Chapter 7 - The Arrest
The playground was dead silent except for the chirping of neighborhood birds and Mason’s muffled sniffles against my collar.
Brandon scrambled to his feet, dusting wood chips off his designer slacks, his face twisted in panic. ""Officers, this is a civil misunderstanding! My business is in dispute with a hostile investor! My attorney is Vance Caldwell, he’s handling this—""
""Mr. Caldwell was disbarred two hours ago, Brandon,"" Thomas Sterling’s voice boomed from the sidewalk. Thomas walked up the paved path, carrying a thick leather briefcase, looking every bit the seasoned courtroom warrior. ""Vance turned state's evidence the moment the Attorney General showed him the forged notarizations on your previous deed transfers. He gave them everything. Including the audio recording of you in his conference room admitting you intended to forge Patricia’s signature if she refused to sign the power of attorney.""
Samantha gasped, stumbling backward against the trunk of a eucalyptus tree. ""You... you were going to forge my mother’s name?""
Brandon looked at Samantha, but there was no love in his gaze anymore. The charming, wealthy entrepreneur was gone, replaced by a snarling, cornered beast.
""Shut up, you naive idiot!"" Brandon spat at her, fighting against the handcuffs the two officers were ratcheting around his wrists. ""You think you're blameless? You wanted the eighty-five-thousand-dollar fairy-tale wedding! You wanted the five-carat ring! You wanted to be the princess of Coronado! How did you think I was going to pay for it? With your pathetic high-school guidance counselor salary? You were a willing accomplice every step of the way!""
""I didn't know!"" Samantha screamed, tears streaming freely down her face as mascara ran into her mouth. ""You lied to me about everything! You told me you loved Mason!""
""I tolerated Mason because he was the only lever that worked on your mother!"" Brandon shouted as the officers dragged him toward the patrol car. ""You're both going down! When my creditors come for that commercial lease, they’re taking your car, your savings, and every penny you ever earn!""
The police slammed the back door of the squad car, cutting off his venomous tirade. The cruiser pulled away from the curb, its red and blue lights flashing silently against the afternoon trees.
Samantha collapsed onto her knees in the wood chips, burying her face in her hands, her shoulders heaving with violent sobs. The crushing weight of reality had finally fallen on her. She had alienated her only family, jeopardized her son, ruined her financial standing, and handed her heart to a sociopath.
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I set Mason down gently on the grass. ""Mason, sweetie, go give Mommy a hug.""
Mason ran over and wrapped his arms around his mother’s neck. ""Don't cry, Mommy. Nana Pat is here. Nana Pat won't let the bad man come back.""
