Chapter 7: The Sixty-Eight-Thousand-Dollar Secret
Richard's words hung in the kitchen.
“Because if she finds out where that money came from, all three of you are going to have a much bigger problem than a house.””
Harper stared at her father.
“Dad, what are you talking about?””
Richard ignored her and reached for the folder.
I placed my hand over it.
“Don't.””
His eyes narrowed.
“Eleanor, this is a private business matter.””
“You brought it into my house. Now explain it.””
He gave me a cold smile.
“You're making a mistake by involving yourself in something you don't understand.””
I picked up my phone.
“Margaret, are you still there?””
“Yes,” my attorney answered immediately.
“Richard Collins is standing in my kitchen. He has just acknowledged a sixty-eight-thousand-dollar transaction connected to this property deal.””
Richard's expression changed.
“You're recording this?””
“No. I'm speaking to my attorney.””
“Then tell her to stop interfering.””
Margaret's voice came through the speaker.
“Mr. Collins, I strongly recommend that you preserve every document related to this transaction. Any attempt to destroy, alter, or conceal financial records could create additional problems.””
Richard laughed.
“You lawyers always think everything is a crime.””
“Then you should have no difficulty providing the original authorization documents.””
He closed his briefcase.
“I'm leaving.””
“Fine,” I said.
“But leave the folder.””
He looked at me.
“You have no authority to keep my property.””
“And you have no authority to take documents bearing my name.””
For a moment, I thought he might grab it.
Instead, he stepped back.
“Harper, we're going.””
Harper didn't move.
“Dad, what happened to the sixty-eight thousand?””
Richard turned sharply.
“Get your things.””
“No. Answer me.””
His voice dropped.
“Not here.””
I watched the exchange.
Something had changed.
Harper was no longer standing beside her father like a loyal daughter. She looked like someone discovering that the person who had promised to save her was hiding something much worse.
Richard finally walked out.
Harper remained in the kitchen.
“Did you know?”” I asked.
She shook her head.
“I swear I didn't know about that money.””
“Did you know about the transfer agreement?””
She didn't answer.
“Harper.””
She lowered her eyes.
“I knew Liam signed something.””
My stomach tightened.
“What exactly?””
“Dad said it was a preliminary acknowledgment. He told us it wasn't legally binding.””
“And you believed him?””
“He said you would eventually agree.””
I looked at her.
“You were planning to take my house before asking me?””
She started crying.
“That's not how it happened.””
“Then tell me how it happened.””
Harper sat down.
For the first time since she had moved into my home, she looked genuinely frightened.
“Richard said he could help us get the building. He said the investment would make us financially secure. He told us we could eventually buy our own house and stop depending on you.””
“By using my property?””
“He said it was temporary.””
I looked at the folder.
“Temporary arrangements have a way of becoming permanent when the person being used doesn't know about them.””
Harper wiped her cheeks.
“Liam didn't want to hurt you.””
I let out a quiet breath.
“Then he should have protected me.””
She had no answer.
After she left, I called Margaret and sent her photographs of the transfer agreement.
She asked me to place the original in a secure location and not write on it.
Then she explained what she had discovered.
“The sixty-eight thousand appears to be connected to an account used by Richard's consulting company,” she said.
“We are trying to establish the source of the funds and why the payment was scheduled for tomorrow.””
“Could it be my money?””
“We don't know yet. But the account information suggests there may be more than one financial transaction involved.””
I looked at the bank statement still lying on my desk.
Forty-two thousand dollars had disappeared from my savings.
Fifteen thousand five hundred had gone to Patricia.
Now sixty-eight thousand was scheduled to move to Richard.
The numbers didn't make sense.
Unless I was looking at only part of the arrangement.
That evening, Liam arrived alone.
He looked exhausted.
“Mom, Harper told me what happened.””
“Did she tell you about the transfer agreement?””
He nodded.
“Dad said it was just paperwork.””
“Your father-in-law.””
He rubbed his eyes.
“Sorry.””
I placed the document in front of him.
“Did you sign this?””
He stared at his signature.
“Yes.””
“Did you read it?””
“I thought I understood it.””
“You thought?””
He swallowed.
“Richard said the document simply confirmed that I would receive the property someday. He said the bank needed proof that I had a legitimate future interest.””
“And you signed as a witness?””
“He told me it was standard.””
I sat opposite him.
“Liam, how could you witness an agreement that I never signed?””
He looked like he wanted to disappear.
“I didn't know he was going to submit it.””
“Did you know my identification was attached?””
“No.””
“Did you know Patricia had notarized another document?””
He shook his head.
“Mom, I swear I didn't know that.””
I studied his face.
I wanted to believe him.
But every time he said he didn't know something, another document appeared proving that he had been involved.
“Why did you transfer my money?””
He finally broke.
“Because Richard said we needed to show the bank that we had some financial backing. He said the business would reimburse the account once the loan was approved.””
“Was that the sixty-eight thousand?””
“No. The sixty-eight thousand was supposed to be a separate payment.””
“To whom?””
He hesitated.
Then he reached into his jacket and removed his phone.
“Look.””
He showed me a message exchange between himself and Richard.
The first message was from Richard.
The initial deposit has cleared. We need another payment before the lender releases the next stage.
Liam had replied:
We don't have another sixty-eight thousand.
Richard's response was short.
Your mother has more than enough. The property gives us room to maneuver.
Liam had written:
She doesn't know about the guarantee.
Richard answered:
She doesn't need to know until everything is finalized.
I read the messages twice.
Then I looked at Liam.
“You knew he was using my house without permission.””
Liam's eyes filled.
“I thought he was bluffing.””
“You thought?””
“I didn't think he would actually submit the paperwork.””
I placed the phone down.
“You knew enough to be afraid of the truth, Liam. That's why you kept quiet.””
He began crying.
“Mom, I made a terrible mistake.””
I looked at the son I had raised.
“Then you need to help correct it.””
He nodded.
“Whatever you need.””
I pointed to the phone.
“Forward every message to Margaret. Don't delete anything. And tell her exactly what happened.””
He agreed.
But just as he stood up, his phone rang.
Richard.
Liam answered on speaker.
“What?””
Richard sounded furious.
“Where are you?””
“With my mother.””
“Get away from her. We have a situation.””
“What situation?””
A long pause.
Then Richard said:
“The lender has frozen the application. Someone reported the guarantee as unauthorized.””
Liam looked at me.
Richard continued.
“And if they investigate the sixty-eight-thousand-dollar transfer, they'll discover where the original deposit came from.””
I leaned toward the phone.
“Then perhaps you should explain it.””
Richard went silent.
May you like
Finally, he said something that made Liam's face turn white.
“Your mother isn't the only person whose identity was used.””
