Chapter 4: The Neighbor Who Knew Too Much
Dad read the message twice before turning the phone toward me.
The number belonged to Mrs. Collins.
I knew her by sight. She was in her late sixties, lived alone in a neat brick house with white curtains, and kept a row of flowerpots beside her front steps. Sometimes she waved when I walked home from school.
I'd never had a real conversation with her.
"What does she mean by keeping something secret?"" I asked.
Dad shook his head.
"I don't know.""
He called her.
She answered after the second ring.
"Daniel?"" Her voice sounded nervous.
"I'm glad you called.""
"Your message says Tara asked you to keep something secret. What happened this morning?""
There was a pause.
Then Mrs. Collins sighed.
"I didn't want to get involved in a family disagreement, but after what Tara told me, I can't stay quiet.""
Dad gripped the phone.
"What did she tell you?""
"She said she'd misplaced some money and that Ethan might have taken it. She asked whether I'd seen him near her purse.""
I felt my stomach twist.
"She asked you about me?"" I said.
Dad put the phone on speaker.
"Yes, Mrs. Collins," he replied.
"Ethan is here. We're both listening.""
"Oh, dear.""
Her voice softened.
"Ethan, I'm sorry. I told her I hadn't seen you do anything wrong.""
"Thank you," I said.
"She wasn't happy about that.""
Dad leaned closer to the phone.
"What happened when Tara came to your house?""
Mrs. Collins took a breath.
"She came over around eight in the morning. I had asked her yesterday whether she could help me move a set of pantry shelves. My nephew was supposed to come, but he had to work unexpectedly. Tara offered to help instead.""
Dad looked at the receipt.
"Did you pay her fifty dollars?""
"Yes. We agreed on fifty because she said she'd need to buy a few supplies on the way over. She arrived with a grocery bag, and I paid her in cash when she finished.""
"Did you see her write anything down?""
"She wrote a note on a receipt. She said she needed to keep track of the payment.""
Dad rubbed his forehead.
"Did she bring a purse?""
"Yes.""
"Did you see her put the money inside it?""
Another pause.
"I did.""
I stared at the phone.
The room seemed to shrink around me.
Mrs. Collins continued.
"She counted the bills, folded them, and placed them in the small zipper pocket. I remember because she complained that the zipper kept catching.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"So she had the money when she left your house?""
"Yes. I'm certain of it.""
Tara's accusation had begun unraveling, but something still didn't make sense.
If she had received the fifty dollars from Mrs. Collins at eight twelve, and the money was in her purse when she left, why had she come home claiming that the same amount was missing?
I asked the question aloud.
Mrs. Collins was quiet for a moment.
Then she said, "That's what I was hoping you could explain.""
Dad sat straighter.
"Did something else happen?""
"Yes.""
Her voice dropped.
"After Tara left, I found an envelope beneath the kitchen chair. It contained fifty dollars.""
My mouth fell open.
Dad stared at the phone.
"An envelope?""
"Yes. A white envelope with fifty dollars inside. Tara had written something on the front.""
"What?""
"She'd written, 'For the shelves.''"
Dad's expression hardened.
"Why would she leave the money here after I watched her pay her?""
"That's what I asked her when she called me.""
"She called you?""
"About twenty minutes after she left. She said she'd made a mistake and left an envelope behind. She asked me to put it somewhere safe until she could collect it.""
I looked at Dad.
"That sounds like she thought the money was still there.""
Mrs. Collins continued.
"But when I told her I'd found it, she became upset. She said I shouldn't mention the envelope to you.""
Dad's voice went cold.
"Why would she say that?""
"I don't know. I asked whether everything was all right, and she said it was a private matter. She told me not to make assumptions.""
I leaned forward.
"Mrs. Collins, did she tell you that I had stolen her money?""
"Yes. She said you were becoming difficult and that she needed to teach you a lesson.""
My hands curled into fists.
A lesson.
She had turned a missing envelope into a chance to destroy my reputation.
Dad stood and walked toward the window.
"Mrs. Collins, would you be willing to meet with us and explain this in person?""
"Of course. I can come over in a few minutes.""
"Thank you.""
He ended the call.
For a long moment, he stood with his back to me.
Then he turned around.
"I'm sorry.""
I swallowed.
"You keep saying that.""
"Because I keep finding new reasons to say it.""
I looked down at the receipt on the table.
"Why would she do this?""
Dad didn't answer immediately.
"Sometimes people get so determined to prove they're right that they stop caring whether they are.""
"She wasn't trying to prove she was right. She was trying to get rid of me.""
His expression changed.
He sat beside me.
"I know it feels that way.""
"Does it?""
He took a breath.
"Yes. And I'm not going to pretend I handled this well.""
I stared at him.
"Would you have kicked me out if we hadn't found the receipt?""
He looked as though the question physically hurt him.
"I don't know.""
That was the honest answer.
It was also the one I least wanted to hear.
Before either of us could say anything else, footsteps sounded overhead.
Tara appeared at the top of the stairs.
She had changed out of her coat and was wearing a clean white blouse. Her hair was neatly arranged, and her face had been carefully composed.
She looked almost like the woman who smiled in family photographs.
"Daniel, we need to talk," she said.
Dad didn't move.
"We're waiting for Mrs. Collins.""
Tara stopped halfway down the stairs.
"Why?""
"Because she has information about the money.""
Her expression flickered.
"What information?""
Dad held up the receipt.
"She says you left an envelope containing fifty dollars at her house this morning.""
For a moment, Tara said nothing.
Then she laughed.
"Oh, that's ridiculous.""
"Is it?""
"She must have misunderstood.""
"She says you called her and asked her to keep it secret.""
Tara reached the bottom of the stairs.
"I never said that.""
Dad watched her carefully.
"Then we can ask her together.""
She glanced toward the front door.
I saw it.
It lasted less than a second, but I saw the calculation in her eyes.
She was looking for an escape.
"Fine," she said.
"Bring her here. Let's see what story she tells.""
Dad nodded.
"Good.""
Tara walked toward the kitchen counter, picked up a glass, and filled it with water.
Her hand trembled slightly.
She drank, set the glass down, and turned to me.
"You must be very pleased with yourself.""
I stared at her.
"I didn't do anything.""
"Exactly. You sit there looking innocent while everyone else runs around trying to prove something.""
"You accused me of stealing.""
"And you accused me of lying.""
"You did lie.""
She slammed the glass against the counter.
"Watch your mouth!""
Dad stepped between us.
"Enough, Tara.""
She looked at him.
"You're taking his side over mine?""
"I'm taking the side of the truth.""
Her face changed.
For the first time, she seemed to understand that he might not rescue her from the consequences of her own actions.
Then the doorbell rang.
Dad went to answer it.
Mrs. Collins stood on the porch holding a small white envelope.
Tara saw it from across the room.
May you like
Her lips parted.
And when Mrs. Collins stepped inside, she looked directly at Tara and said, "I believe this belongs to you.""
