Chapter 4 - The Missing Evidence
"Well? Where is it?" Liam taunted, crossing his arms as he watched Maya frantically rifle through the empty glove box. "Waiting for inspiration to strike?"
"It was right here," Maya murmured, her voice laced with panic as she tossed registration papers and insurance cards onto the passenger seat. "Someone took it. The folder is gone."
"Right. The invisible dog ate your homework," Liam said, shaking his head in deep disgust. He stepped back from the car, slamming the door shut with a force that rattled the chassis. "You’re digging yourself deeper into a hole, Maya. Dad called the police ten minutes ago. If you aren't at the house when they arrive, they’re going to issue an arrest warrant."
Through the closed window, Maya watched her brother turn and walk briskly back toward the front porch, where Arthur stood watching from the doorway like an executioner. Maya's mind raced. If the police got involved now, with her identity stolen, the missing files, and her mother’s silent complicity, she would be locked away before she could uncover the truth.
She turned the ignition, the engine purring to life. She couldn't stay here, but running away would only make her look guilty to the rest of the world. She needed to find the person who had taken her files and framed her.
Putting the car in reverse, Maya backed out of the driveway just as a marked police cruiser turned down the quiet suburban street, its headlights flashing in the morning gloom.
She pressed down on the gas pedal, weaving through the labyrinth of suburban turns until she hit the main highway leading back toward the city center. Her phone chimed again. It was an email alert from her secure cloud storage, notifying her that someone was currently attempting to download the encrypted master files of her uncle's estate from a public terminal downtown.
May you like
Maya gripped the steering wheel tighter, changing lanes without signaling. Whoever framed her was tying up loose ends right now, and she was heading directly into their trap.
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