Chapter 4 - The Fraud Scheme Exposed
The silence that followed was suffocating. The ticking of cooling metal from my ruined engine block was the only sound on Willow Creek Lane. Vanessa gasped, taking an involuntary step backward toward the garage. Mom’s hand slowly slipped away from her chest, her fingers trembling as she looked between the glowing dashcam and the officer's stone-cold expression.
"A... cloud camera?" Mason stammered, his voice losing every drop of its earlier arrogance. "Ethan... you didn't have that stupid camera last month."
"I install fleet-grade, impact-activated security systems in all my business vehicles, Mason," I said, pulling out my smartphone and tapping the screen. "As an architect transporting proprietary blueprints and high-value surveying equipment, it’s mandatory for commercial insurance. It has hardwired dual batteries. The moment your tire iron shattered the side window, the shock sensors triggered continuous high-definition recording, audio capture, and direct upload to my private firm's cloud drive."
I turned the screen toward Sergeant Miller and Deputy Brooks. On the 6.7-inch display, the video was crystal clear. It showed Mason holding the tire iron, Vanessa cheering him on while recording on her own phone, Mom watching with folded arms, the brutal destruction of every glass panel, and finally, Mason backing his F-250 up and flooring the throttle to crush the front end. The high-fidelity audio picked up every single syllable: “If Vanessa can't have it, Ethan, then nobody drives it!” followed by Mom’s clear instruction: “Just lie to insurance! Family comes first!”
Sergeant Miller let out a low whistle. "Well. That certainly clears up the mystery of the phantom hit-and-run driver."
Deputy Brooks stepped forward immediately, unclipping a pair of steel handcuffs from his belt. "Mason Vance, turn around and place your hands behind your back."
"Wait! No! You can't do this!" Mom shrieked, lunging forward to grab Deputy Brooks's sleeve. "It’s a family misunderstanding! Ethan, tell them to stop! Tell them you forgive him! You cannot send your own brother to prison over metal and glass!"
"Ma'am, step back immediately or you will be arrested for obstruction of justice and falsifying a police report," Sergeant Miller warned, his voice booming with authority. "You just gave false statements on an official investigation, and we have you on audio encouraging insurance fraud."
"Ethan! Call them off!" Vanessa screamed, her face contorting in panic. "I’m his wife! Who is going to pay our rent? Who is going to cover his truck note? You're an evil, jealous monster! You set him up!"
"He set himself up the moment he picked up a weapon," I replied quietly.
The metallic click of the cuffs ratcheting around Mason's wrists sounded loud in the driveway. The golden boy, who had spent his entire life laughing off debts, parking tickets, and bar fights, suddenly looked like a terrified child. His lip was trembling, and tears were welling in his eyes.
"Ethan, please," Mason choked out, struggling as Deputy Brooks guided him toward the back of the cruiser. "Don't press charges, man. I was just blowing off steam. You know how stressed I get! I'll pay for the glass! I'll pay you back five hundred bucks a month! Just tell them it was an accident!"
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"The radiator is cracked, the chassis frame is bent, the front suspension is sheared, and the damage exceeds fifty thousand dollars," I stated evenly. "You don't have five hundred dollars to your name, Mason. You haven't paid off the credit card you stole from Dad four years ago."
The cruiser door slammed shut with a heavy thud, sealing Mason behind the steel cage.
