Chapter 6: The Money They Had Already Spent
I read David's message again.
We've already put money down on something.
I sat at the kitchen table with my phone beside a cold cup of tea.
Outside, the November wind moved through the bare maple branches. Michael had always said that tree looked like an old man waving his arms at the sky.
I used to laugh.
That afternoon, I couldn't.
I typed a response.
*Kimberly: What did you put money down on?*
David answered almost immediately.
*David: A property. Sarah found an opportunity. We thought we could make it work.*
*Kimberly: What property?*
Three minutes passed.
Then:
*David: It's complicated. Can we talk when you calm down?*
I put the phone down.
There was something particularly insulting about being told to calm down by someone who had forged my signature.
At 5:20, Patricia arrived.
I hadn't asked her to come, but when she called earlier and heard my voice, she insisted.
She brought a casserole in a glass dish.
"I figured you hadn't eaten.""
I hugged her.
"Thank you.""
She placed the dish on the counter and looked around.
"Where are the two criminals?""
I gave her a tired smile.
"Upstairs.""
She pulled out a chair.
"Tell me everything.""
I did.
I showed her the loan application, the copied signature, and David's messages.
Patricia read each page carefully.
When she reached the amount, she put the paper down.
"One hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars?""
"Yes.""
"Kim, that's not a little family favor.""
"I know.""
"And they were planning to use your house?""
"Apparently.""
She shook her head.
"Your husband would be furious.""
I looked toward the hallway.
"Michael would be disappointed.""
"Same thing, in his case.""
We both laughed briefly.
Then Patricia reached across the table.
"Have you asked David what property he bought?""
"No. He keeps avoiding the question.""
"Then ask Sarah.""
I shook my head.
"She'll turn it into another argument.""
Patricia leaned back.
"Then don't argue. Ask for facts.""
At that moment, footsteps sounded on the stairs.
Sarah entered the kitchen.
She stopped when she saw Patricia.
"Oh. I didn't know we had company.""
Patricia smiled without warmth.
"Hello, Sarah.""
"Hi.""
Sarah opened the refrigerator.
She removed a bottle of water and glanced at the papers on the table.
"Still discussing the loan?""
"Yes," I said.
She took a drink.
"There's really nothing more to discuss.""
Patricia raised an eyebrow.
"Then why are you avoiding the question about what you bought?""
Sarah turned.
"Excuse me?""
"Kimberly asked David what property you put money down on. He hasn't answered.""
Sarah's expression hardened.
"This is between me and my husband.""
Patricia nodded.
"Then perhaps you should have kept Kimberly's house out of it.""
Sarah placed the bottle on the counter.
"You're not helping.""
"I'm not trying to.""
I held up one hand.
"Patricia, it's okay.""
Then I looked at Sarah.
"Did you and David purchase another property?""
Sarah sighed.
"We signed a purchase agreement.""
"Where?""
"Outside town.""
"How much?""
She hesitated.
"That's private.""
I stared at her.
"You're asking me to put my home up as security for a loan. I think the amount is relevant.""
Sarah folded her arms.
"Two hundred and sixty thousand.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How much did you put down?""
"Twenty thousand.""
"Where did that money come from?""
"Our savings.""
I glanced at Patricia.
She was silent.
"Then why do you need one hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars from my house?""
Sarah looked irritated.
"Because the property needs work. And we have other expenses.""
"What kind of work?""
"Renovations.""
"How much?""
She looked toward the staircase.
David appeared at the top step.
"Sarah, come upstairs.""
But Sarah didn't move.
"We're talking about it now.""
David came down.
"Mom, the house is a good investment. That's all.""
I looked at him.
"You bought a property without having the money to finish it?""
"We had a plan.""
"What plan?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Sarah has been working on it for months.""
Months.
The word hung in the air.
I glanced at Patricia.
Then back at David.
"How long have you been planning this?""
He didn't answer.
Sarah did.
"Since the summer.""
I stared at them.
"Since the summer?""
She nodded.
"We found a property that needed renovation. It was a great opportunity.""
"And you decided to buy it?""
"Yes.""
"Without enough money?""
"We expected financing.""
I took a slow breath.
"From my house?""
David looked down.
Sarah stepped forward.
"We thought you would be happy to help. You don't have a mortgage. You have plenty of equity. It would have been a temporary arrangement.""
"Temporary?""
"Of course.""
"How long?""
She shrugged.
"Until the investment was completed.""
"Six months? A year? Five years?""
"Kimberly, you're making this impossible.""
I looked at her.
"No, Sarah. I'm asking simple questions.""
David finally spoke.
"We didn't want to burden you before we knew whether the deal would work.""
I looked at him.
"That's why you submitted my signature?""
He flinched.
"Mom—"
"No. Answer me.""
He took a breath.
"I thought if we got the application started, we could show you the numbers and explain everything.""
"After you had already bought the property?""
He didn't respond.
Patricia stood.
"I'm going to leave before I say something I'll regret.""
She walked toward the hallway, then stopped beside David.
"Your father would have been ashamed of this.""
David's face tightened.
"Don't bring Dad into this.""
She turned.
"Why? You brought his house into it.""
Then she left.
The front door closed.
Silence filled the kitchen.
Sarah picked up her water bottle.
"You see? This is what happens when you involve other people.""
I looked at her.
"Your problem isn't Patricia knowing. Your problem is that I know.""
She rolled her eyes.
"Whatever.""
David pulled out a chair.
"Mom, please. We have a deadline.""
I sat opposite him.
"What deadline?""
"The seller gave us until Friday to secure the remaining financing.""
I looked at the calendar on the wall.
It was Wednesday.
"You have two days?""
He nodded.
"That's why we need to resolve this quickly.""
I felt something inside me settle.
Not anger.
Not fear.
A clear understanding.
They had moved into my home on Sunday.
By Monday, they were photographing my property documents.
By Wednesday, they were demanding my bedroom and trying to obtain a loan against my house.
And now they expected me to rescue a purchase agreement they had entered without my knowledge.
"David," I said, "I need you to understand something.""
He leaned forward.
"If you lose that property, it will not be because I refused to give you my house.""
He opened his mouth.
I continued.
"It will be because you made a financial commitment you couldn't afford.""
His eyes filled with frustration.
"You don't understand how difficult things have been.""
"Then you should have told me.""
"We were embarrassed.""
"Being embarrassed doesn't give you permission to forge my signature.""
He looked away.
Sarah slammed the bottle onto the counter.
"Can we stop using that word? It wasn't forgery. It was a preliminary application.""
I turned toward her.
"Did I sign it?""
She said nothing.
"Did I authorize it?""
Nothing.
"Then what would you call it?""
David stood.
"Enough!""
His voice echoed through the kitchen.
For a moment, I saw the angry teenager who used to slam his bedroom door when Michael told him no.
Then he said something I never expected.
"If Dad were still alive, he would have helped us.""
I stared at him.
"Your father would have asked why you were trying to take something from your mother without permission.""
David's jaw tightened.
"You always make me feel like I'm doing something wrong.""
I looked at him for a long moment.
"Perhaps you should consider why.""
He walked upstairs.
Sarah followed him.
I heard their bedroom door close.
At 7:15, I received an email from Robert.
The subject line read:
*URGENT: Additional Information Received From Heritage Home Lending*
I opened it.
The email contained several attachments.
One was the original loan inquiry.
Another was a copy of my property deed.
The third was a document titled Owner Authorization and Consent.
I opened it.
There was my name again.
This time, beneath the signature, was a statement declaring that I had agreed to guarantee the loan and had granted David permission to act on my behalf during the financing process.
My signature was dated October 28.
Four days before David and Sarah moved into my house.
I read the date again.
October 28.
I hadn't even known they were planning to move in at that point.
Then I noticed something at the bottom of the document.
A witness name.
I leaned closer to the screen.
*Sarah Porter.*
She had witnessed the signature.
But that wasn't the part that made my hands go cold.
The document also included a second contact number.
A number I recognized immediately.
It belonged to my late husband's former business partner, a man named Richard Coleman.
Richard had attended Michael's funeral.
He had helped us settle several financial matters after Michael died.
And he had been the one person outside our family who knew exactly where we kept the original property documents.
I picked up my phone and called Robert.
He answered quickly.
"Kimberly?""
"Robert, I just opened the authorization document.""
"Yes. I wanted you to review it before we spoke tomorrow.""
"There's something I need to ask you.""
"Go ahead.""
"Why is Richard Coleman's name listed as the additional contact?""
Robert paused.
"Richard contacted our office yesterday.""
My heart began pounding.
"What did he want?""
"He asked whether Michael's estate had any outstanding obligations connected to the property.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Did you tell him anything?""
"Only that the estate was settled. Why?""
I looked toward the staircase.
Because upstairs, behind a closed door, were two people who had already lied to me.
And now someone from my husband's past appeared to be involved.
"Robert," I whispered, "I think there's something else happening here.""
Before he could answer, my phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
May you like
It was from an unknown number.
*Mrs. Porter, my name is Richard Coleman. We need to speak before your son makes another mistake. There is something Michael told me shortly before he died, and I believe it's time you knew the truth.*
