Chapter 14
Miriam listened without interrupting.
When Dad finished explaining,
she arranged the documents
into three separate piles.
“First,” she said,
“we need to determine exactly
which accounts received these transfers.”
She touched the second pile.
“Next,
we need to establish whether documents
or signatures were fabricated.”
Then the third.
“Finally,
we need a plan
to protect your current finances
from any additional loss.”
Dad cleared his throat.
“Can we get the money back?”
Miriam didn't give him false hope.
“Possibly some of it.
That depends on tracing the funds,
recoverable assets,
applicable time limits,
and the legal proceedings.”
Mom's face tightened.
“Could Ranata go to prison?”
Miriam looked at her carefully.
“Potential criminal offenses need investigation.
I can't predict charging decisions
or any eventual sentence.”
Mom began turning her wedding ring.
Dad asked,
“What should we do first?”
Miriam leaned forward.
“Notify your bank.
Stop any pending transfers.
Preserve the original records.
Don't sign new agreements
your daughter presents.”
She glanced toward me.
“And no one should attempt
to settle this privately
before we understand the full extent.”
I nodded.
Dad didn't.
Instead,
he looked toward the window.
“She's still my daughter.”
Miriam's expression softened.
“Of course she is.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“I don't want to destroy her life.”
I had been expecting those words.
I just hadn't expected
how much they would hurt.
“Dad,” I said quietly.
He turned.
“Her life isn't the only one
that matters here.”
His eyes filled.
“I know.”
“Do you?”
He flinched.
I hated seeing it.
But I couldn't take back the question.
“Mom and you worked your entire lives
for what she took.
She used my name to do it.
And she spent years turning us
against each other.”
I swallowed.
“If we hide this,
what exactly are we protecting?”
Dad looked down.
For a long moment,
nobody spoke.
Then Mom reached for his hand.
“We've been protecting the wrong thing.”
He looked at her.
She was trembling.
But her voice was steady.
“We kept trying to save Fay
from a disaster that didn't exist.”
A tear slid down her cheek.
“And we ignored the daughter
who was actually asking us for money.”
I wasn't sure
whether that was the entire truth.
Ranata hadn't exactly asked.
She had engineered their fear.
But hearing Mom acknowledge her part
changed something in the room.
Dad nodded slowly.
“All right,” he said.
“We find out everything.”