Chapter 7 - The Arrests
The final blow didn't come from me; it came from the state. Two weeks after the confrontation at the bridal boutique, the District Attorney's office issued arrest warrants for Richard and Janet Harrison for grand theft, forgery, and identity financial fraud.
I was at my office when Julian called to confirm the news. "The police picked them up at their residence this morning, Emily. The title company cooperated fully with our bank audits. Because of the volume of evidence your grandmother left behind, the bail has been set high."
I sat at my desk, looking out the window at the city skyline. I expected to feel a wave of triumph, a rush of vindictive joy. Instead, all I felt was a profound, deep sense of relief. The burden of carrying their guilt, of believing I was the problem, was completely gone.
That evening, my phone rang. It was Sarah. She wasn't yelling or crying; her voice was flat, hollowed out by the reality of her new world.
"They're in jail, Emily," she said. "The wedding is off. The groom’s family called off the engagement this afternoon after the news articles hit the local paper. Everyone is gone. Nobody is answering my texts. Are you happy now?"
May you like
"No, Sarah, I'm not happy that our family is destroyed," I said quietly. "But I'm finally safe. You spent your whole life watching them bleed me dry for your comfort, and you never once asked if I was okay. You were happy as long as you got your dream. Well, the dream was a nightmare for me."
She didn't reply. She just hung up, the silence on the line final and absolute.
