Gift-Wrapped Family. Lois Richer
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that will discern if something’s off in your system.” Caleb leaned forward and covered her hand with his. His touch sent ripples of awareness up her arm. “Mia, you won’t like what I’m about to say.”
“Is it worse than you saying Harlan was having an affair? That he had—a child with his secretary?” She had to force the words out. When Caleb nodded she saw pity on his face. She did not want his pity, so she straightened her spine. “Go ahead, say it.”
“I believe that Harlan, along with Trent, was running some kind of scheme to secrete money. After Harlan died in the car accident, I believe Trent saw a way to get that money for himself.” Caleb frowned. “I think Riverbend Ranch is the reason, though I haven’t yet made all the connections. In order to get the ranch, Trent needs you out of the way.”
Mia sat in stupefied silence as Caleb explained about the ranch her husband had supposedly bought. He spoke of a petition for divorce Harlan had supposedly filed the day he died and listed a money trail Caleb claimed he was still uncovering.
Dazed and ill, horrified to imagine the man she’d married was capable of such betrayal, Mia tuned out the pain and hurt that threatened to overwhelm her. How could it be possible? How could God have betrayed her trust? She’d believed for so long that He was there, protecting her, comforting her in her lonely marriage. Now it felt as though He’d played a horrible trick, just as Caleb claimed Harlan and Trent had. It was too much to deal with.
Her brain numb, she sat silent as Caleb told the same story to the police when they arrived. They waited in the kitchen when she let Trent inside. Mia could see guilt build in Trent’s eyes as Caleb pummeled him with questions. She couldn’t bear to believe that this friend, one of the few she had and the only one she’d truly trusted since Harlan’s death, had deliberately set out to hurt her.
While Trent scrambled for a defense, Mia held her whirling emotions at bay. For now she’d be strong. But in her heart of hearts she knew she believed Caleb’s accusations. So deep was her feeling of betrayal, she couldn’t even manage a silent plea to God for help. He’d let this happen. How could she trust Him again?
A detective arrived, showed Trent a warrant for his arrest and after a few questions told the officers to take her lawyer to the station. The detective seemed to know Caleb and the two whispered together before Caleb introduced her to Detective Ed Gray.
“Our police station has been investigating Harlan Granger for several months via a request from the IRS who are tracking what they believe is unreported income,” the detective told Mia. “This new information about your lawyer adds to our investigation. For that reason I hope you’ll allow these paramedics to take a sample of your blood. Then I’ll need to ask you some questions.”
“Okay.” Mia remained silent when he beckoned the paramedics forward. They took several vials of blood, which were then handed to an officer, who sealed them in an evidence bag and left with another officer.
“They’ll have our lab run tests on your blood,” the detective explained. “As a precaution, I’d like the paramedics to check you over now.”
Mia nodded and the two medical people got to work.
“Your vitals seem to be getting stronger,” they told her sometime later. “You’ll be okay.” The detective thanked and dismissed them.
Mia was rolling down her sleeve when two men came out of her kitchen carrying evidence bags that contained her teas. Her heart sank a little further. Could it be true—had Trent been trying to poison her?
“Now for the questions.” Detective Ed Gray’s face tightened.
Mia did her best to answer everything he asked, even though some of his questions puzzled her. From time to time she glanced at Caleb. His gaze never wavered from her. But it was not a flattering look. It was a suspicious look that asked how she could have been so naive.
In retrospect Mia asked herself the same thing as she finally accepted that she’d been incredibly stupid to have trusted her husband. But it had never occurred to her to not trust him because her mother had. In fact, she’d placed Mia’s life in his hands. And Trent was Harlan’s trusted partner. So why— She silently groaned, tired of trying to make sense of it.
As the weight of her situation settled on her shoulders, Mia wanted to be left alone. And yet she didn’t want to be alone to think about Harlan’s betrayal. They hadn’t had a normal marriage, but to imagine that he’d betray her with Reba—
One word played over and over in her mind. Betrayed. And following it—you can’t trust anyone.
“Mrs. Granger?” The detective touched her shoulder.
“Sorry. What did you say?” She forced herself to concentrate.
“I know all of this must come as a shock, especially right after your husband’s death, but one of my officers has phoned to say Trent just admitted to lacing your teas with a substance to make you sick.” He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Our medical people advise drinking plenty of fluids to flush it out of your system. You can thank Caleb for acting on his instincts. There should be no long-lasting effects.”
“Thank you.” Mia looked at the lawyer and the detective, not knowing what else to say. Everything seemed surreal, like being an actor in some horrible play she couldn’t escape.
“The total of what Trent and your husband perpetrated isn’t yet clear, but we’ve launched a full investigation,” the detective explained.
“Oh.” If possible, Mia now felt worse. The rest? There was more betrayal in store for her?
“I suggest you retain new legal counsel who can begin sorting through your husband’s affairs.” The detective inclined his head toward Caleb. “I can vouch for Caleb. He’ll be straightforward with you. And to be frank, I think you’re going to need his help.”
Relief swamped her. Surely if the detective trusted Caleb, she could, too, if only for a little while, just until things were straightened out. A niggle of hope flickered to life. Maybe with Caleb’s help she could finally dare to imagine a future with hope. Please, Lord?
“Any questions?” the detective asked.
“Why did Trent want to hurt me?” Mia asked.
“I can’t answer that yet.” He gave Caleb a sideways glance. “But I will find out, I promise you.”
“Thank you,” she said again. A thought pricked her brain. “I don’t know if it’s important, but Trent didn’t buy all of those teas. Harlan brought some home from several of his trips. So if Trent did try to hurt me, and I’m still struggling with that, only some of the tea would be affected.”
The two men shared a look before the detective nodded, then said goodbye.
“What do I do now?” she asked Caleb, feeling lost, when the detective was gone.
“Were all your bank accounts joint?” When she nodded he said, “Let’s go.”
“Where?” His hand on her arm urged her to move. Mia grabbed her handbag from the hall table and followed Caleb outside. She jerked her arm free of his grip to lock the door. “Where are we going?”
“To a bank so you can open an account in your own name.” He held open the door of a luxurious black car. “A bank where you haven’t dealt before. You’ll withdraw everything from your old accounts and put it in there.”
“Why?” Confused and upset with questions tumbling through her brain, not the least of which had to do with Harlan and a dark blue–eyed little girl named Lily, Mia protested, but Caleb was adamant.
“If my suspicions are right, what you signed were papers giving Trent legal custody of your affairs, which will allow him to drain every resource you have as dry as a stone.” He shook his head when she would have protested. “If he is released today, he could make the transactions immediately and you’ll be broke until everything’s