Chapter 11 - Brenda's Ledger

Inside the envelope was a flash drive and a photocopied page from a handwritten ledger.

Brenda recognized it immediately.

"No."

Allison looked at her.

"Yes."

Brenda's confidence cracked.

Derek stared at his mother.

"What is it?"

Allison answered.

"Your mother's insurance policy."

She handed me the paper.

Names filled the page.

Beside each name was an amount.

Allison Reed — $118,500.

Rebecca Sloan — $62,000.

Marissa Cole — $210,000.

Lauren Pierce — $74,000.

Tessa Wynn — $91,000.

Then one final entry.

Chloe Bennett — $300,000.

My wedding date was written beside it.

Marcus stepped forward.

"Where did you get this?"

"From your father's desk."

Emma gasped.

Allison continued.

"I took pictures before I left."

Brenda recovered enough to speak.

"That proves nothing."

"The flash drive does."

Derek looked at Allison.

"What is on it?"

"Audio."

Brenda's eyes closed.

Allison turned toward me.

"Three nights before I escaped, Brenda and Derek were in the study."

"I left my phone recording beneath the desk."

Derek's face changed.

"You don't have that."

"I've had it for six years."

"Then why didn't you go to the police?"

Allison's expression became painfully calm.

"Because I was twenty-six years old, terrified, ashamed, and convinced nobody would believe me."

She looked around the mansion.

"And because all of you were willing to tell the same lie."

Several relatives looked at the floor.

Derek pointed at her.

"You stole money."

"No."

"You emptied our account."

"I withdrew sixty-three dollars."

"You forged documents."

Allison almost smiled.

"That's your line now?"

Sirens became audible in the distance.

Brenda looked toward the front windows.

Then she did something none of us expected.

She ran.

Not toward the stairs.

Toward the rear hallway.

Derek shouted, "Mom!"

Emma whispered, "The office."

I understood instantly.

She was going to destroy the originals.

I ran after her.

Derek followed.

By the time I reached the third floor, smoke was already crawling beneath the office door.

"Brenda!"

I grabbed the handle.

Locked.

Derek shoved me aside.

"Move."

He kicked the door once.

Twice.

The wood split.

Smoke poured into the hallway.

Inside, Brenda stood beside a metal trash can.

Flames climbed from dozens of documents.

She held my file in her hand.

I stared at her.

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She stared back.

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