Chapter 148
EMILY
One week later
The knock on the front door came just as I stepped out of the dining room with my coffee still in my hand, and judging by how loud it was, whoever stood outside clearly wasn’t interested in waiting for an invitation.
I frowned at the interruption, setting the cup down on the nearest table before making my way across the foyer, already rehearsing the lecture I intended to give whichever employee had forgotten they possessed a doorbell.
The knocking came again before I reached the handle.
“Alright!” I called impatiently. “I’m coming.”
I unlocked the door, pulled it open, and stopped.
Four police officers stood outside the house.
For a brief second, nobody said a word. I looked from one face to the next, then to the patrol vehicles parked along the driveway behind them before my attention settled on the officer standing at the front.
He held a brown file beneath one arm, his expression calm in the irritating way people looked when they believed they were completely in control of a situation.
“Can I help you?” I asked, my voice sharper than before.
“Mrs. Cecelia Thompson?”
“Who’s asking?”
“I’m Detective Lawson.”
He reached into the folder, removed a document and glanced at it briefly before looking back at me.
“Mrs. CeceliaThompson, you are under arrest on suspicion of fraud, theft of company ownership documents, unlawful disclosure of confidential business information, conspiracy, and your alleged involvement in the switching of newborn babies at birth.”
I stared at him blankly.
“I’m sorry… what?”
“You do not have to say anything,” he continued without reacting to my interruption, “but anything you do say may be used as evidence. You have the right to speak to a lawyer.”
For a moment, I honestly wondered whether someone had exposed me.
Then I laughed… no one knew what I did enough for them to expose me.
“Who exactly do you think you are?” I asked, folding my arms. “You show up at my house throwing around accusations like that and expect me to stand here quietly?”
The detective’s expression never changed.
“Mrs.Thompson, we’d appreciate your cooperation.”
“My cooperation?” I let out another laugh. “You’ve accused me of switching babies at birth. Does that sound like something any sane person would cooperate with?”
“We can discuss everything at the station.”
“No, we’ll discuss it right here.”
I stepped forward, forcing him to either move back or stand his ground.
“Who filed this complaint?”
“I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”
“You certainly are if you’re standing on my property accusing me of crimes I didn’t commit.”
The detective exchanged a brief glance with one of the officers beside him before looking back at me.
“Mrs. Thompson, if you continue to resist—”
“I am not resisting,” I snapped. “I’m asking perfectly reasonable questions.”
“You’ll receive every opportunity to answer those questions once we arrive.”
“Then answer one now.”
Silence.
I scoffed.
“So that’s a no.”
The detective nodded toward the officers standing behind him.
“Proceed.”
Before I could react, one of them stepped forward.
“What are you doing?” I demanded, instinctively taking a step back.
“Please place your hands behind your back.”
My eyes widened.
“You’ve lost your minds.”
“Mrs. Thompson—”
“Do you have any idea who I am?”
“Hands behind your back.”
“I’m not putting my hands anywhere until somebody explains what the hell is happening.”
The metal handcuffs clicked loudly as the officer pulled them from his belt.
I looked at them, then back at him.
“Oh, you’ve got to be joking.”
“I’m afraid not.”
“This is illegal.”
“No, ma’am.”
“You have absolutely no evidence.”
“If that’s true, your lawyer will address it.”
“My lawyer?” I laughed again. “My lawyer will bury every single one of you.”
The officer took hold of my wrist before I could pull away, and a second later the cold metal closed around it with a sharp click.
“Take your hands off me!”
But they didn’t listen. Instead, the second cuff locked into place.
“This is outrageous!”
My raised voice echoed through the entrance hall just as the familiar sound of a car engine rolled into the driveway.
Ryan’s SUV came through the gates and slowed almost immediately, stopping at an awkward angle the moment he noticed the police vehicles outside the house. He climbed out without even bothering to shut the driver’s door properly, his eyes moving from one officer to another before landing on me.
“Mum?”
His expression changed instantly.
“What the hell is going on?”
He hurried toward us, stopping only when one of the officers stepped between us.
“What are you doing?” Ryan demanded, looking from the handcuffs on my wrists back to the detective. “Why are you handcuffing my mother?”
“We’re carrying out a lawful arrest.”
“A lawful arrest for what?”
I answered before the detective could.
“They’re accusing me of fraud, conspiracy, stealing company documents, leaking confidential information…” I shook my cuffed hands in disbelief. “…and apparently switching babies at birth.”
Ryan blinked.
“What the hell?”
“I know.”
He looked at the detective again, disbelief quickly giving way to anger.
“Tell me this is some kind of mistake.”
“It isn’t.”
Ryan took another step forward.
“My mother has done nothing wrong.”
“We’ll determine that through our investigation.”
“There shouldn’t even be an investigation!”
I turned toward Ryan before the situation could get any worse.
“Ryan.”
He looked at me immediately.
“Call the lawyers.”
“I already am.”
“No,” I said firmly. “Call all of them.”
His jaw tightened.
“They’re arresting you on lies. Right mom?”
“Of course! I would never do any of the things they mentioned.”
“Okay then. I’ll fix this.”
I gave him a small nod before the officers guided me toward one of the waiting police vehicles.
Ryan followed close behind, his phone already in his hand as he began scrolling through his contacts, his face set with determination while mine remained fixed on the patrol car waiting at the end of the driveway.
Whatever game someone thought they were playing…
They had just declared war.