Chapter 7: The Arrest They Had Planned for Me
"Nobody moves.""
Rebecca's voice was barely above a whisper, but everyone in the suite heard it.
Lily stood in the bedroom doorway, clutching her stuffed rabbit. Her eyes moved from Rebecca to me.
"Mommy?""
I immediately crouched.
"Come here, baby.""
She ran into my arms.
Outside, someone knocked again.
"Chicago Police Department. Open the door!""
Daniel approached the peephole but stopped before looking through it.
"How many people?"" Zoe whispered.
"At least two. I can hear another one near the elevator.""
Rebecca pulled out her phone.
"Nobody opens anything until I verify their identities.""
She called the Chicago Police Department's non-emergency line and requested confirmation of the officers' names and badge numbers.
A man outside knocked harder.
"Mrs. Peterson, we're not going to ask again.""
I held Lily tighter.
"Why would they arrest me for my father's disappearance?""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Because somebody has submitted a complaint, and they want to make you look guilty before you can tell your side.""
"Who would do that?""
My phone vibrated.
A message from Mark.
*MARK: I told you not to involve Zoe. You should have listened.*
Another message followed.
*MARK: If you cooperate, I can still make this easier for you.*
I showed Rebecca.
She read the messages and immediately photographed the screen.
"Save everything. Don't respond.""
The police dispatcher returned Rebecca's call.
She listened for several seconds.
Then her expression changed.
"That is not correct," she said firmly.
"You have no officers assigned to this hotel under those names?""
She listened again.
"Thank you.""
She ended the call.
Zoe stared at her.
"Well?""
Rebecca turned toward us.
"Those men are not listed as Chicago police officers responding to this address.""
Daniel moved toward the bedroom.
"There's a service exit on the other side of the floor. We can get Lily out without going through the lobby.""
Another knock.
This time, a woman's voice joined the man's.
"Mrs. Peterson, we have a warrant.""
Rebecca raised her voice.
"Slide a copy under the door.""
Something scraped against the floor.
A folded document appeared beneath the door.
Rebecca picked it up.
She examined it for several seconds.
Then she laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because somebody had made a very stupid mistake.
"This is fabricated.""
She showed Zoe the document.
"The court seal is wrong. The issuing judge doesn't exist.""
Daniel immediately photographed it.
Then a crash sounded outside.
Someone was trying to force the door.
Lily buried her face against my shoulder.
"Mommy, are bad people coming?""
I kissed her hair.
"No, sweetheart. We're going to be okay.""
Zoe looked at Daniel.
"Now.""
He opened the connecting service door and led us into a narrow corridor.
Rebecca stayed behind long enough to call emergency services and report the attempted forced entry.
We hurried through the corridor.
At the end was a freight elevator.
Daniel pressed the button.
Nothing happened.
He pressed it again.
"Come on.""
Behind us, the suite door finally gave way.
A man's voice shouted.
"They're moving!""
The elevator doors opened.
We rushed inside.
Daniel pressed the ground-floor button.
The doors began closing.
Then a hand appeared between them.
A man forced his way into the elevator.
He wore a dark jacket and held a badge.
"Mrs. Peterson, you're coming with us.""
Daniel stepped between him and Lily.
"Identify yourself.""
The man raised his badge.
"Detective Harris.""
Rebecca appeared behind him.
"Then you'll have no objection to showing us your credentials to the responding officers.""
The man hesitated.
That was all it took.
Zoe pressed the emergency stop button.
The elevator jolted.
Daniel grabbed the man's wrist as he reached toward his jacket.
A second man appeared at the elevator entrance.
"Let him go!""
Rebecca shouted.
"Police have been called. Stay where you are!""
The first man struggled.
His badge fell.
It hit the floor and slid beneath the elevator railing.
I saw the name.
Not Harris.
*PRIVATE SECURITY — METRO RESPONSE.*
Daniel twisted the man's arm away from his jacket.
A small black device dropped to the floor.
The elevator doors opened again.
Two uniformed Chicago police officers stood outside.
Their hands were already near their belts.
"Everybody stay still!""
The impostor immediately raised his hands.
"Officer, we're private investigators. We have authorization.""
One officer picked up the badge.
"Then why are you impersonating police?""
Nobody answered.
The second man tried to move away.
He was stopped before he reached the corridor.
Within minutes, the hotel lobby was filled with uniformed officers.
Lily was taken to a quiet security office with Zoe while Rebecca explained everything.
I sat beside Daniel as an officer took my statement.
"Do you know who hired these men?""
I looked at the photograph of the fake warrant.
Then at the message from Mark.
"I have a very strong suspicion.""
The officer nodded.
"Can you support that with evidence?""
I handed him my phone.
"Start here.""
An hour later, the officer returned.
"We've identified the security company. Their supervisor says they were hired to deliver legal documents and escort you to a private meeting.""
"By whom?""
He glanced at the paperwork.
"The contract was authorized by Peterson Development Holdings.""
My stomach tightened.
"Whose name is on it?""
He looked at me.
"Mark Peterson.""
Zoe closed her eyes.
Rebecca immediately requested that the officer preserve the contract and related communications.
Then another officer approached.
"Mrs. Peterson, there's something else.""
"What?""
"We've received information from another jurisdiction. A missing-person report concerning Michael Bennett was filed this morning.""
"By whom?""
He checked his notes.
"Your husband.""
I stared at him.
"My husband?""
"Yes. He claims you contacted Michael Bennett, threatened him, and may have been involved in his disappearance.""
I couldn't speak.
The officer continued.
"There's also a financial complaint alleging that you transferred money out of Peterson Development Holdings without authorization.""
I looked at Zoe.
This was the plan.
They wanted to make me the criminal before I could expose them.
Then my phone rang.
An unfamiliar number.
I answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
"Chloe, my name is Patricia Collins. I'm Andrew Collins's wife.""
I straightened.
"Why are you calling me?""
"Because my husband has been lying to your sister-in-law, and I have the documents proving it.""
I glanced at Zoe.
Patricia continued.
"Your husband thinks he has control of the company. Frank thinks he has control of the money.""
She paused.
"But neither of them knows what Andrew signed last night.""
"What did he sign?""
Her answer made my blood turn cold.
"An agreement transferring the Peterson family properties to an offshore company.""
May you like
Then she added:
"And your name is on it.""
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