Morales and Briggs sat down on the dark gray leather sofa, Cartwright across from them. Morales said, “You told me on the phone Rebel Navarro visited you Saturday morning. He seemed out of control, made wild accusations, and frightened you. You were afraid he would attack you and you grabbed the fireplace poker to defend yourself? Is this correct?”
Carla nodded. “Yes, it was horrible. I was so relieved when he finally left.”
Briggs said, “Why didn’t you call us immediately instead of waiting until this morning?”
Cartwright shook her head, looked embarrassed. “I should have, I suppose, but I wanted to think about what happened, be sure in my own mind I hadn’t overreacted, that Rebel Navarro wasn’t just frightened for his brother and needed to blame someone here at the Navarro Fund, and picked me. But I’ve given it a great deal of thought and I’m sure now I didn’t overreact, and that’s why I called you. He scared me, Agents. If I hadn’t had the poker, I don’t know what he would have done. He told me you’d arrested him on Friday because you’d uncovered evidence tying him to the account in the Caymans the money from our fund was wired to. No matter how much I tried to tell him I didn’t know anything about that, he claimed he didn’t believe me. As I said, he yelled at me, accused me of embezzling the funds myself and framing his brother and him. He was completely out of control.” She drew a deep breath. “When I grabbed the poker and kept asking him to leave, he finally mumbled something about making sure I’d regret this and left.”
Morales leaned forward. “Do you wish to press charges against Rebel Navarro, Ms. Cartwright?”
She was quiet a moment. “I should, I know it, but no matter what he and Archer have done, I couldn’t bring myself to do that. Not only is he Archer’s brother, he’s taking care of Archer’s little boy.” She looked like she was going to cry. “From what he said your forensic accounting people found, I have to face the fact both Archer and Rebel planned this. How could it be otherwise? I hate it, just hate it. I always thought Archer was my very best friend. I trusted him completely.” She swiped a tear from her cheek.
Morales sat forward, patted her hand. “This is obviously very difficult for you, Ms. Cartwright.”
Briggs said, “Can’t say I’m surprised at your reaction, Ms.Cartwright, but I am surprised Rebel Navarro went to your home, confronted you, scared you.”
“I don’t understand. Your people found proof of his guilt. Why did you release him?”
Morales said, “We really can’t talk about that, I’m sure you understand. But we can make certain Mr. Navarro doesn’t bother you again.”
Briggs rubbed his big hands together. “It’s true his lawyer got him released for now. But things are coming together. We’ll find Archer Navarro, and then we’ll find the money.”
“But I don’t understand what he hoped to prove. I mean, I do understand he desperately wanted someone to blame, but it sounds like he is as guilty as his brother, so what was he doing coming to my house? Blaming me when he knew it wasn’t true?”
Briggs shrugged. “Maybe he wants us to think he’s innocent, or maybe he isn’t mentally stable. After his behavior to you Saturday, you’d be a good witness to that.”
Cartwright slowly nodded. “I suppose you’re right. He mentioned a signature your people found on damning documents and he claimed it wasn’t his. But how could that be possible?”
Morales said, “Again, forgive us, Ms. Cartwright, but we can’t discuss that. But there’ll be more evidence. There always is.”
Morales rose, and Briggs followed suit. Cartwright slowly got to her feet, tears still sheening her eyes. “It’s all so horrible. I always believed Archer—Arch, as I’ve always called him—and I were joined at the hip. I still can’t get my mind around how he could have done this to me, to the firm, both him and his brother. And to that precious little boy, Tash. What will happen to him?”
“That’s not for us to decide, ma’am,” Morales said. “Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?”
“I suppose not. We’re still scrambling here, endless calls from our clients and meetings with the regulators.”
Morales said, “I’m pleased you finally called us, Ms. Cartwright. It means a lot. We’ll make sure there’s no need for you to be alarmed further about Rebel Navarro. Since he’s wearing an ankle monitor, we can prove he went to your house. We’ll make sure his lawyer knows we’ll arrest him if he comes near you again.”
Morales’s cell buzzed a text. She pulled her cell from her jacket pocket, looked down at it, and smiled at Cartwright. “Our boss texted us that Rebel Navarro’s lawyer has a recording Navarro made when he came to see you on Saturday, and he’s sending it over to us.”
Cartwright said slowly, “A recording? You said he made a recording when he was at my house?”
“That’s right. You won’t have to testify against him after all, Ms. Cartwright. All you said he did will be on the recording. Good day to you.”
Cartwright heard Briggs say, “But why did Navarro’s lawyer give us the recording when it damns him?”
Carla watched the two FBI agents leave. She stood in the middle of her office, unmoving, thinking through what this could mean. She didn’t want to accept it, but she knew she had to, she had no choice. She had to act, and she had to act now.
Chapter Fifty-Three
Locksley Manor, Autumn’s cave
Titus Hitch Wilderness
Tuesday morning
Autumn handed Tash half of her croissant, a bit flattened by the two apples in the bag, but who cared?
“It’s still warm, kind of,” Tash said, and took a big bite. “After that hike getting here to your cave, Autumn, I could eat it raw.”
