Chapter 6: The People Who Finally Spoke
The next morning, Mom and I sat across from Officer Reyes at the rescue center.
Graham arrived carrying printed copies of every message Daphne had sent him.
“I brought the payment record as well,” he said.
“The money went to an account marked ‘Boys’ Dog Fund.’ Ten minutes later, it was transferred somewhere else.”
“Where?” Officer Reyes asked.
“An online shopping account in Daphne’s name.”
Mom shut her eyes.
“She used the boys as an excuse.”
Graham pushed the documents toward the officer.
“Please make it clear that I want no claim to Barnaby.
I only want my payment returned by the person who took it.”
“You could have walked away,” I said.
“So could I have when I saw a frightened dog under that chair.”
Mara entered with Barnaby on a soft blue leash.
The moment he saw me, he pulled free of her hand and raced across the room.
“There’s my boy.”
I dropped to my knees.
Barnaby climbed against my chest, covering my chin with frantic kisses.
Mom knelt beside us and stroked his back.
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Not only for giving her the key.
I’m sorry for every time I asked you to be quiet because Daphne was louder.”
I looked at her over Barnaby’s head.
“You kept calling it peace.”
“It was surrender, and I always expected you to do the surrendering.”
My tears fell into Barnaby’s fur.
Mom wrapped one arm around me, and for once she did not ask me to calm down.
Mark entered carrying Daphne’s laptop.
“She told me you were trying to ruin our family,” he said.
“I didn’t sell Barnaby.”
“I know.
I found her messages to Graham.”
Officer Reyes stood.
“Did Daphne give you permission to bring that computer?”
“It’s jointly owned, but I haven’t opened anything private.
I brought screenshots from our shared household account.”
He placed several pages on the desk.
The first showed Daphne receiving Graham’s payment.
The second showed purchases made the same afternoon.
The third was a message she had sent Mark nine days earlier.
MY SISTER OWES THIS FAMILY AFTER EVERYTHING I’VE DONE.
SHE WON’T FIGHT ME OVER A DOG.
Mark’s jaw tightened.
“She told me the money came from selling old furniture.”
My phone rang.
Daphne’s name flashed across it.
Officer Reyes pointed to the speaker button.
“Answer.”
“What do you want?” I asked.
“I want to make a deal,” Daphne said.
“Withdraw your statement, and I’ll correct the microchip record.”
“You changed it illegally.”
“Prove I knew that.”
“We have the false witness statement.”
“Mom will say she was confused.”
Mom leaned toward the phone.
“No, I won’t.”
Silence followed.
Then Daphne’s voice became cold.
“If you choose her over me, don’t expect to see the boys again.”
Mark took the phone from my hand.
“You don’t get to use our sons as shields.”
“Bring my laptop home.”
“No.”
“I’ll say you took it.”
“Officer Reyes is standing beside me.”
Daphne hung up.
Mara checked her computer and smiled for the first time.
“The original adoption record has been restored.
The transfer request is officially marked fraudulent.”
Officer Reyes unclipped Barnaby’s rescue lead and handed it to me.
“He can go home with you.”
I held it with both hands.
“No one can take him again?”
“Change your locks and passwords today.
We’ll include the cost in the restitution request.”
Mark’s phone buzzed.
He read the message, then looked at Mom.
“She emptied our joint emergency account,” he said.
“And she’s packed the boys’ bags.”
“Where is she taking them?” Mom asked.
May you like
Mark was already moving toward the door.
“She says she’s leaving before anyone can make her answer for this.”
