Chapter 5 - The Frame Job
I dropped to my knees in the empty hotel room and screamed my mother's name.
There was absolutely no answer.
I pulled out my phone with trembling hands and dialed Paige's number.
The call went straight to voicemail.
I immediately dialed the emergency police number and begged for help.
Two uniformed officers arrived at the hotel ten minutes later to investigate the blood.
I sat in the hallway and explained everything about Dustin, the stolen money, and the secret mansion.
My phone suddenly chimed with a new text message from an unknown number.
I opened the message and saw a picture of my mother tied to a wooden chair.
Another message popped up immediately after the photograph.
"Drop the assault charges against Dustin, or your mother disappears forever," the message read.
I showed the terrifying text messages to the police officers.
The older officer sighed and asked me to follow them to the main precinct.
I drove my car to the police station completely consumed by fear for my mother.
I walked into the detective's office ready to surrender everything to save her life.
A stern detective wearing a gray suit looked at me with cold eyes.
"Audrey, you have the right to remain silent," the detective announced.
I stared at him in complete and utter confusion.
He pulled out a pair of heavy steel handcuffs and walked around his desk.
"You are under arrest for the grand larceny of one hundred and seventy thousand dollars from your employer," he stated.
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Dustin had not just stolen our savings.
He had framed me for stealing the money from my own company to cover his tracks.
