Chapter 5 - The Brother Who Needed Me to Doubt
Agent Ortiz placed a recorder on the desk.
“Owen Hayes has diverted approximately 1.4 million dollars from Hayes Restoration,” she said. “We believe he intended to use the Bellwood dispute to conceal the missing funds.”
I looked at Matthew.
“You knew for six weeks?”
“I suspected for longer.”
“And you told me nothing.”
“I was instructed not to discuss the investigation.”
Ortiz nodded. “That instruction came from me.”
“Why did Owen contact me?”
“Because he needs your cooperation,” she said. “Or at least your confusion.”
Noah opened the documents Owen had given me.
“These are authentic records,” he said. “But they’re incomplete. Owen removed pages showing that every Bellwood payment was approved by both brothers and separately funded.”
Rachel pointed to the transfer records.
“What about these missing amounts?”
Ortiz answered. “They went into vendors controlled by Owen.”
The photographs of the center, the accusations, and Owen’s calm certainty rearranged themselves in my mind.
“He wanted me to stop the transfer.”
“Yes,” Matthew said. “If the property remained tied to the company, Owen could claim the missing money was spent here. Once Bellwood entered the foundation, a complete independent audit became mandatory.”
“And the fraud would be exposed.”
Ortiz nodded.
I walked toward the window.
Outside, workers were carrying boxes of books through the courtyard.
“Did Owen know I overheard your call?”
“No,” Matthew said.
“Then his message arrived at the perfect time.”
Noah cleared his throat.
“I may be responsible for that.”
We turned toward him.
“I called Owen after speaking with Matthew,” Noah admitted. “I told him Emily might have heard part of our conversation and left upset. I thought he could help find her.”
Matthew stared at him.
“You called Owen?”
“He’s your brother.”
“He’s under investigation.”
“You never told me the investigation included him directly. I thought it involved company records.”
Ortiz closed her eyes briefly.
Noah looked ashamed.
“Owen realized Emily was frightened,” she said. “He exploited the opportunity.”
My phone rang.
Owen.
Everyone looked at the screen.
Ortiz held out her hand.
“Answer it. Put him on speaker.”
I accepted the call.
“Emily,” Owen said. “Are you still at Bellwood?”
“Yes.”
“Did Matthew show you his version of the records?”
“He did.”
“Of course. He always has a story ready.”
“What do you want from me?”
“A chance to protect yourself. Meet me tonight.”
“Where?”
“The diner on Ashland. Eight o’clock.”
“Why not tell me now?”
“Because your husband is probably standing beside you.”
I looked directly at Matthew.
“He is.”
“Then listen carefully. Matthew plans to make you legally responsible for Bellwood. The building has structural liabilities, tax problems, and unpaid contractors. Once you sign, every lawsuit becomes yours.”
Noah silently shook his head.
“Why do you care?” I asked.
“Because despite everything, you’re family.”
“You called me his life sentence at our wedding.”
“That was a joke.”
“So was his trap.”
Owen became quiet.
I continued, “You knew about the anniversary project.”
“I knew enough.”
“You knew about my mother’s name on the library.”
Another pause.
“Emily, sentiment does not change financial reality.”
“No, but bank records do.”
Ortiz signaled for me to continue.
I steadied my voice.
“I found the vendor accounts.”
Owen did not respond.
“The ones you control,” I added.
The line went dead.
Ortiz immediately made a call.
“He’ll run,” Rachel said.
“He may try,” Ortiz replied.
Matthew moved toward me.
“Are you all right?”
“No.”
He stopped.
I could see that he wanted to touch me, but he kept his hands at his sides.
“I believe you about Owen,” I said.
Relief flickered across his face.
“That doesn’t fix what happened between us.”
“I know.”
“You hid a building, a foundation, a criminal investigation, and years of financial decisions.”
“The building was meant to be a surprise.”
“For three years?”
“It took longer than expected.”
“That isn’t funny.”
“I’m not joking.”
I looked at the old list on the desk.
“You made plans for my life before asking what I wanted.”
“I was seventeen.”
“You continued doing it at thirty.”
He lowered his eyes.
“That’s fair.”
Matthew rarely surrendered during arguments. He usually explained, reasoned, and searched for a solution. Hearing him simply accept my criticism unsettled me.
“I thought making the promise come true would prove how much I loved you,” he said. “I never considered that keeping it secret could make you question whether I loved you at all.”
Rachel quietly left the office with Noah and Ortiz.
Matthew and I stood alone.
“I need time,” I said.
“You can have as much as you need.”
“Our anniversary is tomorrow.”
“I know.”
“Cancel the surprise.”
His face tightened, but he nodded.
“Okay.”
“Tell the donors the opening is postponed.”
“Okay.”
“And do not transfer anything into my name.”
“I won’t.”
He folded the old list and placed it on the desk.
“I’m sorry, Emily.”
He walked toward the door.
“Matthew.”
He turned.
“Why did you really ask me to prom?”
His answer came without hesitation.
“Because Jason Miller was going to ask you Friday, and I had loved you since I was fourteen.”
Despite myself, I nearly smiled.
“Jason Miller never wanted to ask me.”
Matthew frowned. “Rachel said he did.”
From the hallway, my sister called, “I was trying to motivate you!”
For the first time in twenty-four hours, I laughed.
It lasted only a second, but Matthew heard it.
Hope softened his expression.
Then Agent Ortiz hurried back into the room.
“Owen withdrew fifty thousand dollars and left his office,” she said. “We believe he’s heading to the airport.”
Matthew reached for his keys.
Ortiz blocked him.
“You are not chasing him.”
“He has the original company ledgers.”
“We’ll handle it.”
My phone vibrated with a message from Owen.
It contained a photograph of a metal filing box on the passenger seat of his car.
May you like
Beneath it was one sentence.
Sign Bellwood back to the company tonight, or every record proving Matthew’s innocence disappears.
