Chapter 7: The Last Thing She Tried to Take
We found Daphne loading suitcases into her car.
Eli and his brothers stood on the porch, still wearing their slippers.
Mark stepped in front of the driver’s door.
“You are not driving away with the boys during an official investigation.”
“They’re my children.”
“They’re mine too.”
Daphne pointed at me.
“This is what you wanted, isn’t it?
You couldn’t stand seeing me with a husband and children.”
“I wanted my dog returned.”
“You wanted to humiliate me.”
“You forged my signature, used Mom’s identification, frightened Eli, and sold Barnaby to a stranger.”
“I was going to pay Graham back.”
“With what?
The emergency account you just emptied?”
Her eyes snapped toward Mark.
“You showed them?”
“It’s our account.”
Daphne grabbed her phone.
“Then I’m calling my lawyer.”
“Call anyone you like,” Officer Reyes said as she approached from the sidewalk.
“But you need to return the apartment key and the emergency folder.”
Daphne’s hand closed around her handbag.
“I don’t have them.”
Officer Reyes held out her palm.
“We can discuss that here, or you can discuss it at the station.”
Eli walked down the steps holding the silver bedroom key.
“I found this under Mom’s mattress.”
Daphne stared at him.
“You went through my things?”
“You went through Auntie’s things.”
Mark put his arm around his son.
“You did the right thing.”
“No, he betrayed his mother!”
Eli began to cry.
I moved toward him, but Daphne stepped into my path.
“You did this,” she hissed.
“My own child is against me because of you.”
“He is not against you.
He is telling the truth.”
She lowered her voice.
“Drop the complaint, and I’ll return Graham’s money today.
I’ll even pay for new locks.”
“That isn’t an apology.”
“You don’t want an apology.
You want to win.”
“I want you to stop taking whatever you think I should surrender.”
Daphne’s hand shot toward my phone.
Mark caught her wrist before she reached it.
“Don’t,” he said.
She pulled away.
“I was deleting the recording.”
Officer Reyes lifted her body camera slightly.
“This conversation is recorded from more than one place.”
Daphne’s shoulders dropped, but only for a moment.
“You all think she’s innocent,” she said.
“You don’t know how easy she’s had it.
Her quiet apartment.
Her job.
Her precious little dog.
She gets praised for doing nothing while I raise three children.”
I stepped closer.
“You could have asked for help.”
“I shouldn’t have to ask my unmarried sister to contribute to a real family.”
“My life is real, Daphne.”
“Not like mine.”
Barnaby stood beside Mom, watching us.
She bent down and rested her hand on his back.
“Her life has always been real,” Mom said.
“I should have told you that years ago.”
Daphne looked at her.
“You’re choosing her again.”
“No.
I’m refusing to excuse you again.”
Mark opened the trunk and removed the boys’ suitcases.
“The boys are staying with me at my brother’s tonight,” he said.
“You need to speak to the investigator and return the money.”
“You can’t leave me over a dog.”
“I’m leaving this house tonight because you used our sons to frighten your sister.”
Daphne’s face crumpled, then hardened.
She handed Officer Reyes the apartment key and emergency folder.
“You’ll all regret making me the villain,” she said.
Officer Reyes directed her toward the waiting vehicle, but Daphne stopped beside Mom.
“Tell her why she always had to give in,” Daphne said.
“Tell her what you were so afraid I would do if you ever told me no.”
May you like
Mom’s fingers tightened around Barnaby’s leash.
Daphne climbed into the vehicle, leaving us with the question she had thrown behind her.
