Chapter 8: The Three-Million-Dollar Policy
I stood in Daniel’s empty office staring at the life insurance policy.
Three million dollars.
Six weeks old.
Daniel’s name printed beneath mine.
For a moment, I couldn’t hear Madison anymore.
“Sarah?””
“I’m here.””
“You need to leave.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel knows the documents connect him to the accounts.””
I looked at the open safe.
“What does that have to do with the insurance?””
“I don’t know yet.””
“Then don’t scare me with guesses.””
“I’m not guessing about the rest.””
Her voice cracked.
“Daniel has been moving money through accounts opened using your information.””
I closed my eyes.
“How much?””
“More than you found.””
“How much, Madison?””
“Almost two million.””
I gripped the desk.
“That’s impossible.””
“No. It isn’t.””
“Where did it come from?””
“His company.””
I stopped breathing.
Not our money.
Company money.
Investor money.
Client money.
And somehow my name was attached to it.
“He was setting me up.””
“Yes.””
The answer came quietly.
“He did the same thing to my father.””
My stomach twisted.
Now I understood why Madison had tolerated Daniel.
Why she had gotten close.
Why she had played along.
She wanted evidence.
But one question remained.
“Why provoke me tonight?””
Silence.
“Madison.””
“I needed Daniel angry.””
“What?””
“I needed him distracted.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“You humiliated me so you could distract him?””
“I knew he kept his second authentication device in his office during parties.””
I stared at the empty desk.
“While he was dealing with me…”
“I accessed his financial records.””
Rage rose through me.
“You used me.””
“Yes.””
At least she didn’t lie.
“I’m sorry.””
“You stood in my house and told me my husband chose you.””
“I needed him focused on defending me.””
“And throwing me into the pool was part of your plan?””
“No!””
Her voice broke.
“I swear to you, Sarah. I didn’t know he would do that.””
I wanted to hate her.
Part of me did.
But Daniel was the person who had chosen violence.
Daniel was the person who had built the lie.
“What did you find?”” I asked.
“Enough to prove the transfers.””
“And my name?””
“Everywhere.””
My stomach sank.
“Can I clear myself?””
“I don’t know.””
That frightened me more than a false promise would have.
I looked through the remaining papers.
One document caught my attention.
A property record.
Our house.
I scanned the page.
Then stopped.
The property wasn’t jointly owned.
It belonged to an LLC.
*SCM Holdings.*
“What is SCM Holdings?””
Madison went quiet.
“Where did you see that?””
“The house paperwork.””
“Sarah…”
“What?””
“Those are your initials.””
Sarah Collins Mercer.
My knees weakened.
“I never created an LLC.””
“I know.””
I stared at the document.
Daniel had placed our home under a company using my initials.
“What else is under SCM?””
“I’m checking.””
I heard keyboard clicks.
Then Madison stopped.
“Oh my God.””
“What?””
“Three properties.””
“Where?””
“Dallas. Fort Worth. And Austin.””
“I don’t own three properties.””
“Your company does.””
“My company doesn’t exist.””
“Legally, it does.””
I sat down.
The room seemed to tilt.
“Who created it?””
“Rachel.””
Of course.
The attorney.
The woman who never filed my marriage certificate.
“Where is Rachel?””
“I don’t know.””
“Find her.””
“I’m trying.””
My phone buzzed.
Another incoming call.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Then Madison said, “Answer it.””
“Why?””
“If Daniel is moving, we need to know.””
I switched calls.
“Hello?””
A woman spoke.
“Is this Sarah Collins?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Rachel Hayes.””
My body went cold.
I stood.
“Where is Daniel?””
Rachel ignored the question.
“You need to stop opening files.””
I laughed once.
“You helped my husband use my identity.””
“You don’t understand the situation.””
“Everyone keeps telling me that.””
“Because you don’t.””
Her voice was controlled.
Professional.
“You are in possession of documents that could damage several people.””
“Including you?””
A pause.
“Yes.””
At least she admitted it.
“Why didn’t you file my marriage certificate?””
“Because Daniel instructed me not to.””
“And you listened?””
“At the time, he was my client.””
“You let me live a lie for eight years.””
“That wasn’t my intention.””
“Your intention doesn’t matter.””
Rachel exhaled.
“Sarah, listen carefully. Daniel is frightened.””
“Good.””
“No.””
Her tone changed.
“That is not good.””
I looked toward the front windows.
The driveway was empty.
“Why?””
“Because frightened people make desperate decisions.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What did Daniel tell you?””
Another pause.
Then Rachel said:
“He called me ten minutes ago.””
“And?””
“He asked whether the insurance policy would still pay if your death happened before investigators froze his accounts.””
Every hair on my arms rose.
I stared through the dark windows.
“Where is he now?””
“I don’t know.””
Then headlights swept across the front of the house.
A vehicle turned into my driveway.
Rachel whispered:
“Sarah?””
I stepped backward.
The headlights moved closer.
“Someone’s here.””
“Do not open the door.””
The vehicle stopped.
A car door slammed.
Then another.
I waited.
My heart hammered.
Footsteps approached the porch.
The doorbell rang.
I moved carefully toward the security monitor.
A man and a woman stood outside.
Neither was Daniel.
The woman held up an identification card toward the camera.
“Mrs. Mercer?””
May you like
Her voice came through the doorbell speaker.
“Federal agents. We need to speak with you about your husband.””
