Chapter 9: The Name on the Second Agreement
Sarah looked at David.
David looked at the floor.
Neither seemed willing to answer.
I stood beside Michael's desk, holding the manila envelope.
"Sarah, you said, 'the other file.'' What were you talking about?""
She folded her arms.
"I was talking about the old company records.""
"Which records?""
"I don't remember.""
"You seemed to remember well enough to ask whether David had found them.""
David stepped forward.
"Mom, this is getting out of hand.""
I turned toward him.
"Then explain it.""
He exhaled.
"Dad kept a lot of paperwork. Sarah probably saw something when we were unpacking.""
"She hasn't unpacked anything in this office.""
Sarah's cheeks reddened.
"You're acting like we're criminals.""
I looked at her.
"Then stop behaving like people who have something to hide.""
She grabbed David's arm.
"Come on. We're leaving.""
David didn't move.
I watched them exchange a look.
Then he finally followed her out.
I waited until their footsteps disappeared.
I locked the office door.
My hands were shaking.
I returned to the bottom drawer and examined its contents more carefully.
The manila envelope had been underneath the notebook.
The sealed folder had been beside it.
But behind the folder, pushed against the back wall, was a smaller brown envelope.
I hadn't noticed it before.
It was sealed with a strip of clear tape.
Michael had written four words across the front.
*For Kimberly. Read alone.*
I sat down.
The envelope contained a second letter.
My darling Kim,
If you've reached this letter, then the situation has probably become more complicated than I hoped.
I stopped breathing for a moment.
I read on.
There is something I never told you because I believed I could resolve it before you ever needed to know.
Several years ago, David became involved in a financial arrangement with a man named Thomas Reed. David described him as a private investor who helped small businesses.
I recognized the name vaguely.
Michael had mentioned Thomas once.
He hadn't liked him.
The letter continued.
David borrowed money from Thomas to keep his business running. When the business failed, the debt did not disappear. Thomas wanted repayment, and David approached me for help.
I turned the page.
I paid what I could verify. But I refused to accept responsibility for the remainder because David would not show me the original agreement.
My fingers tightened.
Thomas later contacted me and suggested that David had signed a document involving family property. I told him that no one had authority over your home.
I sat back.
A document involving family property.
I thought of the forged signature.
The home equity inquiry.
The strange email from Sarah.
The way she had asked about whether the house was in a trust.
I read the final paragraph.
If David and Sarah ever begin asking questions about the property together, please speak to Richard. He knows the full history.
The letter ended with Michael's familiar signature.
I stared at it.
Then I picked up my phone and called Richard.
He answered immediately.
"Kimberly?""
"I found the second letter.""
He sighed.
"Then Michael told you about Thomas.""
"Yes. Who is he?""
Richard was quiet for a moment.
"Thomas Reed was an investor who worked with several small businesses in the area. He and David became involved in a private lending arrangement.""
"How much money?""
"I don't know the exact figure. Michael believed it was around ninety thousand dollars.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did David use my house as collateral?""
"That's what Michael was afraid of.""
"Did he?""
"I don't know. Michael never saw the original agreement.""
I stood and began pacing.
"Richard, why didn't you tell me any of this yesterday?""
"Because I didn't want to overwhelm you with information that hadn't been verified.""
I stopped.
"Someone has already submitted a loan application using my forged signature. I'm well past being overwhelmed.""
Richard exhaled.
"You're right.""
"Do you know where Thomas Reed is now?""
"I have an old business address. I can send it to you.""
"Please do.""
When we ended the call, I took the second letter and placed it with the other documents.
Then I did something I hadn't done since Michael died.
I opened his old laptop.
It took several minutes to start.
The desktop was cluttered with old spreadsheets, photographs, and archived correspondence.
I searched for Thomas Reed.
Several emails appeared.
Most were ordinary business communications.
Then I found one dated September 16, two years earlier.
It was from Thomas to Michael.
The subject line read:
*David's Outstanding Balance*
I opened it.
Michael,
I understand your position regarding the family property. However, your son signed the agreement voluntarily. I am willing to discuss a settlement, but I need to know whether you intend to honor the arrangement you discussed with me.
I read the next paragraph.
The property address was provided by David. I have no reason to believe the information was inaccurate.
My stomach tightened.
The house address.
David had given a lender my property information before Michael died.
I searched further.
A second email appeared.
This one was from Michael to Richard.
Thomas is making claims about a property agreement. I have asked him to provide a copy. Until then, nobody should assume the house is involved.
I saved both emails.
At that moment, the office door rattled.
"Mom?""
David.
I closed the laptop.
"Yes?""
"Open the door.""
I didn't move.
"Why?""
"Because I need to talk to you.""
"Then talk.""
There was a pause.
"Sarah says you've been contacting people about the old business.""
I looked at the door.
"Which people?""
"Richard. Other people.""
I felt a cold sensation move down my back.
"How do you know who I've contacted?""
Silence.
Then he said, "Mom, I just want to fix this.""
I walked to the door but didn't unlock it.
"Then tell me about Thomas Reed.""
Nothing.
I heard him shift his weight.
Finally, he said, "Where did you hear that name?""
"Your father left me a letter.""
He didn't answer.
"David, did you borrow money from Thomas?""
A long silence followed.
Then:
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"Mom, that's not important.""
"How much?""
He exhaled.
"Ninety thousand.""
I closed my eyes.
"And did you use this house as collateral?""
"No.""
"Did you give him the address?""
"Yes, but—"
"Did you give him copies of the property documents?""
He didn't answer.
I unlocked the door.
David stood there with his hands in his pockets.
His face looked exhausted.
"Mom, I never intended for any of this to happen.""
I stepped aside.
"Come in.""
He entered slowly.
I returned to the desk and opened the laptop.
"Your father knew about Thomas.""
David sat down.
"He shouldn't have told you.""
I turned toward him.
"Your father didn't tell me. He left me a letter because he was afraid this might happen.""
David lowered his head.
I placed the email on the screen.
"Did Thomas ask you to use my house as security?""
David rubbed his forehead.
"He wanted some assurance.""
"From whom?""
"From Dad.""
"Your father refused.""
David nodded.
"And then you came to me.""
He didn't answer.
"Did Sarah know?""
He looked toward the door.
"Yes.""
I felt sick.
"Did she help you submit the loan application?""
David hesitated.
Then he said, "She handled most of the paperwork.""
I stared at him.
"And the signature?""
His eyes filled.
"I thought we could fix it before you found out.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"You thought you could forge my signature, secure money against my home, and tell me afterward?""
He shook his head.
"I didn't think it would get this far.""
"How far did you think it would get?""
He looked at me.
"We needed the money.""
"Why?""
He swallowed.
"Because Thomas came back.""
The room seemed to grow colder.
"What do you mean?""
David leaned forward.
"He said the old debt had been sold. The new people wanted repayment. They gave us a deadline.""
"Who are the new people?""
"I don't know exactly.""
"How much do they want?""
David looked at the floor.
"More than the original amount.""
I gripped the desk.
"How much?""
"One hundred and forty thousand.""
I sat down.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Then I asked, "And the property you bought?""
David's face changed.
"That's separate.""
"Is it?""
He hesitated.
"Sarah found the property through someone who knew Thomas.""
My heart began pounding.
"Who?""
David didn't answer.
I stood.
"David, look at me.""
He raised his eyes.
"Did you and Sarah buy that property because Thomas arranged it?""
He swallowed.
"Yes.""
I stared at my son.
The entire situation was becoming more complicated by the minute.
The move into my house.
The demand for my bedroom.
The forged loan application.
The old debt.
The property purchase.
They weren't separate decisions.
They were connected.
And someone had been pulling the strings long before David ever called me asking for a place to stay.
I picked up my phone.
"Robert needs to know this.""
David stood abruptly.
"Mom, please. Don't.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
He stepped closer.
"Because if you tell him everything, you'll destroy us.""
I felt tears burn behind my eyes.
"David, you've been destroying my trust one decision at a time.""
He looked away.
Then he said something that made me stop.
"There's a reason Sarah wanted the master bedroom.""
I stared at him.
"What reason?""
He swallowed.
"Thomas told us that if we could get you to agree to the loan, he wanted to send someone to inspect the house.""
"Inspect it for what?""
David's voice dropped.
"Because he believes the property was already promised to him.""
I felt the room spin.
"Promised by whom?""
David looked at me.
Then he answered.
"By Dad.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible.""
"I know what the documents say.""
"What documents?""
He looked toward the locked cabinet.
"There's another agreement, Mom. One Dad signed before he died.""
I felt my hands go numb.
"Where is it?""
David hesitated.
Then he said:
"Sarah has it.""
I stared at him.
And for the first time, I understood why she had been so interested in Michael's old office.
She hadn't come into my house simply wanting my bedroom.
She had come looking for something.
May you like
Something my husband had left behind.
Something that might explain why a stranger believed he had a claim to the home I had shared with Michael for twenty years.
