Chapter 3 - The Audit
Detective Lena Ortiz was nothing like the police officers I had worked with before. She was sharp, cynical, and owed me a favor that was worth more than gold. We met in a quiet, dimly lit booth at a diner far from my neighborhood.
I pushed a thick manila envelope across the table.
"It’s all there, Lena," I said. "The abuse is in the photos and the medical reports from this morning. The fraud is in the documents."
Lena opened the file, her eyes scanning the pages with professional detachment. When she got to the invoices for the shell corporation, her eyebrows raised.
"This is big," she said. "This isn't just domestic abuse, Sarah. This is white-collar crime on a massive scale. If I open this investigation, your husband and his mother aren't just going to lose their reputation. They’re going to prison."
"That’s the goal," I said.
"How are you holding up?" she asked, her voice softening. "I see the mark. Even with the makeup."
"I’m holding up because I’m counting," I replied. "Every time he hurts me, I add it to the ledger. Every time he steals, I add it to the column. The balance is almost equal. I’m almost ready to close the books."
Lena looked at me, a mixture of pity and respect in her eyes. "He’s going to notice something is wrong soon, Sarah. He's not stupid."
"He's arrogant," I corrected. "There's a difference. He thinks I’m a victim. He thinks I’m afraid. He doesn't realize that I’ve spent my entire life tracking people who thought they were smarter than the numbers."
"What do you need from me?"
"I need you to wait," I said. "He’s planning a major transfer of assets on Friday. I want him to execute it. I want the transaction to be fully recorded in the system before you move in. I want them to think they’ve won everything right up until the moment the cuffs go on."
Lena nodded slowly. "You’re playing a dangerous game, Sarah. If they find out you're building this case..."
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"They won't," I said, standing up. I felt a surge of strength that had nothing to do with my body and everything to do with the truth. "Because they’re too busy looking at what they’re taking to realize what they’re losing."
As I walked out of the diner, I knew the clock was ticking. Daniel would be home soon, expecting the perfect, submissive wife. I was looking forward to the performance.
