The mechanic had contacted the police on his own after seeing our names on the news.
Bank records linked our mother directly to the payments made for these horrific services.
Edric’s confidence finally cracked when the prosecutor displayed his own message on the screen.
“Two girls, one brake failure, no questions asked,” the prosecutor read.
Edric stood up and shouted, “That money was supposed to be mine!”
The jury convicted him of aggravated assault, conspiracy to commit murder, forgery, financial exploitation, and witness intimidation.
He received forty eight years in a maximum security facility.
Brenda pleaded guilty to conspiracy, child endangerment, fraud, and obstruction.
She received twelve years for her role in our suffering.
At sentencing, she whispered, “I am still your mother.”
I answered, “You were our first betrayal.”
The civil court seized all their assets and proceeds.
Part of the money funded a new hospital program teaching emergency staff to recognize the signs of patterned abuse.
Dr. Cooper was appointed as the director of this program.
One year later, Chloe and I stood outside that emergency room beneath the bright spring sunlight.
We were eighteen, living in a safe home with Uncle Alan, and attending college.
Chloe studied nursing to help those who could not help themselves.
I studied forensic accounting, just like our father had done.
“Do you still hear him in your dreams?” Chloe asked while watching the busy entrance.
“Sometimes I do,” I admitted.
“What do you do when that happens?”
I looked through the glass doors at doctors learning to notice what frightened patients could not say out loud.
