Page 61 of Mike's Assistant

Ms. Grace’s eyes widened, and I felt Jake’s stare. I shook my head. “We’ll get to that in a moment. For now, let’s talk about the accusation of kidnapping. Officer Chambers, tell me, can you kidnap your own children?”

“No, but they’re not his children. He’s not their guardian,” he replied.

“But he is.”

“No, he’s not. I’m their guardian,” Jake’s aunt yelled.

“No, you’re just the woman who wanted their inheritance and thought you could use your good friend Ms. Grace to help you.”

“My sister had nothing. Her useless husband was a bum and didn’t have a penny. They had nothing but debt.”

“Don’t talk about my father like that,” Jake snarled.

“Why don’t we all take a step back? The important thing is the welfare of the boys. Will you allow us to check on them?” Mrs. Baker asked.

I leveled my stare at them. “After we resolve the current issue.”

At that moment, the distinct sound of footsteps approached. I recognized them instantly as Talon's. He strode into the room, holding a thick file in his hand, his expression a mix of seriousness and slight amusement.

“Here’s the file you asked for, Mike,” Talon said, handing it to me. He then glanced at the small crowd, eyes narrowing momentarily at Ms. Grace and Mrs. Troller. “Seems I missed the start of the party.”

I opened the file and quickly flipped through the pages. “Thank you, Talon. And yes, you did, but your timing is impeccable. Officer Chambers, Ms. Grace, and Mrs. Baker, please have a look at these documents.”

Mrs. Baker was the one that took the file while I explained the contents. “You’ll find the will of Jake and the boys’ parents.” I shifted my gaze to Jake’s aunt. “You know, the one that apparently never existed, the same one that names Jake as the guardian of Sam and Abel, and all their assets to be placed in a trust and distributed evenly among the boys.”

“What…?” Jake stammered, his gaze darting between the document and me. “I'm their guardian? But… I never knew. They never told me about any will.”

I nodded sympathetically, squeezing Jake's arm reassuringly. “They likely wanted to spare you the worries and responsibilities until it was necessary, given how young you were. The fact that they trusted you above anyone else with their most precious treasures speaks volumes, Jake.”

Jake’s aunt’s face flushed red. If this was a cartoon, I was sure steam would shoot from her ears.

I smirked before turning back to the file and pulling out a page. “This document is just as fascinating. It’s a life insurance policy to the tune of five hundred thousand dollars, with, surprise, the boys as the beneficiaries.”

Officer Chambers snatched the paper. A firm line set in his jaw, and he glared at Ms. Grace and Jake’s aunt while he handed it over to Mrs. Baker. Mrs. Baker read over the document before glaring at Ms. Grace. “Ms. Grace, are you saying you knew nothing about this? What kind of office are you running in West Virginia?”

“Oh, she knew. My P.I. is very good at his job. You’ll find in that file the text exchanges between Ms. Grace and Mrs. Troller. The one I particularly think you’d be interested in is the one where Mrs. Troller offers Ms. Grace fifty thousand dollars to lose the will and get her custody of the boys.”

After locking eyes with Mrs. Baker, who gave a subtle nod, Officer Chambers took a deep breath, regaining his authoritative composure.

"Mrs. Baker, please see to the welfare of the boys. With everything going on, their well-being remains our top priority." Officer Chambers said with a hint of tiredness in his eyes.

Mrs. Baker nodded, her professional demeanor unchanged. "Of course, Officer Chambers."

Turning to Jake, I gently nudged him. "Jake, why don't you accompany Mrs. Baker and introduce her to your brothers? It might be comforting for them to have you there."

He swallowed hard, nodding. "Yeah, you're right, Mike. Mrs. Baker?"

The two of them ascended the stairs, with Jake guiding her. "They're upstairs, second room to the right. Vanessa might be with them."

As they disappeared from sight, Officer Chambers focused his attention on Ms. Grace and Mrs. Troller. His voice was steely as he said, "Given the information presented and the severe nature of the allegations, both of you will need to come downtown for further questioning."

"This is outrageous!" Mrs. Troller spat, her shrill voice echoing in the room.

Ms. Grace, attempting to maintain her dignity, retorted, "This is clearly a misunderstanding, Officer."

Officer Chambers held up a hand, silencing them. "You'll have the opportunity to explain at the station. Backup is on its way to ensure this process goes smoothly."

“Officer Chambers, I’m going to head upstairs. Do you need anything more from me?” I asked, wanting to join my family.

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