Chapter 6 - The Husband's Handcuffs

At 6:00 AM, the heavy steel door of Interrogation Room B at Columbus Police Headquarters swung open.
Daniel sat at the metal table, his shirt wrinkled, his hair disheveled, nervously tapping his fingers against a plastic water cup.
Detective Vance walked in, accompanied by Senior Assistant Prosecutor Karen Hayes and myself.
When Daniel saw me, he lunged forward in his chair. “Emily! Thank God! Tell these detectives to drop this nonsense! I didn't know Mom had high blood pressure! I didn't know she was going to hit you!”
Prosecutor Hayes slammed the $1,000,000 life insurance policy onto the steel table with a resounding slap.
“Then explain your electronic signature on this juvenile life insurance application, Mr. Miller,” Prosecutor Hayes demanded. “Explain the IP address originating from your personal laptop that authorized the expedited underwriting fee forty-eight hours after your daughter was born.”
Daniel froze. The color drained from his face until he looked like wet plaster.
“I... Mom told me it was a college savings bond!” Daniel stammered, sweat pouring down his temple. “She said it was an investment for Lily’s future!”
“A college savings bond that pays out $1,000,000 exclusively upon accidental infant mortality?” Detective Vance scoffed. “And how do you explain the forged quitclaim deed on Emily’s house found in your briefcase?”
Daniel’s facade completely collapsed. He buried his face in his trembling hands, weeping in pathetic, ragged gasps.
“I was drowning in debt, Emily!” Daniel sobbed, looking up at me with bloodshot, pleading eyes. “The loan sharks were threatening to break my legs! Mom said we could fix everything! She said you would never notice! Please... I’m your husband! You can't let them send me to prison!”
I looked down at the man I had loved for four years.
“You chose your debts over your daughter’s life, Daniel,” I said, my voice steady, clear, and devoid of any mercy. “You are not a husband. You are a criminal. And you will serve every single day of your sentence.”
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Prosecutor Hayes stepped forward. “Daniel Miller, you are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Murder, Aggravated Insurance Fraud, and Forgery under Ohio Revised Code. Bail is denied.”
Two armed bailiffs entered the room, pulled Daniel’s arms behind his back, and snapped heavy iron chains around his wrists.