He flipped the page to show me the signed statements from his fellow paramedics.

“But the police chief at the time was a close friend of Margaret’s father,” Thomas continued.

He pulled out a bank ledger sheet.

“This is a copy of a wire transfer from the Parker family trust to a private account registered to that police chief’s wife,” he said.

The amount was fifty thousand dollars.

“She bought the arrest warrant,” I said.

“She bought the threat,” Thomas corrected. “She told me if I didn’t sign the divorce agreement and waive my custody rights, she would have me prosecuted.”

He looked down at his lap, his shoulders dropping.

“A felony conviction would have taken my paramedic license,” he said. “I would have gone to prison. I couldn’t fight her money.”

“So you signed,” I said.

“I signed,” he whispered. “But I made her sign this.”

He pulled out a three-page document typed on heavy bond paper.

It was a confidential settlement agreement.

“It states that in exchange for my silence and my departure from Denver, she would set up a trust fund for Ryan that she could not touch,” Thomas said.