Chapter 7
Twenty minutes later, the dull rumble of an unmarked sedan pulling into the driveway broke the suffocating quiet of the house. Detective Miller, a tall, methodical man in his late forties wearing a rumpled grey suit, stepped out of the vehicle and walked up the front steps with measured strides. A uniformed officer accompanied him, hanging back near the front door while Miller entered the living room. The afternoon sun had begun to dip lower in the sky, casting long, amber shadows across the hardwood floor where the entire drama had unfolded.
Detective Miller glanced around the room, taking in Arthur's composed yet weary posture, David's rigid stance by the desk, and Rebecca standing isolated near the entryway. Miller's sharp eyes missed nothing, observing the torn collar of Rebecca's maroon blouse and the leather folder resting on the mahogany surface.
"Mr. Vance?" Miller asked, addressing David directly. "You called regarding a domestic dispute and potential fraud."
"Yes, Detective," David replied, handing over the leather folder containing the fraudulent paperwork. "And I have something even more important. The live cloud feed from our security system captured the entire incident from start to finish. My wife fabricated an assault charge against my family friend, Arthur, while simultaneously executing forged property transfers."
Arthur stepped forward to corroborate David's statement, offering a brief, precise account of the events leading up to David's arrival. Detective Miller listened attentively, taking occasional notes in a small leather-bound pad. He then turned his attention to Rebecca, who stood silently with her arms crossed, refusing to meet the detective's steady gaze.
"Ma'am, do you have any statement to make at this time?" Detective Miller asked professionally.
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Rebecca shook her head, her blonde hair falling back into place. "I want a lawyer," she said flatly, her voice devoid of emotion.
Miller nodded, signaling the uniformed officer at the door with a subtle hand gesture. The procedural necessity of the situation played out with quiet efficiency. Rebecca was informed of her rights, and while she was not immediately handcuffed due to her cooperation, it was clear she would be accompanying the officers down to the precinct for formal questioning. The swiftness of the law felt both jarring and deeply reassuring to David, who watched the woman he had shared his life with being escorted out of their home.
