sharply.
"That's supposed to make me feel better?"
"No."
"Good."
Daniel sat at the table reading copies of the emails.
Detective Ortiz was on the phone with a prosecutor.
The house no longer felt like Marlene's kingdom.
It felt like the walls themselves were testifying.
At eight fifteen, Ortiz returned to the kitchen.
"We have enough to seek warrants for Blue Heron, Voss, and Dr. Hale's records."
"And Marlene?"
I asked.
"Financial records, yes."
"Arrest?"
"Not yet."
My frustration flashed.
"She assaulted me."
"That case is separate and easier."
"Then arrest her for that."
Ortiz's expression stayed calm.
"We need to find her first."
That was the problem.
Marlene's phone was off.
Her credit cards had not been used since leaving the house.
Her car had been found in a supermarket parking lot ten miles away.
Someone had picked her up.
We did not know who.
At nine, my phone rang from a blocked number.
I answered on speaker.
"Clara."
Marlene.
Jason stood so fast his chair tipped over.
"Mom?"
"Is he there?"
Her voice was cold.
"Yes."
"Put him on."
I looked at Ortiz.
She nodded.
Jason stepped toward the phone.
"Where are you?"
"You betrayed me."
His face tightened.
"You forged my signature."
"I saved you."
"You stole six hundred eighty thousand dollars."
"For this family."
"What family?"
His voice cracked.
"You set me up to take the blame."
Marlene went silent.
That silence answered him.
Jason's face changed.
"Oh my God."
"Do not be dramatic."
"You were going to blame me."
"Your business failures created the opportunity."
Nicole covered her mouth.
Even Ortiz's eyebrows rose.
Jason stared at the phone like it had become poisonous.
"You really did."
Marlene switched targets.
"Clara, you think you own everything now."
"Legally, quite a lot."
"You always were smug."
"You called me useless six hours ago."
"You still are."
The words did not hurt the way she wanted.
Not anymore.
"Where are you?"
I asked.
"Somewhere your father's money cannot reach."
"Dad's money reached Blue Heron just fine."
Her breathing changed.
Tiny victory.
"You found the checks."
"And the recorder."
Silence.
"And his letter."
Longer silence.
"And the email about the dose change."
This time, Marlene stopped breathing.
When she spoke again, her voice was barely a whisper.
"What email?"
I looked at Ortiz.
She wrote on a notepad.
KEEP HER TALKING.
"Grant sent it to you."
"Grant sends hundreds of emails."
"This one mentions Hale."
Marlene recovered quickly.
"You are misunderstanding something."
"Then explain it."
"Not on the phone."
"Come home."
"No."
"Police are already here."
She laughed once.
"Exactly."
Then she said the last thing I expected.
"Ask Daniel why your father changed attorneys for three weeks before he died."
I looked at Daniel.
He went completely still.
"What?"
I asked.
Marlene's voice became almost cheerful.
"He never told you?"
Daniel stood.
"Marlene, stop."
"There he is."
She laughed again.
"Always protecting his version of the story."
I stared at him.
"What is she talking about?"
Daniel's face was pale.
"Clara, not now."
Marlene whispered.
"Your father fired Daniel."
Then the line went dead.
No one moved.
I looked at the man who had handled my father's estate for four years.
"Did he?"
Daniel slowly sat down.
"For twenty-two days."
Jason gave a stunned laugh.
"This family is unbelievable."
I ignored him.
"Why?"
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
"Because Robert accused me of leaking information."
"Were you?"
"No."
"Then who was?"
"I didn't know."
"And he rehired you?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Daniel looked at me.
"Because the lawyer he hired after me was Grant Voss's brother."
The room went silent.
"What was his name?"
"Nathan Voss."
Detective Ortiz immediately started typing.
Daniel continued.
"Robert realized too late that he had walked directly into the people stealing from him."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because he made me promise not to."
I stood.
"He's dead, Daniel."
"I know."
"Promises to dead people do not matter more than living people in danger."
He flinched.
I had never spoken to him that way.
I did not regret it.
Ortiz's phone rang.
She listened for less than a minute.
Then she looked at us.
"We found Dr. Hale."
"Where?"
"At the airport."
"Leaving?"
"Trying to."
"Where was he going?"
Ortiz closed her notebook.
"Switzerland."
Jason frowned.
"That's random."
Daniel did not think so.
"No."
He looked at me.
"Robert had a numbered account in Zurich."
I felt the floor drop beneath me.
"How much?"
May you like
Daniel's answer came quietly.
"According to the last statement I saw, nine million dollars."
