Chapter 16 - DETECTIVE BELL
Detective Bell was not cinematic.
He wore khakis, a navy polo, and running shoes with gray dust along the soles.
He looked like somebody's tired soccer coach.
That made him more frightening.
"Ms. Caldwell?"
All three of us answered in some form.
He blinked.
"Erin Caldwell."
"That's me."
He held up his badge.
"You filed an identity theft report. I was hoping to speak with you and, if they're willing, your parents."
Mom stepped back from the door.
"This is a family matter."
Bell gave her a neutral look.
"It may also be a financial crime matter."
Dad made a sound that was almost a laugh, except nothing about it was amused.
We sat in the living room.
Bell asked if he could record.
I said yes.
Dad said yes.
Mom said, "Do we need a lawyer?"
Bell replied, "You can always speak with a lawyer."
That was the first moment Mom looked scared.
I should have felt vindicated.
I felt sick.
Bell asked me to walk through the car application, the business loan, and the altered power of attorney.
When I handed him the copy, he stopped taking notes.
"Where did you get this?"
"Their safe."
"Is the original here?"
Mom said, "It's a copy."
Bell looked at her. "I understand. Is the original altered document here?"
She rubbed her thumb against her index finger.
"I don't know."
"Who changed the date?"
Dad looked at Mom.
Mom looked at me.
I hated that she did that.
As if my face had forced the question.
"I did," she said.
Bell wrote it down.
Mom suddenly turned on me.
"Are you happy now?"
The question stunned everyone.
Even her.
She covered her mouth.
Dad said, "Diane."
"No, I -" She shook her head. "I didn't mean that."
I stood up.
"I need air."
Outside, I sat on the porch step.
My hands had started shaking.
That made me angry too.
They had been steady after the coffee.
Why now?
Bell came out five minutes later.
He stayed standing.
"This is going to take time," he said.
"Okay."
"I want you to understand something. Family cases get messy fast. People remember things differently. People produce old messages. People change their minds about cooperating."
"I have records."
"Good. Keep them. And don't coach anybody. Don't threaten anybody. Don't bargain over criminal reporting."
Heat climbed my neck.
"I texted Britney after the car application."
"What did you say?"
I told him.
He nodded. "That's not a problem by itself. I'm telling you from now on."
I looked down the street.
"I almost paid their mortgage this morning."
Bell's face did not change.
"Did you?"
"No."
"Probably wise."
"You don't know them."
"No."
He let that sit.
Then he said, "Your sister contacted us this morning."
I looked up.
"Britney?"
"She wants to give a statement."
"Why?"
Bell slipped his notebook into his pocket.
"She says your mother asked her to destroy records after the dealership called."
I stared at him.
"And did she?"
Bell's expression tightened slightly.
May you like
"She says she destroyed some."
