11
My boyfriend and a few relatives surrounded my father, blocking his exit.
Cornered, my dad panicked. “Fine! We split the assets fifty–fifty. Is that what you want? A divorce?”
My mother finally came to her senses. She marched up to my dad and slapped him twice, hard. “David Mill- er, you lied to me for so long. You cheated on me for twenty years, and to get a divorce, you dragged your own daughter’s name through the mud? Are you even human?!”
l
My dad fell silent, like a lion that had lost all its fight.
The relatives continued to tear into him. “You did all this and you still want to split everything fifty–fifty? Dre-
am on!”
“A minute ago, you wanted to kick her out with nothing! Now, even if you leave with nothing, it won’t be eno- ugh to atone for your sins!”
In the distance, we heard the wail of sirens.
My dad’s demeanor suddenly changed. He looked at me, his voice soft. “Sharon, this was my fault. I’ll leave with nothing. All the money, it’s yours and your mom’s. Just let me go. Please, just let this go.”
My aunt, Uncle Ben’s widow, rushed forward and grabbed my dad, shaking him. “Did you kill my husband?!”
My grandmother looked straight at me. “Sharon, do you know something? Did your father kill your uncle?”
My grandfather’s eyes were fixed on me, desperate.
I gave them a firm, unwavering answer. “Yes.”
My dad exploded. “I raised a goddamn animal! What proof do you have that I killed your uncle? He died in a
Chapter 2
15.45
My dad exploded. “I raised a goddamn animal! What proof do you have that I killed your uncle? He died in a car accident! It was an accident!”
He was right. Uncle Ben had died in a car crash. That’s what the police report said.
I didn’t argue. I just watched him, a cornered, frantic animal.
The police arrived. “Who called this in?”
“I did.”
The officer sized me up. “Do you have any evidence? Why are you accusing your father?”
Laura immediately jumped to his defense. “She’s just angry with her father! It’s a misunderstanding! Just a family squabble.”
My dad tried to play it cool. “I’m divorcing her mother. She’s upset and called you guys. I’m sorry to have
wasted your time.”
“Is that so?” the officer asked, looking at me doubtfully.
I calmly took a small recording pen from my bag and pressed play.
The first voice was my father’s. “Just cut the brake line. It has to look clean. No traces.”
Then came Laura’s voice, worried. “What if they find out?”
My father’s voice, full of confidence. “They won’t. I learned this trick from a professional. Besides, Ben’s car is almost ten years old. It’s falling apart anyway. It’ll be impossible to trace.”
My dad stared at me in horror. He couldn’t understand how I could possibly have this recording. He thought his plan was flawless.
“Where did you get this recording?” the officer asked.
Laura became hysterical. “It’s fake! It has to be a deepfake! The technology is so advanced these days!”
I answered truthfully. “I secretly planted recording devices and tracking equipment in his suits, his briefcase, even his phone.”
My dad looked as if his world had collapsed. He just stared at me, speechless.
The officer asked,
ed?”
y are you only reporting this now? And what was the other murder case you mention-
