Chapter 6
Mom called Dad.
He answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
“On Roosevelt Boulevard,” Mom said. “Explain.”
“Go home.”
“No.”
“Linda.”
“You said you threw the money away?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“It wasn’t mine.”
“Whose was it?”
Silence.
“Daniel.”
“Bell’s clients.”
My stomach tightened.
Mom closed her eyes.
“You were working for him?”
“For six months.”
“Doing what?”
“Driving.”
“What does that mean?”
“Deliveries.”
Mom laughed bitterly.
“You always did know how to make criminal activity sound like a job.”
“I didn’t know what it was at first.”
“At first?”
“I needed money.”
“You needed gambling money.”
“I needed debt money.”
“Same thing.”
Dad exhaled.
“Can we fight later?”
“No. We’re doing eleven years of fighting tonight.”
I almost told her to stop.
But part of me wanted to hear everything.
Dad continued.
“Richard’s firm moved money for people who didn’t want questions.”
“Laundering?”
“Yes.”
Mom went silent.
I whispered, “Oh my God.”
Dad heard me.
“Emily, you shouldn’t be in this conversation.”
I almost laughed.
“That ship sailed.”
Dad sighed.
“I drove envelopes. Documents. Sometimes cash.”
“How did you end up with seventy thousand dollars?”
“I was supposed to deliver it.”
“To who?”
“I don’t know his real name.”
Mom said, “Why didn’t you?”
“Because by then I knew what Bell was doing.”
“And suddenly you grew morals?”
“No.”
His honesty surprised us both.
“I got scared.”
Dad continued.
“One of the guys I owed money to started working for Bell.”
Mom went still.
“The men who came to our apartment?”
“One of them.”
My skin crawled.
Dad’s voice became quieter.
“I realized the gambling debt and Bell’s operation were connected.”
“You brought that into our home.”
“I know.”
“No, Daniel. I don’t think you understand that sentence.”
“I understand it every day.”
Mom gripped the phone.
“So you stole Bell’s money?”
“I refused to deliver it.”
“Same difference.”
“I planned to go to police.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I panicked.”
“And threw it in a sanitation route?”
“I hid it in a commercial trash pile because I saw police nearby and thought I was being followed.”
Mom stared ahead.
“You knew my route.”
Silence.
Her face changed.
“You knew I worked that block.”
“I knew roughly.”
“You wanted me to find it.”
“No.”
“Daniel.”
“I swear.”
“Then why were there documents with it?”
“I grabbed whatever I could from the office.”
“So you stole evidence.”
“I was trying to protect myself.”
Mom’s laugh sounded broken.
“You always were.”
Dad was silent.
I asked, “Why didn’t you tell police later?”
“Because I was terrified.”
“Of going to jail?”
“Yes.”
“At least you’re honest.”
“I had already crossed too many lines.”
Mom said, “Then you left us.”
“Yes.”
“And let me deal with men coming to our home.”
“I didn’t know they would.”
“You knew enough to run.”
That silenced him.
My phone buzzed.
Madison.
A text.
PLEASE COME.
Another.
HE TOOK MY KEYS.
Mom immediately started driving.
Dad heard the engine.
“Where are you going?”
“Bell’s house.”
“No.”
“Madison is there.”
“Linda, listen to me.”
“Her father locked her out.”
“Do not confront him.”
“We’re picking up a child.”
“He’s dangerous.”
That made Mom hesitate.
I looked at her.
“Call the police.”
Mom nodded.
She dialed 911 on my phone.
We explained the situation.
The dispatcher told us not to enter the property and said officers were being sent.
When we reached Madison’s neighborhood, we stopped half a block away.
Her house was enormous.
Stone walls.
Tall windows.
Perfect landscaping.
Madison sat on the curb near the driveway.
I jumped out before Mom fully stopped.
“Emily!”
I ran toward her.
Madison stood and threw her arms around me.
“What happened?”
“He went crazy.”
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
She was shaking.
“He kept asking what Linda told me.”
Mom reached us.
“We called police.”
Madison nodded.
“I’m not going back inside.”
“You don’t have to.”
The front door opened.
Richard Bell walked out.
He was wearing a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
He looked calm.
Too calm.
“Madison.”
She stepped behind Mom.
Richard stared at her.
“Come inside.”
“No.”
“This family matter does not concern Linda Carter.”
Mom folded her arms.
“It concerned me when you tried to destroy a scholarship.”
Richard smiled thinly.
“You mean the scholarship funded by stolen money?”
“It wasn’t stolen when it was released to me.”
“You knew where it came from.”
“No.”
“Your ex-husband did.”
Mom’s jaw tightened.
“I hadn’t spoken to Daniel in eleven years.”
Richard looked at me.
“Until today.”
I hated the way he said it.
Like everything was planned.
Sirens sounded in the distance.
His expression shifted.
“You called police?”
“Yes,” Mom said.
“For what?”
“Your daughter said you took her keys and forced her out of the house.”
Richard looked at Madison.
“I told you to cool off outside.”
“You locked the door!”
“You were screaming.”
“You grabbed my phone!”
“I’m your father.”
Madison started crying.
“That doesn’t mean you own me.”
Richard’s face hardened.
A police car turned onto the street.
Then another vehicle appeared behind it.
A black SUV.
Dad.
He parked quickly and got out.
Mom cursed under her breath.
Richard’s calm vanished.
“You.”
Dad walked toward us.
“Hello, Richard.”
“You should have stayed gone.”
Dad smiled without humor.
“That worked great for eleven years.”
Two officers stepped out of their patrol car.
One approached us.
“What’s happening here?”
Richard immediately became polished again.
“Family misunderstanding.”
Madison shook her head.
“He locked me out.”
“I asked her to step outside.”
“You took my car keys.”
“For her safety. She was upset.”
The officer looked at Madison.
“Do you feel safe going inside?”
“No.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“She’s seventeen.”
The officer nodded.
“And she said no.”
Dad stood several feet away.
Richard stared at him.
“Why are you here?”
Dad answered, “Because you called me.”
“I warned you.”
“You threatened me.”
The officers exchanged a glance.
One asked, “Threatened how?”
Richard immediately said, “I did no such thing.”
Dad pulled out his phone.
“Recorded call.”
Richard’s face changed.
Mom stared at Dad.
“You recorded him?”
“I record all business calls.”
“You haven’t done business with him in years.”
Dad looked at Richard.
“He called my office line.”
The officer said, “Can we hear it?”
Dad tapped the screen.
Richard’s voice played.
You should have kept your mouth shut.
Dad’s recorded voice answered.
About what?
The money. The documents. Linda.
Then Richard.
If the police reopen this, I’ll make sure your daughter learns exactly what kind of man her father was.
The recording continued.
Dad said, She already knows I made mistakes.
Richard laughed.
Not all of them.
Then the recording stopped.
I looked at Dad.
“What does that mean?”
He didn’t answer.
Richard smiled.
“Tell her.”
Dad’s face went pale.
Mom stared at him.
“What else?”
Richard looked almost pleased now.
“You really didn’t tell them?”
One officer stepped forward.
“Sir, I’d suggest you stop discussing this until we understand whether a crime is being alleged.”
Richard ignored him.
His eyes stayed on Dad.
“Go ahead, Daniel.”
Dad looked at me.
Shame filled his face.
“There was another delivery.”
I felt cold.
“What delivery?”
“Before the seventy thousand.”
Richard said, “Much larger.”
Mom whispered, “How much?”
Dad closed his eyes.
“Two hundred thousand.”
I stared.
“What happened to it?”
Dad didn’t answer.
Richard did.
“He stole it.”
Dad snapped, “It was criminal money.”
“And you gambled half of it away.”
Mom staggered backward.
I felt something inside me break.
“You what?”
Dad turned toward me.
“Emily.”
“You stole two hundred thousand dollars?”
“I took it from criminals.”
“And gambled it?”
“I was sick.”
I laughed.
It came out like a sob.
“That’s your answer for everything.”
“It’s not an excuse.”
“You keep saying that while using it as an excuse!”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t!”
Mom touched my arm.
I pulled away.
I was furious at everybody.
Dad stepped toward me.
“I used part of the money to pay the debt that was threatening our family.”
Mom stared at him.
“What part?”
“About eighty thousand.”
“And the rest?”
His silence answered.
Richard smiled.
“Your father walked into Atlantic City with more money than most families see in years.”
“Shut up,” Dad said.
“And left with almost nothing.”
“Shut up!”
The officer stepped between them.
“That’s enough.”
Richard raised his hands.
“I’m simply explaining history.”
Dad looked ready to hit him.
Mom said, “Daniel, don’t.”
He stopped.
The officer turned to Richard.
“Your daughter needs her keys and belongings.”
Richard stared at Madison.
“She can stay with her mother.”
“My mom is in New York.”
“Then go there.”
Madison looked devastated.
I took her hand.
Mom said, “She can stay with us tonight.”
Richard laughed.
“You?”
Mom didn’t blink.
“Yes.”
“The woman whose ex-husband stole from my firm?”
“The woman who has never been arrested for anything.”
That wiped the smile from his face.
The officer accompanied Madison inside to collect clothes.
While we waited, I looked at Dad.
“You said you came back because you wanted a chance with me.”
“I did.”
“Was that the only reason?”
He hesitated.
My stomach dropped.
“Tell me.”
“I saw the scholarship story.”
“And?”
“I recognized the amount.”
Mom whispered, “You knew.”
“I suspected.”
“You came back because of the money.”
“No.”
“But it was part of it.”
“Yes.”
I nodded slowly.
At least he finally told the truth.
Then headlights appeared at the end of the street.
A news van.
Then another.
Mom stared.
“How did they know?”
Richard looked toward his house.
He didn’t seem surprised.
Dad noticed too.
“You called them.”
Richard smiled.
“I protect my reputation.”
Mom’s face went pale.
A reporter stepped from the first van.
Camera operators followed.
The officer immediately moved toward them.
But it was too late.
One reporter shouted across the lawn.
“Mrs. Carter! Is it true the scholarship fund was financed with money connected to organized financial crime?”
Madison came out carrying a backpack.
She froze.
Another reporter called.
“Mr. Carter, were you involved in stealing the money?”
My father looked at me.
Mom grabbed my hand.
Cameras pointed toward us.
And in less than twelve hours, I had gone from being the girl who denied her sanitation-worker mother to the daughter standing between a suspected thief and a woman whose charity was about to be called dirty money on television.
But the worst part came when Richard stepped toward the cameras.
“My family has nothing to hide,” he announced.
Dad laughed bitterly.
Richard continued.
“And tomorrow morning, I will provide the school board with documents proving exactly who Linda Carter and Daniel Carter really are.”
Mom squeezed my hand.
I looked at Richard.
May you like
For the first time, I wasn’t ashamed of my mother.
I was afraid for her.
