Chapter 13: ## Chapter 13: The Debt Frank: The Debt Frank Never Forgot
I read Frank Never Forgot
I read Frank's letter three times.
The handwriting was unmistakable. The slight's letter three times.
The handwriting was unmistakable. The slight slant. The heavy pressure on the capital letters.
The way he always left too much space between his sentences slant. The heavy pressure on the capital letters. The way he always left too much space between his sentences.
My husband had written those words two weeks before he was hospitalized.
And apparently.
My husband had written those words two weeks before he was hospitalized.
And apparently, he had known Richard Collins was still pursuing our property.
I looked at Catherine.
, he had known Richard Collins was still pursuing our property.
I looked at Catherine.
"Why didn't you tell me about this before?""
She lowered her eyes.
""Why didn't you tell me about this before?""
She lowered her eyes.
"Because I didn't know the full story. Richard told me Frank had investedBecause I didn't know the full story. Richard told me Frank had invested in his business.
He said the money was part of an in his business. He said the money was part of an arrangement between friends.""
"Forty thousand dollars?""
"That's arrangement between friends.""
"Forty thousand dollars?""
"That's what I found in his records. There were several transfers. I don't know whether there were more.""
I held the letter carefully what I found in his records. There were several transfers. I don't know whether there were more.""
I held the letter carefully.
"Why did you bring this to me now?""
"Because I heard.
"Why did you bring this to me now?""
"Because I heard Richard tell Harper that the condo was supposed to be his compensation. He said Frank Richard tell Harper that the condo was supposed to be his compensation. He said Frank had promised him the property.""
I stared at her.
"Frank would never have promised someone had promised him the property.""
I stared at her.
"Frank would never have promised someone my home.""
"I know that now.""
Her voice broke.
"I should my home.""
"I know that now.""
Her voice broke.
"I should have questioned him sooner.""
Samuel joined us.
have questioned him sooner.""
Samuel joined us.
"May I see the letter?""
I handed it over.
He read it silently,"May I see the letter?""
I handed it over.
He read it silently, then examined the date.
"This could be important.""
Catherine nodded.
"I then examined the date.
"This could be important.""
Catherine nodded.
"I also brought copies of the financial records.""
She removed also brought copies of the financial records.""
She removed another envelope.
Inside were bank transfers, handwritten notes, and an old business loan summary another envelope.
Inside were bank transfers, handwritten notes, and an old business loan summary.
Samuel arranged the papers across the table.
The first transfer was dated six.
Samuel arranged the papers across the table.
The first transfer was dated six years earlier.
$15,000.
The second came four months later.
$ years earlier.
$15,000.
The second came four months later.
$10,000.
The third was for $15,000.
Total: $40,000.
All three10,000.
The third was for $15,000.
Total: $40,000.
All three payments had originated from an account belonging to Frank and me.
The recipient was Richard Collins.
payments had originated from an account belonging to Frank and me.
The recipient was Richard Collins.
There was no loan agreement attached.
But Frank's handwritten ledgerThere was no loan agreement attached.
But Frank's handwritten ledger contained a notation beside each payment.
*Temporary loan to Richard. Repayment expected contained a notation beside each payment.
Temporary loan to Richard. Repayment expected.
I recognized the ledger.
Frank used to keep it in the small desk.*
I recognized the ledger.
Frank used to keep it in the small desk in his study.
After he died, I had sorted through dozens of papers, but I had never seen in his study.
After he died, I had sorted through dozens of papers, but I had never seen this particular page.
"Where did you find it?"" I asked.
this particular page.
"Where did you find it?"" I asked.
Catherine looked uncomfortable.
"In Richard's locked filing cabinet.""
Samuel turnedCatherine looked uncomfortable.
"In Richard's locked filing cabinet.""
Samuel turned another page.
There was a note dated five years earlier.
*Richard requested another page.
There was a note dated five years earlier.
Richard requested additional time. No repayment received.
Then another, additional time. No repayment received.*
Then another, dated four years earlier.
*Richard says business is recovering. Will dated four years earlier.
Richard says business is recovering. Will discuss repayment after summer.
Frank had died before discuss repayment after summer.*
Frank had died before summer arrived.
I pressed the page against the summer arrived.
I pressed the page against the table.
"He never told me.""
Catherine's expression softened.
"Maybe he didn't want you worrying.""
That table.
"He never told me.""
Catherine's expression softened.
"Maybe he didn't want you worrying.""
That sounded like Frank.
He had always carried his problems quietly.
But something about the sounded like Frank.
He had always carried his problems quietly.
But something about the situation bothered me.
"Why did Richard keep these records?""
"Because situation bothered me.
"Why did Richard keep these records?""
"Because he was preparing to settle the debt," Catherine said.
he was preparing to settle the debt," Catherine said.
"Then why didn't he?""
She looked away.
"I don't know.""
Samuel studied"Then why didn't he?""
She looked away.
"I don't know.""
Samuel studied the documents.
"We need to verify the transfers against the original bank records the documents.
"We need to verify the transfers against the original bank records. But if these are genuine, they establish a separate financial relationship between Frank and Richard.""
Daniel. But if these are genuine, they establish a separate financial relationship between Frank and Richard.""
Daniel, who had been standing near the window, finally spoke.
"Does this mean Richard tried, who had been standing near the window, finally spoke.
"Does this mean Richard tried to sell Mom's condo because he owed Dad money?""
"Possibly," Samuel replied.
"But we to sell Mom's condo because he owed Dad money?""
"Possibly," Samuel replied.
"But we shouldn't assume motive until we have more evidence.""
I looked at the letter again.
Frank hadn't written shouldn't assume motive until we have more evidence.""
I looked at the letter again.
Frank hadn't written that Richard owed him money.
He had written that he would make sure I knew what happened to it that Richard owed him money.
He had written that he would make sure I knew what happened to it.
That meant there was something else.
"Samuel, can we contact Thomas Bell?""
He nodded.
"I'll call.
That meant there was something else.
"Samuel, can we contact Thomas Bell?""
He nodded.
"I'll call him.""
Thomas agreed to meet us that afternoon.
At his office, he examined Frank's letter and the him.""
Thomas agreed to meet us that afternoon.
At his office, he examined Frank's letter and the financial records.
He recognized the handwriting immediately.
"This is consistent with documents Frank signed in my financial records.
He recognized the handwriting immediately.
"This is consistent with documents Frank signed in my office.""
"Did Frank ever mention the forty thousand dollars?"" I asked.
Thomas paused.
"Yes.""
I leaned forward.
"When office.""
"Did Frank ever mention the forty thousand dollars?"" I asked.
Thomas paused.
"Yes.""
I leaned forward.
"When?""
"During one of our final meetings. He told me Richard had borrowed money from him for a property venture. Frank was?""
"During one of our final meetings. He told me Richard had borrowed money from him for a property venture. Frank was concerned because Richard had begun referring to the loan as an investment.""
Samuel looked concerned because Richard had begun referring to the loan as an investment.""
Samuel looked up.
"Did Frank provide any documentation?""
Thomas opened a up.
"Did Frank provide any documentation?""
Thomas opened a cabinet and removed a thin file.
"He gave me a copy of cabinet and removed a thin file.
"He gave me a copy of a repayment acknowledgment.""
My heart began pounding.
Thomas placed it on the table a repayment acknowledgment.""
My heart began pounding.
Thomas placed it on the table.
The document was dated three years earlier.
Richard had signed it.
The document was dated three years earlier.
Richard had signed it.
It stated that he acknowledged receiving $40,000 from Frank Mitchell and agreed to repay the amount within twelve months.
There was a.
It stated that he acknowledged receiving $40,000 from Frank Mitchell and agreed to repay the amount within twelve months.
There was a second paragraph.
It stated that the loan did not create any ownership interest second paragraph.
It stated that the loan did not create any ownership interest in property belonging to Frank or Barbara Mitchell.
I read it slowly.
Then in property belonging to Frank or Barbara Mitchell.
I read it slowly.
Then I read it again.
Richard had signed his name beneath that sentence.
"Why I read it again.
Richard had signed his name beneath that sentence.
"Why didn't Frank tell me?"" I asked.
Thomas answered gently.
"He wanted to resolve it himself. He didn't Frank tell me?"" I asked.
Thomas answered gently.
"He wanted to resolve it himself. He was already dealing with his illness, and he didn't want financial disputes was already dealing with his illness, and he didn't want financial disputes to become your burden.""
Samuel examined the signature.
"Do you have the to become your burden.""
Samuel examined the signature.
"Do you have the original?""
Thomas nodded.
"I retained it with Frank's estate planning documents.""
Daniel looked stunned original?""
Thomas nodded.
"I retained it with Frank's estate planning documents.""
Daniel looked stunned.
"So Richard knew there was no property arrangement.""
Thomas nodded.
"At.
"So Richard knew there was no property arrangement.""
Thomas nodded.
"At least as far as this document establishes.""
I sat back.
The condo had least as far as this document establishes.""
I sat back.
The condo had never been Richard's compensation.
It had never been part of a business arrangement.
It had never been promised never been Richard's compensation.
It had never been part of a business arrangement.
It had never been promised to Harper.
Frank had lent Richard money, and Richard had signed an to Harper.
Frank had lent Richard money, and Richard had signed an acknowledgment that the loan gave him no rights to our property.
Then he had tried to use our acknowledgment that the loan gave him no rights to our property.
Then he had tried to use our condo to settle a debt he had never repaid.
My condo to settle a debt he had never repaid.
My anger was no longer hot.
It was cold and steady.
Samuel asked Thomas to prepare certified copies.
We also discussed a formal demand for repayment, separate from anger was no longer hot.
It was cold and steady.
Samuel asked Thomas to prepare certified copies.
We also discussed a formal demand for repayment, separate from the property dispute.
On our way out, Daniel walked beside me.
"Mom, I don't know what to say.""
"You the property dispute.
On our way out, Daniel walked beside me.
"Mom, I don't know what to say.""
"You don't have to say anything.""
"I should have recognized don't have to say anything.""
"I should have recognized what Harper was doing.""
"You trusted your wife.""
He shook his head.
"I trusted her with your what Harper was doing.""
"You trusted your wife.""
He shook his head.
"I trusted her with your home.""
I stopped walking.
"Daniel, you didn't give her permission to sell it home.""
I stopped walking.
"Daniel, you didn't give her permission to sell it.""
"But I should have asked more questions when.""
"But I should have asked more questions when she started talking about you moving.""
I looked at him.
"Then she started talking about you moving.""
I looked at him.
"Then learn from it. Don't spend the rest of your life punishing yourself for something you learn from it. Don't spend the rest of your life punishing yourself for something you didn't know.""
He nodded.
When we reached the parking lot, my phone didn't know.""
He nodded.
When we reached the parking lot, my phone rang.
It was Catherine.
She had stayed behind at Thomas's office to collect rang.
It was Catherine.
She had stayed behind at Thomas's office to collect her belongings.
"Barbara, I need to tell you something else.""
"What her belongings.
"Barbara, I need to tell you something else.""
"What is it?""
"I found a second folder in Richard's cabinet.""
I waited.
"It is it?""
"I found a second folder in Richard's cabinet.""
I waited.
"It contains a list of properties.""
"Whose properties?""
"Several people contains a list of properties.""
"Whose properties?""
"Several people. Some belong to relatives. Some belong to older clients Richard used.
Some belong to relatives. Some belong to older clients Richard used to advise.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why would he have a list like that?""
"I to advise.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why would he have a list like that?""
"I don't know. But beside each name, there are notes about estimated value, family access, and possible sale don't know. But beside each name, there are notes about estimated value, family access, and possible sale opportunities.""
I looked at Daniel.
He had heard enough to understand.
"Was my opportunities.""
I looked at Daniel.
He had heard enough to understand.
"Was my name on it?"" I asked.
Catherine hesitated.
"Yes.""
"What did it say?""
Her voice dropped.
"Barbara Mitchell name on it?"" I asked.
Catherine hesitated.
"Yes.""
"What did it say?""
Her voice dropped.
"Barbara Mitchell. Unit 604. Owner reluctant. Family pressure required.""
. Unit 604. Owner reluctant. Family pressure required.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"Family pressure?""
"There's more.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"Family pressure?""
"There's more.""
She paused.
"Beside your name, Richard wrote a date.""
"What date?""
"November seventeenth.""
IShe paused.
"Beside your name, Richard wrote a date.""
"What date?""
"November seventeenth.""
I checked the calendar on my phone.
November seventeenth was six days away.
C checked the calendar on my phone.
November seventeenth was six days away.
Catherine continued.
"Under the date, he wrote: FINAL TRANSFER.""
I looked at Daniel.
Theatherine continued.
"Under the date, he wrote: FINAL TRANSFER.""
I looked at Daniel.
The property sale had been stopped.
The buyer had withdrawn.
The trust had been verified.
Yet property sale had been stopped.
The buyer had withdrawn.
The trust had been verified.
Yet Richard had still marked a date for something to happen.
I called Samuel back immediately.
When Richard had still marked a date for something to happen.
I called Samuel back immediately.
When I told him, he went silent.
Then he asked one question.
"Did Catherine I told him, he went silent.
Then he asked one question.
"Did Catherine say whether the folder contained any instructions?""
say whether the folder contained any instructions?""
"She hasn't"She hasn't told me.""
I heard Catherine breathing on the other end.
Then she said:
"Yes. There was a note clipped to the last page.""
"What did it say?""
Her answer came in a whisper.
"Transfer the told me.""
I heard Catherine breathing on the other end.
Then she said:
"Yes. There was a note clipped to the last page.""
"What did it say?""
May you like
Her answer came in a whisper.
"Transfer the condo before Barbara discovers the second trust.""
