David sat down heavily in the armchair. “I also called my Uncle Thomas. I asked him about the money that went missing from his business.”
I looked at him in surprise. Uncle Thomas was David’s father’s brother, a quiet man who ran a small accounting firm. I had only met him a handful of times at family gatherings.
“What did he say?”
“He confirmed it. Two years ago, when his assistant was on maternity leave, he hired Eleanor to help with deposits and basic bookkeeping. Over three months, about three thousand dollars went missing from client payments. The money was deposited, according to the records, but it never made it to the business account.”
David rubbed his face tiredly. “Thomas never reported it because Mom convinced him there must be some other explanation—that maybe the bank made errors or clients had written bad checks. But he stopped using Eleanor’s help after that, and the problem stopped.”
“So, she’s been stealing from family for years,” I said slowly.
“That’s what I’m starting to think. And I’m going to prove it.”
Over the next few days, David became consumed with investigating his sister’s financial history. He started with Eleanor’s social media profiles going back five years. He documented every expensive purchase she had posted about—every vacation, every designer item. Then he created a spreadsheet tracking her employment history and estimated salary. The gap between her income and her spending was enormous.
“Look at this,” David said, showing me his laptop screen late one evening. “In March, two years ago, she posted about a weekend trip to Miami. First-class flights, luxury hotel, dinner at three different high-end restaurants. I looked up the costs. That weekend probably ran her at least four thousand dollars. But I found public records showing her annual income was only thirty-eight thousand that year.”
“How does someone making thirty-eight thousand a year afford a four-thousand-dollar weekend? Maybe credit cards?” I suggested, though even as I said it, I knew that didn’t fully explain things.
“I thought that too, so I requested her credit report through legal channels. We had legitimate reasons given the ongoing criminal case.” David scrolled down his spreadsheet. “She has four credit cards, all maxed out, total debt of about sixty thousand dollars. She’s been making minimum payments, barely staying afloat. So the credit cards aren’t funding these trips. Something else is.”
I felt a chill run down my spine. “David, you think she’s been stealing all along?”
“I know she has. I just need to prove it.” He closed his laptop and looked at me, exhaustion evident in every line of his face. “I’m going to call everyone in the family she’s ever helped with money or had access to finances. I’m going to find out exactly how much she’s stolen over the years.”
Mia woke up screaming that night, the first of many nightmares. She dreamed that Eleanor was chasing her with a lamp, that Grandma Margaret was yelling at her, that she was bleeding and no one would help. I held her while she sobbed, feeling completely helpless. My six-year-old daughter was traumatized, and all I could do was hold her and promise she was safe.
The meeting with attorney Marcus Vance took place three days after the assault. Mia stayed home with my mother while David and I drove to his downtown office. Marcus was younger than I expected, maybe in his early forties, with sharp eyes and a firm handshake.
“I’ve reviewed the police reports and witness statements,” Marcus said, settling behind his desk. “This is one of the most clear-cut assault cases I’ve seen. Multiple witnesses, video evidence of the aftermath, a child victim with documented injuries, and a suspect caught red-handed committing theft. The district attorney is taking this very seriously.”
“What about David’s mother?” I asked. “She’s been posting lies about Mia on social media, saying she attacked Eleanor first, that she’s a troubled child. People are believing her.”
Marcus’s expression darkened. “I saw those posts. They’re problematic, both from a defamation standpoint and because they could potentially influence the jury pool if this goes to trial. I’m going to recommend you consult with a defamation attorney about sending a cease and desist letter. If she doesn’t remove the posts and stop making false statements, you can pursue a lawsuit.”
“We just want her to stop,” David said. “I don’t care about money from Mom. I just want Mia to be left alone.”
“Unfortunately, your mother doesn’t seem inclined to stop on her own,” Marcus replied. “Sometimes the threat of legal action is the only thing that works. Now, regarding your daughter’s ongoing care, I assume she’ll need therapy.”
