Chapter 8 - MY WIFE WASN’T WORKING ALONE
The backup drive was hidden inside Mom’s old wheelchair charger.
My father put it there before he died.
He had suspected Thomas was siphoning company money through consulting contracts.
Creston Advisory was only one.
There were twelve.
For eight years.
Total theft: more than twenty-six million dollars.
Mom knew my father distrusted Thomas.
She did not know about the drive.
Thomas assumed she did.
That explained everything.
He needed control of the trust and company before an audit exposed him.
Lauren needed money.
Colin needed protection from debt.
Thomas connected them.
The lake was supposed to solve multiple problems.
Mom dead.
Drive recovered later from her house.
I inherit but remain emotionally destroyed and dependent on Lauren.
Lauren influences me.
Thomas maintains corporate control.
It was chilling because it was strategic.
Human lives reduced to positions on a board.
The FBI entered the case.
Suddenly my mother’s near-drowning was connected to financial crimes spanning states.
Thomas disappeared.
Not officially.
He simply stopped coming home.
Private aircraft records showed nothing.
His passport remained unused.
He had planned for this.
Lauren agreed to cooperate.
She gave names.
Bank accounts.
Messages.
The attempted murder charge remained.
Cooperation did not erase the push.
Good.
Then she told investigators Thomas had one final plan.
If the lake failed, he would make Mom look mentally incompetent.
Medical records.
Fake evaluations.
Medication changes.
The hospital visit suddenly became clearer.
He may have intended to alter medication and create confusion.
We moved Mom to a secure rehabilitation center.
She hated it.
“I escaped assisted living just to end up here.”
“Temporary.”
“You sound like Lauren.”
“Take that back.”
She laughed.
Dark humor helped.
Then one afternoon Thomas called me.
Unknown number.
“Andrew.”
My body went cold.
“Where are you?”
“Safe.”
“Come in.”
He laughed.
“You really believe police solve family problems?”
“Yes.”
“That’s new.”
“What do you want?”
“The drive.”
“Federal agents have copies.”
Silence.
He hadn't known.
Good.
“You’re finished.”
“No.”
His voice hardened.
“I am not going to prison because your mother became suspicious.”
“My mother didn't do anything.”
“She always thought she was smarter.”
“You tried to kill your sister.”
“She made choices.”
I nearly lost control.
Then remembered Sloan’s instructions.
Keep him talking.
“You used Lauren.”
“She volunteered.”
“You picked the dock.”
“She pushed.”
“You sent Colin.”
“He needed money.”
Every answer was confession adjacent.
Not enough alone.
But recorded.
Then Thomas said:
“You always choose Rose.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“Even now.”
“You sound like Lauren.”
“She understood.”
That disturbed me.
Had Thomas fed Lauren’s resentment deliberately?
Probably.
“She told you Mom ruined our marriage.”
“I told her the truth.”
“You poisoned her.”
“No. I gave her language for what she already felt.”
There it was.
He weaponized jealousy.
He turned ordinary frustration into moral justification.
Then:
“If your mother had died, Lauren would have had you completely.”
I felt sick.
“And you?”
“I would have had the company.”
Honesty from a man who believed he was untouchable.
I said:
“You lost.”
Thomas laughed.
“No, Andrew.”
Pause.
“You still don't know where your mother is tonight.”
My heart stopped.
I turned toward Sloan.
She was already moving.
I called the rehab center.
No answer from Mom’s room.
Security picked up.
Chaos.
A nurse had found her room empty.
May you like
Her wheelchair gone.
Thomas had taken her.
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