Chapter 3 - The Morning After
Sunlight cut sharply across my bedroom floor at 7:30 a.m. I had barely slept, but my mind was remarkably clear. The grief for my daughter was still a dull ache in my chest, but the fog of family obligation had completely burned away.
I walked to my kitchen window holding a mug of black coffee. Outside, my driveway was quiet. But as I glanced down the street toward my brother’s house—visible from my hillside view—I noticed something unusual.
Mike’s driveway, usually crammed with vehicles, looked half empty. Specifically, the sleek, silver sports car that Tyler drove—the one my mother had helped finance the down payment for, using a side loan Mike had taken out—was gone. Not just moved, but completely missing.
I took a sip of my coffee, a faint, humorless smile touching my lips. Without my signature backing Mike’s secondary lines of credit, the house of cards they had built was already beginning to wobble.
At exactly 8:00 a.m., a sharp, authoritative knock echoed through my house.
I set my mug down on the counter and walked to the front door. Through the frosted glass, I could see the silhouette of a tall man in a sharp suit.
When I unlocked and pulled the door open, a man flashed a leather badge and a polite, professional smile.
“Good morning, are you Stephanie Hart?” he asked.
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“Yes, I am,” I replied, my voice steady. “How can I help you?”
“My name is Detective Vance, Financial Crimes Division,” he said, stepping slightly closer. “I’m here regarding a distress call and financial audit involving Hart Automotive and associated family assets. We need to speak with you immediately.”
