Chapter 11: The Woman Who Knew Everything
The next morning, I sat across from Sarah in an interview room at the county courthouse.
She wore the same cream-colored blouse from the emergency hearing, but the makeup was gone. Her hair hung loosely around her shoulders.
For the first time in eight years, she looked like the woman I'd married.
But I knew better than to confuse a familiar face with an honest person.
Detective Bennett sat beside me.
Daniel Brooks occupied the chair near the door.
Sarah's attorney had advised her not to speak.
She ignored him.
"Michael, please let me explain.""
I looked at her.
"You have five minutes.""
She swallowed.
"I didn't know Richard would hurt your father.""
"Did you know he was planning something?""
She nodded slowly.
"My father told me they were going to confront him. He said your father had stolen documents and was threatening to destroy their business.""
"That's a lie.""
"I know that now.""
I leaned forward.
"You knew my father was in danger, and you said nothing?""
Tears ran down her cheeks.
"I was twenty-two. I was terrified of my father.""
"You were old enough to marry me.""
"I loved you.""
I stared at her.
"Then why did you help them?""
She looked down.
"My father told me Richard would ruin our family if I didn't cooperate. He said the business would collapse, we'd lose everything, and people would go to prison.""
"So you chose me.""
"I thought I could control it.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Control what? My father's murder?""
Sarah flinched.
Detective Bennett placed a document on the table.
"Ms. Carter, we're investigating your involvement in several incidents. We have recordings, financial documents, and testimony from Jake Miller.""
Sarah nodded.
"I know.""
"Then tell us about the night Michael was arrested.""
Sarah twisted her wedding ring.
"Richard told me to make it look like Michael had attacked me.""
"How?""
"He gave me instructions.""
"What instructions?""
She took a breath.
"He told me to cut my eyebrow slightly, bruise my wrist, and damage the hallway.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"And the knife?""
"I put it in the garage freezer.""
"Why?""
"Richard said the police would find it and assume Michael had threatened me.""
I stared at her.
"Did you take the photographs?""
She nodded.
"Richard told me to photograph the injuries before Michael arrived.""
"Why?""
"So the timestamps would support the story.""
Detective Bennett exchanged a glance with Daniel.
"Did Michael ever strike you?""
Sarah shook her head.
"Not once.""
The room became painfully quiet.
I looked at her.
"Say it again.""
She began crying.
"He never hit me.""
For six months, I'd been treated like a violent criminal.
My daughter had been told I was dangerous.
My reputation had been destroyed.
And now my wife was admitting that every accusation had been fabricated.
I leaned back.
"Why?""
Sarah wiped her cheeks.
"Because Richard said once you were arrested, the house would be transferred. He needed your signature on the mortgage documents, and you refused to sign.""
"So you framed me for assault.""
"I thought you'd be released eventually.""
I stared at her.
"You thought I'd spend months away from my daughter, lose my business, and carry a criminal record for the rest of my life?""
She said nothing.
Then she whispered, "I thought you'd forgive me.""
I almost couldn't believe what I'd heard.
"You thought I'd forgive you?""
She looked up.
"We had a family.""
I shook my head.
"We had a daughter. You used her as a weapon.""
Sarah lowered her eyes.
Detective Bennett opened another folder.
"There's something else we need to discuss. The threatening photograph of Emily.""
Sarah went pale.
"I didn't send that.""
"Who did?""
"Richard.""
"Did you know about it?""
Sarah hesitated.
"Yes.""
My hands curled into fists.
"When?""
"The night before the hearing.""
"Why didn't you tell anyone?""
"Richard said he only wanted Michael to stop investigating.""
I stood so quickly that the chair scraped against the floor.
"You let someone threaten our daughter!""
Sarah started crying harder.
"I didn't think he'd actually hurt her!""
I looked at Detective Bennett.
"Can we stop this?""
She nodded.
"That's enough for today.""
As the officers escorted Sarah away, she turned toward me.
"Michael!""
I didn't move.
"Please. I know I made mistakes, but I am still Emily's mother.""
I finally looked at her.
"Then you should have protected her.""
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Outside the interview room, Daniel handed me a glass of water.
"Are you okay?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
"That's understandable.""
I looked through the window.
Sarah was sitting with her attorney, staring at her hands.
"Will she lose custody?""
"That's up to the family court. But the evidence is serious.""
I nodded.
Then Detective Bennett approached.
"We found something else.""
She held up a document.
It was an old death certificate.
My father's.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Robert Carter.
But something about the document looked strange.
"What's wrong?"" I asked.
"The certificate was issued two days after your father's death. However, the medical examiner listed on the document retired three months earlier.""
Daniel frowned.
"Forgery?""
"Possibly. We're checking the original county records.""
I looked at the date.
November eighteenth.
The day after the recording.
"Where's the original report?""
"That's what we're trying to locate.""
Then Detective Bennett showed me another page.
It contained the name of the funeral home that had handled my father's burial.
I recognized it.
Morrison & Sons.
I remembered the owner, Walter Morrison, attending the funeral.
He had been a friend of my father's.
"Is Walter still alive?"" I asked.
Detective Bennett nodded.
"He's eighty-one. Lives in a retirement community outside town.""
I looked at her.
"I want to talk to him.""
"Why?""
"Because if my father's death was staged, Walter may know what happened to the body.""
Detective Bennett hesitated.
"That's a reasonable lead. We'll arrange an interview.""
Before she could leave, Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
"Brooks.""
He listened.
Then his expression changed.
"Are you certain?""
He looked at me.
"Understood.""
He ended the call.
"What?"" I asked.
Daniel lowered his voice.
"The county medical examiner has located the original autopsy request.""
"And?""
"It was never completed.""
I stared at him.
"Then how did they declare him dead?""
Daniel looked toward Detective Bennett.
She answered quietly.
"Because the body buried under your father's name was never positively identified.""
My stomach tightened.
I thought about the letter.
The recording.
David's supposed death.
And Sarah's father signing the certificate.
Then Daniel added something else.
"The body was transferred from the county morgue to Morrison & Sons before the identification paperwork was finalized.""
I looked at the funeral home name.
Walter Morrison.
The man who had buried my father.
The man who might have known the truth for twelve years.
May you like
I took a breath.
"Let's go see him.""
