Chapter 8 - The 3 A.M. Confession
Derek unlocked the bedroom using an emergency key.
Marlene followed him inside.
Elena sat up as Derek pulled the blanket away.
“Get up, you useless thing!”
His voice echoed across the room.
Elena clutched her arm, more startled than injured.
Marlene crossed her arms.
“Finally, you know who is in charge of this house.”
Neither of them noticed the green light flashing inside the smoke detector.
Derek grabbed Elena’s suitcase and threw it open. Clothes spilled across the floor.
“Where are the documents?”
“Somewhere safe.”
Derek stepped closer.
“You are going to tell the bank you approved those loans.”
“No.”
“You will sign the medical authorization in the morning.”
“No.”
Marlene moved beside her son.
“You should listen carefully. We have witnesses who will say you have behaved irrationally for months.”
Elena looked at her.
“Because you told them I was irrational.”
“Because they believe us,” Marlene replied.
Derek pointed toward the bed.
“You have no job, no apartment, and no access to the accounts. Where do you think you are going?”
Elena’s hand moved slowly toward the second phone hidden beneath a pillow.
Derek continued speaking.
“You will sign the guarantees. After the company recovers, we might reconsider the medical arrangement.”
Elena pressed the send command.
The complete recording transferred to Rachel, the investigator, and the assigned detective.
“What medical arrangement?” Elena asked.
Marlene answered before Derek could stop her.
“A temporary guardianship. Derek controls your finances while you receive treatment.”
“And the false loan applications?”
“They become irrelevant once you confirm them,” Derek said. “No one will believe a confused woman over an established family.”
Elena lifted the phone.
“Go ahead. Everything is being recorded.”
Marlene’s smile vanished.
Derek looked at the smoke detector.
“What did you do?”
He stepped toward Elena, but she backed toward the window.
Police sirens grew louder outside.
Elena removed the storage device from her pocket.
May you like
“I just wanted you two to confess in front of the camera.”
Then came the first knock.
