Chapter 4 - SHADOWS FROM THE PAST
The news of Tyler’s arrest made local headlines the next morning. Prominent Businessman’s Son Arrested in Brutal Child Assault Case. The news broadcast showed footage of Tyler being led out of my parents' mansion in handcuffs, his face shielded by a jacket, while my father chased after the police cruiser, screaming at the news cameras.
That afternoon, I received an unexpected phone call from Marcus.
"David, I need you to come down to my office," Marcus said, his voice unusually sharp with excitement. "Someone just walked in. You need to hear what she has to say."
Thirty minutes later, I walked into Marcus’s office. Sitting on the leather sofa was a woman in her late twenties with short dark hair and a tired, cautious smile. Standing beside her was Marcus, holding a fresh notepad.
"David, this is Sarah Jenkins," Marcus introduced. "Sarah saw the news report about Tyler’s arrest this morning and contacted our firm immediately."
I offered her my hand. "Nice to meet you, Sarah. How do you know Tyler?"
Sarah took a deep breath, clutching a warm mug of tea with both hands. "I was Tyler’s girlfriend in 2021. The one who filed the protective order."
My eyes widened. "The domestic violence incident."
"It was more than an incident, David," Sarah said, her voice shaking slightly as painful memories resurfaced. "Tyler was incredibly controlling. He had explosive rage episodes over the smallest things. One night, after a minor argument about dinner plans, he threw a glass bottle at my head, locked me in the bedroom, and smashed my phone so I couldn't call for help."
"My god," I muttered, sitting down in the chair opposite her.
"I managed to escape and went to the police," Sarah continued. "I filed for a protective order. But two days later, your father, Arthur Miller, came to my apartment accompanied by a team of three lawyers."
"What did my father do?" I asked, though I already knew the sinister pattern.
"He threatened me," Sarah said, looking me dead in the eye. "He told me that if I pushed forward with criminal charges, he would make sure I never worked in this state again. He said he would sue me for defamation, ruin my family’s reputation, and drag me through court until I was bankrupt. Then he slid an envelope across the table containing $100,000 in cash and an NDA."
She swallowed hard, tears welling in her eyes.
"I was twenty-four, David. I was terrified. I took the money, signed the paper, and dropped the charges. I’ve lived with that guilt for three years. Every time I thought about what he might do to someone else, I felt sick. When I saw on the news what he did to your little boy... to his own nephew... I couldn't stay silent anymore. NDA or no NDA, I don't care. I'm ready to testify."
Marcus stepped forward, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Sarah’s testimony is the silver bullet, David. It establishes an undeniable pattern of behavior, and more importantly, it proves that Arthur Miller engaged in witness intimidation and obstruction of justice to protect a known violent offender."
I looked at Sarah, deeply moved by her courage. "Thank you, Sarah. You have no idea how much this means for Ethan."
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"I couldn't protect myself back then," Sarah said softly. "But I can help you protect your son now."
With Sarah joining our witness list, the prosecution’s case against Tyler transformed from a simple assault charge into an unassailable mountain of criminal liability. The walls were closing in, and my parents' desperate attempts to buy their way out were about to backfire in the most spectacular way possible.
