“You ruined it when you stole from me, Dad,” I said.

My voice was quiet, but it did not shake.

Another officer approached my mother.

“Mrs. Parker, please stand up,” the officer said.

“No, please,” she sobbed, looking at Brandon. “Brandon, help us! Tell them!”

Brandon did not look at her.

He kept his eyes glued to the floor, his shoulders shaking.

“Brandon!” my mother screamed as the officer pulled her arms behind her back.

The handcuffs clicked again.

“You can’t do this to her,” my father shouted, struggling against his officer. “She had nothing to do with it!”

“She signed the forged probate documents, Richard,” Arthur said.

“We have the handwriting analysis,” the lawyer added.

“And we have the bank records showing she transferred the funds to cover Brandon’s debts,” Arthur said.

My mother wept openly now, her makeup smeared down her face.

“I only wanted to save my son,” she cried. “I only wanted to protect him.”

“At my expense,” I said, looking her in the eye.

She looked away, unable to hold my gaze.

The detective looked at Brandon.