Chapter 3 - The First Arrest
Paul was arrested before midnight.
The hospital placed a confidential-status flag on Megan’s room and removed both parents from the visitor list. A victim advocate helped her request an emergency protection order.
Diane was not arrested that night.
Cole explained that lying about an accident and delaying medical care were serious, but investigators needed to establish what she had done during those forty-three minutes.
“Her phone, the garage, the emergency call, whatever was moved or cleaned,” he said. “We have to prove actions, not just cruelty.”
Megan appreciated that he did not confuse certainty with speed.
A hospital social worker named Tessa Morgan arrived the next morning to discuss discharge planning.
Megan lived in a small apartment above Avery Heating and Air’s administrative office. The company owned the building. Her health insurance, paycheck, vehicle, and housing were all connected to Paul.
“You can’t return there while the protection order is active,” Tessa said.
“I have nowhere else.”
“Do you have relatives nearby?”
“My mother’s sister lives in Greeley.”
“Would she help?”
Megan did not know.
Aunt Susan had left three voicemails, each asking Megan to call Diane and “clear up this nightmare.”
The first serious consequence arrived through email.
Avery Heating and Air terminated Megan for unauthorized access to company vehicle data, misuse of paid work time, and conduct damaging the owner’s reputation.
The termination took effect immediately.
Her insurance would end at the close of the month. The apartment notice gave her thirty days to leave, although Tessa believed the eviction attempt could violate the protection order and state housing law.
Megan read the email twice.
“My father put me in a coma, and he still had time to fire me.”
Cole photographed the message.
“Do not reply without speaking to counsel.”
The victim advocate connected Megan with attorney Rachel Kim, who handled employment and protective-order matters.
Rachel advised Megan to preserve company records she had legally accessed during her work but not to log in again.
“Did you keep copies of the vehicle reports?”
“Some were automatically backed up to my work cloud.”
“Do you know whether your access still works?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t test it.”
The restraint felt unbearable.
Megan wanted to search every file, every mileage record, every email Diane had sent. She wanted proof faster than the legal process could safely provide it.
Instead, she gave Cole the passwords to her personal phone backup and authorized forensic recovery.
That evening, memory returned in another violent piece.
She stood in the garage holding her phone.
Paul walked toward her.
Diane remained beside the interior door.
Megan said, “I know everything.”
Paul answered, “You should’ve minded your own business.”
Megan looked at Diane.
“Tell him to stop.”
Diane locked the door leading into the house.
Megan told Cole what she remembered.
He did not push for more.
Before leaving, he placed a printed call log beside her bed.
Diane’s phone had called Susan at 10:17 p.m.
Then Rebecca at 10:34.
Then Avery Heating and Air’s insurance agent at 10:46.
911 came last.
Megan stared at Susan’s number.
Her aunt had spoken to Diane while Megan lay injured.
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Now Susan’s pleas to protect the family sounded less like ignorance.
They sounded like participation.
