Chapter 5: The Transfer That Should Never Have Existed
The following morning, Detective Morgan returned with a financial investigator named Daniel Price.
He carried a laptop, a folder thick with documents, and the tired expression of someone who had spent the night following a trail that kept splitting in unexpected directions.
"Mrs. Carter," he said, pulling a chair beside my bed, "we've confirmed that an attempted transfer was submitted against the trust account shortly before the incident at your home.""
"How much?""
"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars.""
"The entire balance.""
"Correct.""
Ryan had told me as much, but hearing it from an investigator made the situation feel frighteningly real.
"Was Brianna responsible?""
"We haven't established that conclusively. The request contained information associated with the family account, but the bank rejected it before any money moved.""
I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.
"Can you tell where the request came from?""
"That's what we're working on.""
He opened his folder and showed Detective Morgan a printed record.
I could see the account reference and several columns of numbers, but the technical details meant little to me.
Daniel pointed to a line.
"The request was initiated through an online session. We're obtaining the relevant records to determine which device and credentials were involved.""
"Could someone have used my information without my knowledge?""
"Yes. That's one possibility.""
I thought of Brianna holding my phone above her head.
"She took my phone during the assault.""
"Did she have access to it before then?""
I hesitated.
"Three weeks earlier, she helped me install a pregnancy tracking app. She held my phone while I entered some information.""
Detective Morgan looked at me.
"Did you enter any banking credentials?""
"No. I don't think so.""
"Did she ask you to log into anything?""
I searched my memory.
"She asked me to open an email Ryan had sent about the trust. She said she wanted to understand how we were preparing for the babies.""
Daniel wrote something down.
"Do you remember whether she used your phone afterward?""
"She handed it back to me. I didn't think anything of it.""
He nodded.
"We'll include that in the timeline. It doesn't prove she accessed anything, but it's worth investigating.""
When they left, I called Ryan.
He answered from the plane after connecting to the onboard Wi-Fi.
"How are you feeling?""
"Like I'm living inside a story I can't wake up from.""
"I'm sorry.""
"Did you hear what the investigator said?""
"Yes. Daniel contacted me before boarding.""
I looked at the hospital bracelet around my wrist.
"Ryan, why would anyone want our children's money badly enough to plan something like this?""
He was silent for a moment.
Then he said, "Because Brianna is in more trouble than we realized.""
"What kind of trouble?""
"Debt.""
I sat straighter.
"How much?""
"I don't have the complete picture. But a lender contacted me yesterday after learning about the attempted transfer.""
"What lender?""
"A private investment company. Apparently, Brianna borrowed money for a business venture and signed an agreement she couldn't fulfill.""
I remembered the boutique she'd opened the previous year.
She'd called it a luxury lifestyle brand. She'd rented a storefront in an expensive shopping district, ordered imported inventory, and hired two employees before selling a single item.
Within six months, the store was closed.
Brianna had told everyone that rising costs had destroyed the business.
"How much does she owe?""
"At least two hundred thousand dollars, according to the documents I've seen. There may be more.""
I pressed my hand against my forehead.
"That's more than the trust.""
"Yes.""
"Then why try to take all our money?""
"Maybe she thought she could use it to buy time.""
"Or maybe someone told her to.""
Ryan didn't answer immediately.
Then he said, "Emma, I found something else in an email chain from last month.""
"What?""
"Brianna asked me to co-sign a loan. I refused. She replied that she'd find another way to secure the money.""
A chill moved through me.
"Did she mention our trust?""
"No. But she said she had a plan that would solve everything.""
I stared at the wall.
"Did you tell the police?""
"I forwarded the emails to Detective Morgan.""
"Good.""
I wanted to ask him why he hadn't told me sooner, but I knew the answer. He'd been trying to manage his sister's problems quietly, hoping that if he kept them away from our home, they would never touch us.
That strategy had failed.
And our children had paid the price.
A nurse arrived to check my incision and remind me that I needed to move carefully. I thanked her, waited until she left, and called Daniel back.
"There's something else I remembered," I said.
"Brianna once asked whether Ryan had made me a beneficiary of his life insurance.""
Daniel's expression changed.
"When was this?""
"About two months ago. We were having lunch at Patricia's house. She said she was curious about how married couples arranged their finances.""
"Did she explain why?""
"She said she wanted to make sure Ryan's family would be protected if anything happened to him.""
Daniel exchanged a glance with Detective Morgan.
"Did she ask about any other accounts?""
"The trust. Our savings. Whether I had access to Ryan's business accounts.""
"Did you answer?""
"I told her we kept most of our finances separate and that the trust was managed independently.""
He wrote for several seconds.
"That conversation may be relevant. We'll need the exact details when we take your formal statement.""
After the call, I tried to focus on the babies.
Sophie had made progress with her breathing, and Lucas had tolerated another feeding. The nurse sent me photographs when I was too exhausted to make the trip down the hall.
I saved every image.
Their tiny faces reminded me why I couldn't afford to be distracted by Brianna's threats or Patricia's insults.
Still, the questions wouldn't leave me alone.
That afternoon, Detective Morgan returned with a development.
"The bank has identified a connection between the attempted transfer and a device previously used to access another financial account," she said.
"Whose account?""
"We're still verifying ownership. But the account belongs to an entity associated with Brianna's former business.""
My heart dropped.
"So it was her.""
"It establishes a possible connection. It doesn't, by itself, prove who submitted the request.""
I nodded, forcing myself to listen rather than jump to conclusions.
"What about the camera?""
"The security company recovered the relevant footage. The original files are preserved, and our digital examiner is reviewing the account activity.""
"Can I see it?""
"Not today. I want the examiner to finish documenting the files first. I also need to warn you that watching the assault may be distressing.""
"I already know what happened.""
"Knowing and watching are different things.""
I thought about Brianna's messages.
If you tell Ryan what really happened, you'll regret it.
"I still want to see it.""
Detective Morgan nodded.
"We'll discuss that when the examiner completes the review.""
Before she left, she handed me a card with her direct contact information.
"If you receive another message from the anonymous sender, preserve it. Don't open links or attachments unnecessarily. Send the original email to us if possible.""
I promised.
That evening, Ryan finally landed.
He called from the arrivals terminal, sounding exhausted and furious in equal measure.
"I'm coming straight to the hospital.""
"How far away are you?""
"Twenty minutes.""
I cried when he said it.
Not because I was afraid anymore, but because I'd spent too many hours trying to be strong while the man I loved was halfway around the world.
When he entered my room, he stopped in the doorway.
I saw his eyes move to the bruises on my arms, the IV line, and the blanket covering my abdomen.
Then his face crumpled.
He crossed the room and knelt beside my bed, taking my hand in both of his.
"I'm here," he whispered.
I touched his cheek.
"You came home.""
"Of course I came home.""
He leaned forward, pressing his forehead against my hand.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then I told him about the lender, the attempted transfer, and Brianna's questions about our finances.
Ryan listened without interrupting.
When I finished, he stood and walked to the window.
"I spent years cleaning up after her," he said.
"Every time she made a mess, Mom told me she was struggling. Every time I said no, I became the selfish brother who had everything.""
He turned toward me.
"I thought I was protecting our family by handling her quietly.""
"You were trying to help her.""
"I was enabling her.""
I didn't disagree.
Ryan returned to my bedside.
"That ends now. No more money. No more covering debts. No more pretending that the next apology means she'll change.""
I squeezed his hand.
"Good.""
His phone vibrated.
He glanced at the screen and frowned.
"What is it?"" I asked.
"An email from the security company. The examiner found a discrepancy in the account history.""
"What kind of discrepancy?""
Ryan opened the message.
His face drained of color.
"The second account wasn't created three weeks ago," he said.
"Then when?""
He looked at me.
"Six months ago. And the person who created it used an email address registered to someone in my immediate family.""
My mouth went dry.
"Who?""
May you like
Ryan slowly turned the phone toward me.
The account recovery address belonged to Patricia.
