The front door downstairs slammed shut with a heavy sound.
Sarah heard her father's loud voice calling out from the main hallway.
Arthur: Helen! Why are all the driveway lights turned off tonight?
Sarah walked out to the top landing holding the folder tight.
Arthur stood near the coat rack taking off his black coat.
He looked tired after his long day at the corporate office.
He raised his eyes and saw Sarah standing above him.
Arthur: Sarah? I did not know you were visiting us today.
Sarah: Dad, you need to come upstairs right now.
Arthur looked confused as he walked up the stairs slowly.
Helen stepped out from the study room right behind Sarah.
Helen: Arthur, your daughter broke into your private wall safe.
Arthur: What is going on here between you two?
Sarah held up the empty paper folder for him to see.
Sarah: My mother's trust fund has been completely drained, Dad.
Arthur stopped on the top stair and pulled at his tie.
Arthur: What are you talking about, Sarah?
Sarah: Three hundred thousand dollars were removed from the account last month.
Arthur looked over at Helen with a sudden sharp glance.
Arthur: Helen, did you access that account through the bank app?
Helen crossed her arms tightly over her chest.
Helen: We needed money for the mortgage payment on this mansion.
Arthur: That trust fund was locked by a legal court order!
Sarah: She also took Mom's sapphire ring and put it on her finger!
Arthur looked down at Helen's hand in disbelief.
Arthur: Helen, I thought you said you bought that ring yourself.
Helen: It was sitting unused inside the back of the safe!
Arthur: That ring was meant for Sarah when she turned twenty-five!
Sarah saw the deep shock spread across her father's face.
He had trusted Helen completely with the family finances.
Now the truth was lying out in the clear open hallway daylight.
Sarah: She was also planning to sell Mom's gold necklaces today.
Sarah held out the red velvet box with the price tags showing.
Arthur took the red box from Sarah with shaking fingers.
He stared at the handwritten prices written on the white tags.
Arthur: Is this why you asked for the safe code last week, Helen?
Helen: You were going to lose this house if I did not act!
Arthur: This house is paid off entirely! What mortgage payment?
Helen went silent and took a step away from them both.
Sarah watched as the web of lies began to break apart fast.
Sarah: Dad, where did all that money really go?