“Remember what the clinic sent us.”

“The clinic your mother’s cousin owns?” I asked.

Daniel looked down at his boots, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“Mother,” he said, his voice barely audible.

“Tell me they are lying.”

“Of course they are lying, sweetheart,” she said, her voice dripping with false warmth.

“They are trying to protect her career.”

“They are trying to ruin us.”

Lieutenant Miller scrolled to the next page of the audit.

“These are the wire transfers to the medical lab technician,” Miller said.

“The payment of fifty thousand dollars cleared twelve hours before the DNA results were printed.”

“It came from the same trust fund, categorized as a home renovation expense.”

Daniel let go of the doorframe.

He took a slow step backward, pulling away from his mother’s grip.

“Fifty thousand,” Daniel repeated.

“You told me that money was spent on the roof repairs.”

“It was,” Patricia said, her voice finally faltering.

“Daniel, look at me.”

“She is trying to tear this family apart.”

“You did that yourself, Patricia,” Hayes said.

“You used your own son’s insecurity to hide your grand larceny.”