Chapter 5 - The Tape
The reality of our situation crashed down on us like a massive, suffocating wave.
"He cannot just freeze our money," I argued, trying to make sense of the chaos.
"He can if he claims your mother committed extortion using that manipulated audio tape," Ray explained grimly.
Mom sat down at the patio table, sobbing quietly into her hands.
"Fourteen years ago, Richard was involved in something incredibly illegal," she confessed softly.
I pulled up a chair across from her, needing to hear the entire truth.
"He was laundering money for a very dangerous organized crime syndicate in Chicago," Mom explained.
"When I found out, I packed our bags and ran away in the middle of the night to keep you safe."
She wiped away a stray tear that rolled down her cheek.
"The money I asked for on that tape was not extortion at all."
"It was the exact amount he had secretly stolen from my deceased parents' estate."
Ray squeezed her hand, offering his silent and unwavering support.
"We are not going to let him win this, Sarah," Ray promised fiercely.
But the financial reality was completely undeniable.
With our accounts totally frozen, we had absolutely no way to buy groceries, let alone pay for expensive legal representation.
The next morning, Ray woke up at four o'clock to start a brutal new routine.
He took on a grueling third shift at the local manufacturing plant just to generate cash.
He came home utterly exhausted, covered in grease, but he never once complained.
He just sat at the kitchen table, helping me with my chemistry homework just like he always did.
I watched his tired eyes struggle to stay open while he explained the periodic table.
I knew I could not let this good, decent man lose his children because of my biological father's sick vendetta.
I needed to take the massive target off my family's back.
Late that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, I crept quietly out the front door.
I walked up to the shiny new car sitting in the driveway and climbed inside.
I found the shiny silver business card Richard had tossed on the porch.
I typed the phone number into my cell phone and pressed the call button.
May you like
Richard answered on the second ring, sounding entirely too awake for two in the morning.
"I am ready to move in with you," I lied flawlessly into the receiver.
