Chapter 14: The Woman Who Finally Spoke
Two days later, Patricia Sterling requested a meeting.
Not with Jonathan.
Not with Daniel.
With me.
Her message was polite.
Margaret, I would appreciate the opportunity to speak woman to woman. There are things you deserve to understand.
Jonathan advised against meeting her alone.
So we arranged to meet at his office.
When Patricia arrived, she carried a designer handbag and wore a navy suit.
She looked nothing like the entertained woman who had watched her daughter slap me beneath the chandeliers.
Her face was pale.
She sat across from me and placed both hands on the table.
"Thank you for agreeing to meet.""
I said nothing.
Jonathan introduced himself.
"Any statements made here may be documented. Please understand that we cannot promise confidentiality regarding matters relevant to the investigation.""
Patricia nodded.
"I understand.""
She looked at me.
"Margaret, I know you hate my family.""
"I don't hate your family. I don't know what to believe about them.""
She swallowed.
"Richard has made mistakes.""
I almost smiled.
"That's one way to describe it.""
"He was under tremendous pressure. The company had several obligations coming due, and some investors withdrew unexpectedly.""
"Then he should have gone to a bank.""
"He tried.""
"And they refused?""
She nodded.
I leaned forward.
"So he decided to use my retirement savings instead?""
Patricia looked down.
"I didn't know about the false authorization.""
"Did you know about the wedding invoices?""
She hesitated.
"I knew some expenses had been adjusted.""
"How much?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you receive any money?""
She closed her eyes.
Then she nodded.
"Yes.""
Jonathan immediately leaned forward.
"From which account?""
"Northbridge Lifestyle Services.""
I stared at her.
"How much?""
"Twenty thousand dollars.""
I felt my hands go cold.
"Why?""
She began crying.
"Richard said it was reimbursement for expenses I had covered during the company's difficult period.""
"Did you actually pay those expenses?""
"Some of them.""
"All of them?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
Jonathan asked, "Did you know the money might have originated from Margaret Bennett's wedding payments?""
Patricia looked at him.
"Not initially.""
"At what point did you become aware?""
She wiped her eyes.
"After the wedding.""
I leaned back.
"And you did nothing?""
"I asked Richard about it.""
"What did he say?""
"He told me Margaret had agreed to help the family business.""
I stared at her.
"Did you believe him?""
Patricia looked at me.
"I wanted to.""
The answer was almost worse than a lie.
She continued.
"Richard told me you had promised to provide the money. He said the wedding expenses were simply part of a larger family arrangement.""
"Did you ever hear me agree?""
"No.""
"Did you ever see me sign anything?""
"No.""
"Then why didn't you ask me?""
Patricia lowered her eyes.
"Because I was afraid of what I might discover.""
Jonathan remained silent.
I studied her face.
"Where is the twenty thousand dollars now?""
"Most of it is still in my account.""
"Will you return it?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
Jonathan interrupted.
"Any repayment must be coordinated through the bank and legal representatives. We need to establish the source and ownership of the funds first.""
Patricia agreed.
Then she reached into her handbag.
She removed a small envelope and placed it on the table.
"I brought something.""
Jonathan opened it carefully.
Inside was a printed email.
The sender was Richard.
The recipient was Patricia.
The date was three weeks before the wedding.
The subject line read:
Family Funding Plan.
Jonathan began reading.
Then he stopped.
He looked at me.
"Margaret, I think you should read this.""
I took the page.
Richard had written:
The initial amount should come from Margaret's land proceeds. Daniel will receive his agreed share after the investor meeting. Tiffany will manage the wedding expenses and keep the additional payments separate.
I felt my chest tighten.
The email continued.
Patricia, your reimbursement will be processed through Northbridge. Do not discuss the arrangement with Margaret until everything has cleared.
I placed the paper down.
"How long have you had this?""
Patricia looked ashamed.
"Since October.""
"Why are you bringing it now?""
She took a shaky breath.
"Because Richard told me yesterday that he was going to blame everything on Tiffany.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"He said she had independently created the payment arrangements. He said Daniel had helped her and that he had no involvement.""
Jonathan's expression hardened.
"Did he say that in writing?""
Patricia nodded.
"I have a recording of a conversation.""
Jonathan immediately raised a hand.
"Before you provide it, I need to understand how it was obtained and whether it can legally be used. Do not edit or distribute it.""
Patricia agreed.
Then she looked directly at me.
"Margaret, I need to tell you something about Tiffany.""
I felt my shoulders tighten.
"What?""
"She wasn't the person who originally suggested using your money.""
I stared at her.
"Who was?""
Patricia looked toward Jonathan.
Then back at me.
"Richard.""
The room seemed to grow smaller.
"He told Tiffany that you would eventually agree because Daniel was your only child. He said you would do anything to keep him happy.""
I closed my eyes.
Patricia continued.
"But Tiffany wanted more than the business arrangement.""
"What do you mean?""
"She wanted control over the family finances. She wanted Daniel to depend on her father's company. And she believed that once you stopped paying for things, you would become irrelevant.""
I looked at her.
"Is that why she slapped me?""
Patricia nodded.
"She told me you had embarrassed her in front of everyone. She said you had no right to challenge her at her own wedding.""
I stared at the table.
Then Patricia whispered something that made my blood run cold.
"She also told Richard that the slap might actually help.""
I looked up.
"Help how?""
Patricia's eyes filled.
"She thought if you left the reception in humiliation, you would stop asking questions about the money.""
I felt sick.
The slap hadn't been an impulsive moment of anger.
At least, not entirely.
It had become another tool.
Jonathan placed the documents inside a folder.
"Patricia, I need you to understand that this information may become part of a formal investigation. Are you willing to cooperate?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
Then she looked at me.
"Margaret, I am sorry.""
I studied her for a long time.
"You watched your daughter hit me.""
Patricia began crying.
"I know.""
"You watched me pay for a wedding your family was using to access my money.""
"I know.""
"And you accepted twenty thousand dollars.""
She covered her mouth.
"I know.""
I stood.
"Then don't ask me to forgive you today.""
I walked toward the office door.
Behind me, Patricia said quietly:
"There's one more thing you need to know.""
I stopped.
She continued.
"Richard has another investor meeting scheduled for Friday.""
Jonathan turned.
"With whom?""
Patricia looked at me.
"He's planning to present the Bennett family funding agreement as secured capital.""
I felt my heart begin pounding.
"But the bank has blocked the transfer.""
"Yes.""
"Then how can he claim the money?""
Patricia looked down.
"Because he has a copy of the agreement with your signature.""
I turned slowly.
"Where did he get it?""
May you like
She whispered:
"He says he has the original.""
