Three

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the shop’s dusty windows, casting soft beams over my workspace. It was quiet except for the faint scratching of my pencil against the pages of my sketchbook. I’d been working on a few new designs, trying to bring some fresh ideas to life for my clients. My latest creation—a flowing evening gown with delicate embroidery—was for Mrs. Smith, one of my most loyal customers.

She was due to stop by later to try it on, so I busied myself with refining a few details while I waited. Sketching had always been my solace, a way to lose myself in a world of color and fabric, far away from the stresses of reality. But today, even my pencil strokes felt restless, like something was simmering in the air.

My phone buzzed loudly on the counter, jolting me out of my thoughts. I glanced at the screen and frowned. Theo’s name flashed across it. I hadn’t expected him to call, not after the argument last night.

“Hello?” I answered, trying to keep my voice neutral.

“Ella,” Theo’s voice came through the line, shaky and strained. “I need your help. Please, I’m at the police station.”

My stomach dropped. “The police station? Theo, what happened?”

“I don’t have time to explain everything right now,” he said, his words tumbling over each other. “Just… please, Ella. I need you to come.”

The desperation in his voice sent a chill through me. I didn’t ask any more questions. “I’m on my way,” I said, grabbing my bag and shoving my sketchbook aside.

I was halfway out the door when I nearly collided with Mrs. Smith. The kind woman blinked at me in surprise, clutching her handbag.

“Mrs. Smith! I’m so sorry,” I said quickly, trying to compose myself. “I—something’s come up. A family emergency.”

Her concerned gaze softened. “Oh, dear. Don’t worry about it. Family comes first. Take care of whatever you need to.”

I nodded gratefully. “Thank you for understanding. I’ll call you as soon as I’m back.”

After locking up the shop, I stepped onto the bustling street and waved down a taxi. My heart pounded as I climbed in, giving the driver the address of the police station. The entire ride felt like an eternity, the city’s usual noise and chaos blurring into the background as my mind raced. What had Theo gotten himself into? Why was he at the police station? The possibilities swirled in my head, each more alarming than the last.

When we finally pulled up to the station, I handed the driver a few crumpled bills and rushed inside. The air inside was heavy with tension, a mix of frustration and unease hanging over the crowded waiting area.The police station smelled of stale coffee and disinfectant, a combination that immediately set my nerves on edge. My boots clicked softly against the tiled floor as I approached the front desk, where a stern-looking woman in uniform was busy typing something into a computer. I tightened my grip on my bag, trying to keep my voice steady.

“Excuse me,” I said, leaning forward slightly. “I’m here to see my brother, Theo Montrose. He was brought in earlier today.”

The woman looked up briefly, her face unreadable. “Name?”

“Ella Montrose,” I replied quickly. “I’m his sister.”

She gave a curt nod and turned back to her computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard. My heart pounded as I watched her. The longer she took, the more restless I became. I ran a hand through my curls, which had started to unravel from the loose bun I’d thrown them into that morning. My reflection in the glass partition behind her desk didn’t help—I looked as frazzled as I felt.

Finally, she glanced back at me. “He’s still being questioned. You’ll need to wait a little while before you can see him.”

I let out a shaky breath, frustration bubbling under my skin. “Is he okay? Can you at least tell me what’s going on?”

She raised a hand, her expression calm but firm. “Ma’am, I need you to take a deep breath and calm down. Your brother is fine. You’ll be able to talk to him soon.”

I nodded stiffly, swallowing hard. “Okay,” I murmured, trying to rein in my emotions.

The officer motioned toward the waiting area. “Please have a seat. Someone will let you know when he’s available.”

“Thank you,” I said quietly, though the words felt hollow. I turned and made my way to one of the plastic chairs lining the wall, each one as uncomfortable-looking as the last.

The room was a mix of chaos and stillness. People were coming and going, the air filled with low murmurs, the occasional sound of papers shuffling, and the faint buzz of a phone ringing somewhere in the background. I sat down and immediately began tapping my nails against the armrest, a nervous habit I couldn’t seem to shake.

What had Theo gotten himself into? I’d replayed our conversation on the phone over and over during the ride here, trying to piece together what little I knew.

I glanced around the room, my eyes landing on a clock mounted high on the wall. It had only been ten minutes since I’d arrived, but it felt like hours. My thoughts churned relentlessly, shifting between fear, anger, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

I thought about Grandpa back at home, sitting in his chair with the oxygen tank humming softly beside him. He didn’t know about any of this yet, and the idea of telling him made my chest tighten. He already worried about Theo constantly, no matter how much I tried to shield him from the truth about my brother’s more questionable choices. How would he handle this?

The door to the back rooms opened suddenly, and a uniformed officer stepped out, clipboard in hand. My head snapped up, hope rising unbidden, but he called someone else’s name and disappeared back inside with another visitor. I slumped back in my chair, staring down at my hands.

Time dragged on. I pulled out my phone and scrolled through messages, but I couldn’t focus on anything. My mind kept wandering to Theo. Was he scared? Was he thinking about Grandpa and me? Or was he sitting in that room with the same cocky attitude he wore like armor?

My thoughts were interrupted when the woman at the front desk called my name. I stood so quickly that I nearly tripped over my own feet.

“You can see him now,” she said, nodding toward the hallway. “Follow Officer Grant.”

A tall man in his mid-forties with a kind but tired face appeared beside her. He gestured for me to follow, and I fell into step behind him as he led me down a narrow hallway lined with closed doors.

When we reached one of them, he stopped and turned to me.  “Your brother has been accused of embezzling funds from his workplace. He was brought in for questioning earlier today.”

My jaw dropped. “Embezzling?” .The word felt so foreign, so wrong, when attached to my brother’s name. Theo might be reckless and arrogant at times, but he wasn’t a thief. He wasn’t capable of something like this.

The officer opened the door, and there he was—Theo, sitting at a plain metal table in the center of the room. His suit jacket had been removed, and his shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing tense forearms resting on the tabletop. His usually pristine hair was disheveled, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

“Can I speak to him privately?” I asked the officer.

He nodded. “You have ten minutes.”

“Theo,” I breathed, stepping inside.

His head shot up at the sound of my voice, and for a moment, I saw a flicker of relief in his expression. But it was gone just as quickly, replaced by a guarded look I didn’t recognize.

“Ella,” he said, his voice rough. “You came.”

“Of course I came,” I replied, pulling out the chair across from him. “What’s going on? Are you okay?”

He let out a bitter laugh, leaning back in his chair. “Do I look okay?”

I didn’t answer that. Instead, I folded my hands on the table and leaned forward. “Theo, talk to me. I need to understand what’s happening.”

He rubbed a hand over his face, exhaling heavily. “They think I stole money from the company,” he said finally. “They think I embezzled funds.”

I stared at him, waiting for more. When he didn’t continue, I pressed, “And? Did you?”

His eyes snapped to mine, sharp and angry. “No, Ella! I didn’t do it. I’m not a criminal.”

“Then why do they think you are?” I asked, trying to keep my tone calm. “There has to be a reason.”

He hesitated, his gaze dropping to the table. “A few weeks ago, my boss gave me some papers to sign. He said they were just routine approvals, nothing important. I didn’t even look at them—I just signed.”

I felt a surge of frustration but forced it down. “Theo,” I said carefully, “you have to read what you’re signing. Especially in a job like yours.”

“I know that now!” he snapped, his voice echoing in the small room. He winced and lowered it again. “I know, okay? But it’s too late. They’re saying the transfers were authorized by me, and I don’t know how to prove they weren’t.”

“Do you think your boss set you up?” I asked.

He shrugged helplessly. “I don’t know. Maybe? All I know is I didn’t do it, Ella. You have to believe me.”

“I do,” I said softly. “But we need to figure out how to prove it. Have you talked to a lawyer?”

He shook his head. “No one’s willing to take the case. They all say it’s too risky, or that they don’t want to go up against the company.”

I swallowed hard, my heart sinking. “Then we’ll find someone else. There has to be someone who’ll help.”

Theo didn’t respond, his shoulders slumping as he stared down at the table. For the first time in a long time, he looked vulnerable—like the little brother I used to know, not the polished professional he’d tried so hard to become.

I reached across the table and placed a hand over his. “We’re going to get through this,” I said firmly. “I promise.”

He looked up at me, his eyes glassy. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, Ella.”

“You don’t have to find out,” I said with a small smile, though my heart was heavy. “We’re family. That’s what we do.”

The officer reappeared in the doorway, signaling that our time was up. I gave Theo’s hand a final squeeze before standing.

“I’ll be back soon,” I told him. “Stay strong, okay? I’ll start looking for a lawyer and come back as soon as I can.”

Theo nodded, his eyes filled with a mixture of fear and hope. “Thank you, Ella.”

As I left the station, the weight of the situation settled heavily on my shoulders. I knew clearing Theo’s name wouldn’t be easy, especially if his boss had set him up. But I couldn’t let him face this alone. He was family, and family meant everything to me.

The first lawyer I called refused to take the case, citing a conflict of interest with the company Theo worked for. The second and third lawyers said the same. Frustration bubbled inside me as I stood outside the station, staring at my phone. It felt like every door was slamming shut in our faces.

I tried to call a few more numbers, but the responses were all the same: polite refusals and empty apologies. By the time I returned to the shop, I felt drained. My hands shook as I unlocked the door, the little bell above it jingling softly.

Sinking into my chair, I buried my face in my hands. What was I supposed to do now? Theo needed help, but it felt like the entire city was against us.

A part of me wanted to scream, to cry, to let the overwhelming weight of everything finally break me. But I couldn’t. Not now. Not when Theo and Grandpa were counting on me.

Taking a deep breath, I picked up my phone again and started searching for lawyers outside the city. Someone had to be willing to take this case. Someone had to believe in Theo’s innocence as much as I did.