Chapter 5: The Boy Who Refused to Lie
Jordan placed a small black flash drive on the coffee table.
I looked at it.
"What is this?""
"Mom gave it to me last month.""
"Why?""
"She said she needed me to copy some files from your computer.""
I stared at him.
"What files?""
He shook his head.
"I didn't know. She told me to wait until you were asleep.""
Maya moved closer to me.
Jordan continued.
"She said if I helped, we'd finally have enough money to move away.""
"Did you copy anything?""
"No.""
His eyes filled.
"I didn't want to steal from you.""
I reached for his hand.
"You didn't do anything wrong.""
He nodded, but he still looked ashamed.
"Mom got really angry when I refused.""
"What did she do?""
"She took my phone. Then she said I was becoming just like my father.""
I knew very little about Jordan's father.
Tasha had divorced him years earlier and rarely discussed their relationship.
"Where is your dad now?""
"Ohio. He calls sometimes.""
"Does he know what's happening?""
Jordan shook his head.
"Mom says he's a loser and doesn't care about me.""
I studied the boy's face.
He was twelve.
He should have been worrying about school, soccer practice, and whether his friends would invite him to play video games.
Instead, he was standing in my living room carrying secrets that belonged to adults.
"Jordan, why didn't you tell someone sooner?""
He stared at the carpet.
"Because Mom said she'd send me away.""
I didn't know what to say.
I pulled him into a hug.
For a second, he resisted.
Then his shoulders collapsed.
He began crying.
"I tried to tell her Maya was scared. I told her she shouldn't yell at her.""
I rubbed his back.
"You were brave.""
He shook his head.
"I was scared.""
"Being brave doesn't mean you aren't scared.""
After a few minutes, I called my friend Rachel.
Rachel had been my closest friend since college. She was also an attorney, although she specialized in employment law rather than family law.
She answered while driving.
"Laura? What's wrong?""
"I need help finding a family lawyer.""
Her tone changed instantly.
"What happened?""
I looked at Maya and Jordan.
"My husband is having an affair with my sister-in-law. They've filed divorce papers behind my back, and I think they're trying to take my house and business.""
There was silence.
Then Rachel said, "Where are you?""
"Home.""
"Stay there. Don't sign anything. Don't confront Daniel alone. I'm coming over.""
Twenty-five minutes later, Rachel arrived with a folder and two cups of coffee.
She hugged me before asking questions.
Then she examined the divorce filing.
Her eyebrows rose.
"Laura, this is serious.""
"I know.""
"Did you sign this financial authorization?""
"No.""
"Did you give Daniel permission to transfer any property?""
"Absolutely not.""
She examined the pages again.
"Then we need to preserve everything. Emails, bank statements, messages, receipts. Don't delete anything.""
I showed her the hotel documents.
She looked at the dates.
Then at the property transfer agreement.
"Did you know Tasha was listed as the intended recipient?""
"No.""
Rachel sat back.
"That's not an affair problem anymore. That's a financial fraud problem.""
I felt sick.
"What should I do first?""
"Contact your bank and business accountant. Have your own attorney review the filings. And make sure Maya and Jordan are safe.""
Jordan had been listening from the hallway.
"Can I tell you something?"" he asked.
Rachel looked at him.
"Of course.""
He stepped forward.
"My mom has another phone.""
Tasha had always kept her regular phone close.
Jordan said she also had an old phone hidden in a drawer in her bedroom.
"She uses it when she talks to Daniel," he explained.
"Sometimes she goes into the garage because she says the signal is better.""
Rachel exchanged a look with me.
"Do you know where it is?""
"In her bedroom.""
I shook my head.
"Nobody is going into Tasha's house to look for a phone. We aren't going to create another problem.""
Jordan nodded.
"But there's something else.""
He reached into his backpack and pulled out a folded birthday card.
It was addressed to Maya.
The handwriting was Daniel's.
I opened it.
Inside was a message written in blue ink.
Happy birthday, princess. Daddy loves you more than anything. Always remember that.
Beneath it was a second sentence.
Sometimes grown-ups have to make difficult choices.
I read it twice.
"Did Daddy give you this?"" I asked Maya.
She shook her head.
"Aunt Tasha put it in my backpack yesterday.""
"Why?""
"She said I should keep it safe.""
I turned the card over.
There was a small note written on the back.
Ask Mommy to sign the blue folder.
Rachel took it from me.
"What blue folder?""
I stared at the note.
Then I remembered.
Two weeks earlier, Daniel had placed a blue folder on the kitchen island.
He told me it contained updated insurance forms for the rental properties.
I had been preparing dinner.
Maya had been doing homework.
Daniel had asked me to sign several pages.
I remembered telling him I would read them later.
He had smiled and said, "Of course, babe. No rush.""
But the folder had disappeared the next morning.
I turned to Jordan.
"Did your mother ever mention a blue folder?""
He nodded.
"She said once you signed it, everything would be finished.""
Rachel stood.
"Laura, do you have copies of the documents from that folder?""
"No.""
"Then we need to find out what was in it.""
My phone rang.
Daniel.
Rachel motioned for me to answer on speaker.
"Hello?""
"Hey, sweetheart.""
His voice was warm.
Too warm.
"How's Maya?""
"She's fine.""
"Good. I'm on my way home.""
I looked at Rachel.
She shook her head.
"Daniel, don't come home tonight.""
Silence.
Then a small laugh.
"What's that supposed to mean?""
"I need space.""
"Laura, don't do this. Whatever you're upset about, we can talk.""
I stared at the birthday card.
"Did you write something for Maya?""
"What?""
"A birthday card.""
"Yeah. Of course.""
"Did you tell Tasha to put it in her backpack?""
A pause.
"Why are you asking me that?""
I took a breath.
"Because she gave Maya a message asking me to sign a blue folder.""
His voice changed.
"Laura, listen to me. You don't understand what's happening.""
Rachel leaned closer to the phone.
"Then perhaps you should explain.""
Daniel went silent.
"Who is that?""
"Someone who knows about the court filing.""
Another silence.
Then Daniel said something that made Rachel's expression harden.
"You have no idea what you're walking into.""
The call ended.
I looked at Rachel.
She was already writing something down.
"He's frightened," she said.
"Of what?""
She glanced at the black flash drive.
"Whatever is on that thing.""
May you like
I picked it up.
And for the first time, I wondered whether the affair had been the distraction all along.
