Chapter 7
The living room felt significantly smaller with the presence of Agent Miller and Detective Vance. The federal agents worked with practiced efficiency; Detective Vance gently guided Chloe to a separate armchair near the window, offering a soothing, professional presence while asking soft introductory questions, while Agent Miller stood over Helen, tablet in hand, pulling up the digital mirror-images of the fraudulent transactions.
Martha stood nearby, keeping a protective watch over Chloe, ensuring the young girl felt supported and safe amidst the intrusion of law enforcement. Helen sat in silence, her hands folded tightly in her lap, staring down at her shoes as if she could somehow wish herself invisible.
“Ms. Linwood,” Agent Miller addressed Helen formally, his voice devoid of hostility but carrying absolute authority. “We have matching IP logs, forged digital signatures, and banking reroutes spanning twenty-three months. The total sum of unauthorized transfers from Daniel Linwood’s memorial trust and restricted educational funds amounts to three hundred and forty-two thousand dollars. Do you wish to make a statement at this time regarding these specific figures?”
Helen swallowed hard, her voice cracking when she finally spoke. “I want... I want a lawyer present before I answer any specific questions about the amounts.”
“That is your legal right,” Agent Miller replied smoothly, tapping a few notes onto his tablet. “However, you should be aware that cooperation at this stage is heavily factored into sentencing guidelines, especially regarding elder financial exploitation and the fraudulent use of a deceased individual's identity.”
Detective Vance leaned down slightly to speak with Chloe, her tone warm and respectful. “Chloe, do you have any personal knowledge of your grandmother using your father’s tablet or logging into accounts while you were upstairs?”
Chloe nodded slowly, her voice quiet but clear. “Yes, Detective. Every Saturday afternoon around two o'clock. She always told me to stay in the guest room to use the faster internet connection for my online study modules. She said the router in the living room was overloaded, so I couldn't come down until she called me.”
Detective Vance jotted down the details in a small black notebook. “And did you ever see anyone else use that tablet, or did your grandmother ever ask you to sign any verification forms or click on any authorization pop-ups?”
“No,” Chloe replied, shaking her head. “Just me doing my schoolwork, or so I thought. I didn’t know she was using my profile credentials to access the bank portals.”
Agent Miller turned his attention back to Martha, who handed him the thick manila folder labeled Daniel's Identity Theft Grandma's Retirement Funds. “This contains the hard copies of the notices, along with the percentage notes Helen kept in her desk drawer,” Martha explained calmly. “You’ll find records of the jewelry sale and the bond liquidations tucked in the back pocket.”
Agent Miller accepted the folder, sliding it carefully into an evidence pouch. “Thank you, Ms. Linwood. This accelerates our timeline significantly. We’ll need to impound the desktop computer in the study, the tablet upstairs, and Ms. Helen Linwood’s personal smartphone.”
May you like
Helen let out a sharp gasp of protest, but Agent Miller held up a hand, halting any argument before it could begin. The legal machinery was moving forward with unstoppable momentum, leaving no room for excuses, deflection, or emotional appeals.
***
