Chapter 11: The Woman Who Had Been Protecting a Secret
When we returned to Rebecca's office, Simone was already waiting.
She looked exhausted.
Rebecca closed the door.
"Simone, Leonard Price has made a statement concerning the original financial application.""
Simone nodded.
"I expected he might.""
I looked at her.
"What does that mean?""
She didn't answer.
Rebecca placed a printed statement on the desk.
"Leonard claims you supplied the identification documents used in the application.""
Simone stared at the page.
Then she said quietly:
"He's lying.""
Rebecca nodded.
"That's what I needed to establish.""
She opened another file.
"Do you remember giving Marcus any paperwork when Amara was a baby?""
Simone hesitated.
"Yes.""
I looked at her.
"What paperwork?""
"Medical records. Insurance forms. Copies of her birth certificate.""
"Why?""
"Marcus said he needed them to add Amara to his health insurance.""
Rebecca made a note.
"When did this happen?""
"About eighteen years ago.""
"Did you sign anything?""
"Not a financial application.""
Rebecca waited.
Simone looked down.
"I signed a form allowing him to access certain records.""
I frowned.
"Why didn't you tell us that last night?""
"Because I didn't remember exactly what it was until now.""
She rubbed her forehead.
"Marcus came to the apartment one afternoon. He said he had a better insurance plan through work. He asked me to sign several papers.""
"Did you read them?""
"I read the first page. The others were attached behind it.""
Rebecca leaned forward.
"Did you keep copies?""
Simone shook her head.
"No.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Simone, did you know he was using Amara's information for a financial application?""
"No.""
Her answer was immediate.
She looked directly at me.
"Daniel, I swear I didn't know.""
I believed her.
But I also understood why she had been afraid.
Rebecca made a phone call.
She requested the original submission records from the institution that had processed the application.
Then she asked Simone to write down everything she remembered about the day Marcus had brought the paperwork.
While she worked, I sat beside Amara.
She hadn't spoken much since the previous night.
She stared at her hands.
"Daniel?""
"Yes?""
"Can I ask you something?""
"Always.""
"Did you ever think about leaving?""
I turned toward her.
"What do you mean?""
"After you and Mom got married. When I was difficult. When I got older and started arguing with you. Did you ever think you could have had an easier life without us?""
I considered the question.
"Of course.""
She looked up.
My answer surprised her.
I smiled gently.
"Every parent gets tired. Sometimes I wanted a quiet evening. Sometimes I wanted to sleep past six. Sometimes I wanted to buy something for myself instead of paying for another school trip.""
She smiled faintly.
"But I never wanted a life without you.""
Her eyes filled.
"I thought you might have regretted it.""
I shook my head.
"Amara, I didn't marry your mother because I wanted a convenient life. I married her because I loved her. And loving her meant loving the little girl who came with her.""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Thank you.""
I squeezed her shoulder.
"You're welcome.""
Across the room, Simone finished writing.
Rebecca read the statement.
Then she looked up.
"There's something important here.""
She pointed to one sentence.
"You said Marcus told you the paperwork was for health insurance?""
"Yes.""
"Did he mention Leonard Price?""
Simone frowned.
"Not by name.""
Rebecca placed another document beside her statement.
It was a copy of an insurance application.
The application had been submitted through Reed Financial Services.
But the health insurance company listed on the form had no record of receiving it.
Simone stared.
"That's not the company he mentioned.""
Rebecca nodded.
"Correct.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Then what was it?""
Rebecca turned the page.
A business credit application.
The same one we'd seen the previous day.
The names, dates, and identification numbers matched.
Simone covered her mouth.
"He told me it was insurance.""
Rebecca spoke carefully.
"It appears the documents may have been used for a different purpose.""
Amara stood.
"Then he lied to Mom too.""
Nobody answered.
Rebecca continued.
"I've also contacted the bank. They have located a copy of the original authorization.""
She opened an email.
"The signature submitted for Simone appears on a separate page.""
She turned the laptop toward us.
There was a scanned signature.
It belonged to Simone.
But it wasn't the signature on the financial guarantee.
It was on a document authorizing the release of personal records.
I looked at the date.
Then I noticed the witness name.
Leonard Price.
Simone stared at it.
"That's him.""
Rebecca nodded.
"He witnessed the authorization.""
"So Leonard knew what Marcus was doing?"" I asked.
"Possibly. We need his full statement.""
Amara shook her head.
"This is insane.""
Rebecca closed the laptop.
"There's something else. The bank has flagged a recent attempt to use the old financial application as supporting evidence for a new credit request.""
I leaned forward.
"How recent?""
"Three days ago.""
I looked at Amara.
Three days ago, Marcus had been telling her that he was trying to give her a perfect wedding.
Three days ago, he had been asking her to sign another document.
Three days ago, he had been calling me an interfering stepfather.
I felt anger rising.
"Did the bank approve it?""
"No. The application is under review.""
Rebecca looked at Amara.
"I strongly recommend that you formally dispute the authorization and freeze any further activity involving your personal information.""
Amara nodded.
"Do it.""
Rebecca prepared the paperwork.
While she worked, Simone asked to speak to me privately.
We stepped into the hallway.
She leaned against the wall.
"Daniel, there's something I still haven't told you.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
She swallowed.
"After Marcus left, he came to see me one more time.""
"When?""
"About a year before I met you.""
I waited.
"He said he wanted to see Amara. I refused because I was worried about what he might do with her information.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because he threatened me again.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"What did he say?""
She closed her eyes.
"He said that if I ever allowed another man to become a father to Amara, he would make sure that man regretted it.""
I stared at her.
"Did you believe him?""
"I thought he was just angry.""
She reached for my hand.
"Then I met you. You were patient with Amara. You never tried to take Marcus's place. I thought the danger had passed.""
I shook my head.
"Simone, you should have told me.""
"I know.""
She looked at me.
"But I need you to understand something. When Marcus came back, I wasn't just afraid of losing you. I was afraid he'd hurt Amara again.""
I took her hand.
"We'll handle it.""
She nodded.
Then Rebecca appeared at the end of the hallway.
"Daniel? Simone? I need you both.""
We returned to the office.
Rebecca had received another email.
It was from Leonard Price.
The subject line read:
*Information Regarding Marcus Reed — Confidential.*
Rebecca opened it.
The message was brief.
I am willing to provide documentation concerning the original application, but I will only speak directly to Daniel Hayes.
I frowned.
"Why me?""
Rebecca scrolled down.
There was another sentence.
I have information about the identity used to create the original signature. It was not Marcus Reed.
I felt my stomach tighten.
Amara looked at me.
"Then who was it?""
Rebecca read the final line.
The person who submitted the paperwork was someone Daniel Hayes knew personally.
I stared at the screen.
Someone I knew.
Someone who had access to my signature.
Someone who had been close enough to copy it.
I looked at Simone.
She looked equally confused.
Then Rebecca received another message.
A photograph.
It showed a young man standing beside Marcus outside a bank.
The young man was wearing a graduation gown.
I recognized him immediately.
It was me.
Not a recent photograph.
A photograph from my college graduation, taken more than twenty-five years earlier.
My father's arm was around my shoulder.
And standing behind us, smiling at the camera, was Marcus Reed.
I had never seen that photograph before.
But I recognized the man standing beside my father.
May you like
My older brother.
Michael Hayes.
