Chapter 12 - The Night Mark Came Home
At 3:11 a.m., Sarah woke to Emma shaking her.
"Mom."
Sarah opened her eyes.
"What?"
"Someone's downstairs."
The secured apartment had an alarm.
It wasn't sounding.
Sarah grabbed her phone.
Then she heard a voice.
"Sarah."
Mark.
She called Rebecca and Detective Hayes immediately.
Then she stepped into the hallway.
Mark stood in the kitchen.
His shirt was torn.
His face was bruised.
He looked exhausted.
"How did you get in?"
"Rebecca's building isn't as secure as she thinks."
"Don't come closer."
"I won't."
Emma appeared behind Sarah.
"Daddy?"
Mark's face collapsed.
"Hey, sweetheart."
Emma hid behind her mother.
That hurt him.
Sarah saw it.
She did not feel sorry for him.
"Where have you been?"
"With Hale."
"Where?"
"I don't know. They covered my head during transport."
"Why did he release you?"
"He didn't."
Mark placed a flash drive on the counter.
"I escaped."
Sarah almost laughed.
"Convenient."
"I expected that."
"Why are you here?"
"Because they're coming for the money."
"I don't have it."
"You control it."
"No. Apparently the ghost of my father controls it."
Mark shook his head.
"Your father created safeguards. The final authorization is biometric."
Sarah stared.
"Mine?"
"Yours."
Police sirens approached outside.
Mark looked toward the windows.
"You called them."
"Obviously."
"Good."
That surprised her.
Mark pushed the flash drive forward.
"Everything I could collect."
"Why now?"
"Because I'm done."
"You're done?"
Sarah's anger exploded.
"You forged my signature. You used my identity. You terrorized our children. You cheated on me. You helped criminals put millions of dollars under my name, and now you're done?"
Mark lowered his head.
"Yes."
She wanted to hit him.
Instead she said, "You're going to prison."
"I know."
"And I won't save you."
"I know."
"And the children are coming with me."
His eyes filled.
"I know."
Police entered seconds later.
Mark dropped to his knees before they even ordered him.
As Detective Hayes handcuffed him, Toby appeared.
"Dad?"
Mark looked at his son.
Toby was crying.
Mark began crying too.
"I'm sorry, buddy."
Toby stayed beside Sarah.
Mark was taken away.
The flash drive contained enough evidence to trigger dozens of warrants.
Properties were seized.
Accounts frozen.
Richard Collins was arrested at a private airfield forty-eight hours later.
Brenda entered protective custody.
And Mark Bennett agreed to cooperate with federal prosecutors.
For the first time, Sarah believed the nightmare might actually end.
Then Daniel called.
"Sarah, there's a problem."
"What now?"
"The twenty-seven million."
May you like
"What about it?"
"Someone just tried to transfer all of it."
