Chapter 4: The Necklace Lie
“Mom told me to.””
Nobody moved.
Dad stared at Tyler.
Melissa's face had gone so pale that even her lips seemed colorless.
“What did you just say?”” Dad asked.
Tyler immediately looked down.
“Nothing.””
“You said your mother told you to.””
“I didn't mean—”
“Tyler.””
Dad's voice wasn't loud.
It didn't need to be.
“Look at me.””
Tyler slowly raised his eyes.
Dad held up the phone, the photograph of Melissa's gold necklace still glowing on the screen.
“Did your mother tell you to take this necklace?””
Melissa suddenly stepped forward.
“Daniel, he's upset. He doesn't know what he's saying.””
Tyler flinched.
Dad noticed.
So did I.
“I'm asking him,” Dad said.
“He's fifteen!””
“And apparently he's been stealing from this house for months.””
Melissa reached for Tyler.
“Go upstairs.””
Dad stepped between them.
“No.””
Her eyes widened.
“Excuse me?””
“He stays.””
“This is my son.””
“And this is my house, my father's watch, my daughter's property, and apparently your necklace.””
Melissa folded her arms.
“The necklace has nothing to do with any of that.””
“Then explain the picture.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Dad turned back to Tyler.
“Start talking.””
Tyler's shoulders collapsed.
“Mom said we needed money.””
Melissa snapped, “Tyler!””
He jumped.
Dad's eyes hardened.
“Don't interrupt him again.””
Tyler rubbed his hands together.
“She gave me the necklace.””
“Why?””
“She said to sell it.””
My stomach twisted.
Six months earlier, Melissa had come downstairs crying and told Dad that someone had stolen her grandmother's necklace.
I remembered Dad changing the locks.
I remembered him installing a security camera over the garage.
I remembered Melissa telling neighbors that someone must have entered while we were out.
She'd even blamed the cleaning woman who came twice a month.
Dad seemed to be remembering the same thing.
“You told me that necklace was stolen,” he said.
Melissa's chin lifted.
“It was complicated.””
“You filed a police report.””
“I know.””
“You let me accuse innocent people.””
“I never told you to accuse anyone.””
“You stood beside me while I changed every lock in this house.””
Melissa's voice sharpened.
“Because I panicked!””
Dad looked at Tyler.
“How much did you sell it for?””
“Eight hundred.””
“And where did the money go?””
Tyler glanced at Melissa.
That glance answered before he did.
“Mom took most of it.””
I actually felt cold.
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
“How much?””
“Six hundred.””
Melissa exploded.
“He's lying!””
Tyler recoiled.
“You said I could keep two hundred!””
“Stop talking!””
Dad stepped forward.
“Don't speak to him like that.””
Melissa laughed bitterly.
“Now you're protecting him?””
“No. I'm getting the truth.””
She pointed toward me.
“This started because she couldn't handle losing a stupid laptop!””
I couldn't believe it.
“My laptop exposed all of this.””
“You're enjoying this, aren't you?””
“Melissa,” Dad warned.
She ignored him.
“You've never liked Tyler.””
“I didn't sell his things.””
“You always act like you're better than him because you work.””
“That is enough,” Dad said.
His voice finally rose.
The room went silent.
Dad looked at Melissa.
“This isn't about sibling jealousy. It's about theft.””
Then he looked at Tyler.
“Was the necklace the first thing?””
Tyler shook his head.
Dad went still.
“What was?””
Tyler swallowed.
“A bracelet.””
Melissa shut her eyes.
“What bracelet?”” Dad asked.
Tyler whispered, “Mom's.””
Dad laughed once, but there was no humor in it.
“Of course.””
“It wasn't really stealing,” Tyler said quickly.
“She gave it to me.””
“What else?””
Tyler hesitated.
“Some earrings.””
“What else?””
“A purse.””
Melissa stepped toward the stairs.
Dad blocked her path.
“Where are you going?””
“I don't have to stand here while you humiliate me.””
“No. You're going to stand here while I understand why my house has apparently been turned into a pawn shop.””
She shoved his arm aside.
Dad didn't touch her.
He simply said, “If you leave this room, I'm calling the police right now and handing them Tyler's phone.””
Melissa stopped.
Tyler started crying again.
“Mom, just tell him.””
She spun around.
“Shut up!””
That did it.
Tyler's expression changed.
The fear disappeared.
Something angrier replaced it.
“You said Dad would never find out!””
Melissa froze.
Dad stared at her.
Tyler wiped his face with his sleeve.
“You said you needed money because Dad was controlling everything.””
“I said stop talking.””
“You made me do it!””
“I never made you steal his watch!””
“But you taught me how!””
The words hit the room like a glass breaking.
Melissa stared at her son.
Tyler stared back.
Then Dad asked the question none of us were ready for.
“How much money?””
Melissa looked away.
Dad stepped closer.
“How much money have you two made selling things from this house?””
“Nobody kept track.””
“I did,” Tyler whispered.
Melissa's head snapped toward him.
Dad held out his hand.
“What do you mean?””
Tyler stared at the floor.
“I have a spreadsheet.””
I blinked.
“A spreadsheet?””
“On my computer.””
Dad's expression became almost unreadable.
“Show me.””
Tyler didn't move.
“Now.””
We followed him upstairs.
His bedroom smelled like body spray and stale chips. He opened his old laptop and typed a password.
A spreadsheet appeared.
Rows of items.
Dates.
Sale prices.
Names.
Dad leaned over the screen.
I counted.
Thirty-one entries.
Some were Melissa's belongings.
Some belonged to Tyler.
But others didn't.
My camera was there.
Dad's watch.
My laptop.
A set of tools from the garage.
Dad's old tablet.
Even my late grandmother's silver serving set.
Dad scrolled down.
Then stopped.
At the bottom was a separate section.
*HOUSE FUND.*
Beside it was a number.
*$18,740.*
Dad stared at it.
“What is House Fund?””
Tyler looked at Melissa.
She said nothing.
Dad clicked another tab.
There were screenshots of bank transfers.
One recipient appeared over and over.
*M. Carter.*
Dad whispered, “Who is M. Carter?””
Melissa's face changed.
Not guilt this time.
Terror.
Dad looked at her.
“Melissa.””
May you like
Tyler answered instead.
“That's the guy Mom sends the money to.””
