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We all sit down for dinner. The smell of homemade mac and cheese wafts through the air and makes my mouth water. My dad thanks my mom with a quick kiss before digging in. It’s as delicious as it always is and the cheesy garlic bread that goes with it is my favorite.
Dad starts to clean up the table while I get the game from the closet when there’s a knock at the door. My mom glances out the peep hole and has a confused look on her face as she answers it. Five police officers stand on the other side.
“Mrs. Hayworth?”
“Yes?” She replies.
One of the officers holds up a piece of paper. “We have a warrant to search the premises.”
They push their way through, instantly starting to look through things. My father comes out from the kitchen, finding myself and my mom panicked as she holds me close.
“What’s the meaning of this?!” He roars, bringing all the attention to him.
Two of the men share a few whispers before heading straight to the den. I follow them and when I see them going for my secret spot, I panic. They’re going to tell my parents about Savannah’s picture! She told me not to let them see it!
“Hey! Get out of there! That’s mine!”
However, when they open it, it’s not only filled with all my hidden treasures, but with money. They stand up, going straight to my father and turning him around to handcuff him.
“Landon Hayworth, you’re being arrested for Forgery and Embezz
lement. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law.”
“Dad!” I scream. I try to get to him, but my mom holds me back.
“Theresa, call our lawyer! Have him meet me at the station.”
Tears stain our cheeks as we watch my father get dragged out of our house and thrown into the back of a police car. His eyes meet mine as they drive away, and he mouths a silent I love you.
“My Aunt Laura came to pick me up and my mom spent the next two days with the lawyer, trying to get my dad out of jail. According to the warrants, they had proof of my father stealing a lot of money from the company he worked for. Over three million dollars was moved in his name and completely unaccounted for. What they found under the floorboard was only a little under four hundred thousand.”
I pause to get ahold of my emotions. Savannah seems shocked by just the fact that he was arrested, but I’ve only just gotten started.
“There was a trial, but I was too young and my mom wouldn’t let me go. Eventually, he was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to spend seven years in a Federal Penitentiary. I got to go see him a few times, but six months later he was stabbed to death during a prison riot.”
“Oh my God.” She gasps and covers her mouth. “Grayson, that’s horrible. I’m so sorry.”
I shake my head. “You didn’t know, but I’m not done yet.”
“It gets worse?!”
Nodding, I start to rub my thumb over her hand in a soothing motion. “Before my father died, he was very adamant about one thing—he was innocent of the crimes he was accused of. That was one of two things that always stuck out in my mind. The other was that you and your father were dangerous, and I needed to stay away from you.”
“Me? I was only a kid,” she protests.
“Once I turned eighteen, I started looking into his case, and I found some inconsistencies that made me look even further. I remembered his warning and focused on researching your father. It turns out that during a business trip to Vegas, your dad discovered the thrill of gambling. Only, instead of doing it responsibly, he fell down a rabbit hole. He spent all of his savings, and when he ran out of money, he borrowed from some bad people. From what I’ve seen, he was betting big and only winning small amounts back. When the loan sharks came to collect, he didn’t have it, so he started to steal it from the company our fathers worked for.”
Her eyes show just how clear everything is starting to become.
“He didn’t,” she pleads, already seeing where I’m going with this.
My head drops. “The company found out within a matter of a few months, because of the high amounts that were going missing, and your dad set mine up to take the fall. He must have had help, because the whole case was practically rock solid, so I’m guessing he paid someone to cover his tracks. However, the biggest piece of evidence…” I pause and take a deep breath, knowing this is going to hurt her. “The biggest piece of evidence was a video. The deposition of a ten-year-old girl, saying she saw Mr. Hayworth stashing money under the floorboard in the den.”
Like a damn breaking, her tears flow like the waterfall in front of us. “No. No, no, no. I didn’t. Please, tell me I didn’t.”
I press my forehead against hers. “I’m so sorry, Savannah. I thought you knew.”
“I had no idea, I swear.” She holds her head as she sobs. “No wonder you hated me. You should! I’m a terrible person!”
