Chapter 8 - Chloe’s Recording
Two days later, Chloe asked to speak with Officer Alvarez.
Rachel sat beside her hospital bed while Daniel listened from a wheelchair near the window.
Chloe held her phone in both hands.
“When I called Mom, I also pressed the record button.”
Rachel stared at her.
“You recorded what happened?”
“I thought nobody would believe me because Uncle Owen always sounds nice around other people.”
The recording began with muffled voices.
Owen demanded the drive.
Daniel refused.
Then came the crash, Chloe’s cry, and Owen’s shocked question when he discovered her in the hallway.
His next words were clear.
“You were supposed to be at school.”
Daniel could then be heard ordering him to leave.
Owen replied, “If you had just given me the files, none of this would have happened.”
The recording continued as he opened the garage door and moved through the house.
It captured him calling someone from the garage.
“The police are here,” Owen whispered. “Cancel the transfer and erase everything you can.”
The detectives identified the person he had called as the company’s financial controller, Martin Hale.
Martin was arrested later that afternoon.
Faced with the recordings and bank records, Martin agreed to cooperate. He confirmed that Owen had created the false companies and ordered him to hide the transactions.
The case was no longer one brother’s accusation against another.
It was a documented conspiracy.
Rachel leaned over Chloe and kissed her forehead.
“You were incredibly brave.”
Chloe looked at Daniel.
“Are we still building the volcano?”
Daniel smiled despite the bandage near his temple.
“As soon as the doctor says I’m allowed near baking soda.”
“That is not a real volcano.”
May you like
“It’s the safest one you’re getting.”
For the first time since the emergency, Chloe laughed.
