Chapter 4: The Name on the Insurance Policy
"Mrs. Sarah Carter.""
I stopped breathing.
The insurance representative repeated the name.
"The ownership transfer request lists your wife, Sarah Carter, as the proposed new policy owner. The beneficiary change request lists the same individual.""
I slowly lowered the phone.
Sarah looked at me.
"What?""
I couldn't speak.
Emily stood up.
"Michael? What's wrong?""
I stared at my wife.
"Why is your name on my insurance paperwork?""
Sarah's face lost its color.
"What are you talking about?""
I held out the phone.
"Apparently, you've been trying to take control of my policy.""
She shook her head immediately.
"No. Michael, I swear I didn't do that.""
Emily looked between us.
"But the woman said Mom's name.""
Sarah grabbed the document from my hand.
Her fingers trembled as she examined the printed details.
Then she noticed something.
"Oh, my God.""
"What?""
She pointed to the signature.
"That's not mine.""
I took another look.
The signature was almost perfect. The same curve in the S. The same long stroke across the final letters.
But something was wrong.
Sarah had always signed her name with a small dot beneath the final letter. Whoever had copied it had forgotten that detail.
"Someone forged your signature?"" I asked.
Sarah nodded.
"Michael, I would never do this.""
Emily crossed her arms.
"Then who would?""
Nobody answered.
I called the insurance company back and requested that both transactions be frozen immediately.
The representative agreed to flag the account for suspected fraud.
"Mr. Carter, we'll need you to complete an identity verification process and file a formal dispute. Please don't sign any additional documents until the investigation is complete.""
"I understand.""
After ending the call, I looked at Sarah.
"How did Richard know about my policy?""
She lowered her eyes.
"I think I know.""
"Then tell me.""
Sarah sat down.
"About three months ago, Richard contacted me.""
Emily's expression hardened.
"You've been talking to him?""
"Only because he kept asking questions about Michael.""
"What kind of questions?""
Sarah swallowed.
"He wanted to know whether Michael had made arrangements for his estate. He asked about the house, the savings account, and whether you were still listed as the insurance beneficiary.""
I felt something cold settle in my stomach.
"And you didn't think to tell me?""
"I didn't know what he was planning.""
"You knew he was interested in my money.""
Sarah started crying.
"I thought he wanted to reconnect with Emily.""
Emily laughed bitterly.
"Mom, he didn't even know what college I applied to until yesterday.""
Sarah looked at her daughter.
"I know.""
"Then why did you let him get close to me?""
"Because I was afraid you'd blame me if I kept you away from him.""
Emily turned her face.
For a moment, I saw the little girl who used to hide behind my legs whenever strangers came to the door.
Only now she was eighteen, and the stranger had become the man she'd called her real father.
I pulled a chair beside Sarah.
"Who had access to our financial documents?""
She hesitated.
"Richard came to the house once.""
"When?""
"About six weeks ago.""
I stared at her.
"You invited him into our house?""
"He said he wanted to talk about Emily's college expenses.""
"Sarah...""
"I know. I should have told you.""
Emily stood up.
"Wait. You let him into the house while Michael was working?""
Sarah nodded.
Emily's face crumpled.
"That's where he got the papers.""
Sarah didn't respond.
Then Emily suddenly remembered something.
"Mom, remember when I posted the graduation invitation online?""
Sarah looked at her.
"What about it?""
"Richard messaged me that night. He asked if Michael was going to be there.""
"Why?""
Emily shook her head.
"He said he wanted to make sure we could have a family picture together. He also asked where Michael worked and what time he usually got home.""
My blood ran cold.
Richard hadn't simply returned to attend a graduation.
He had been gathering information.
My phone vibrated again.
An email notification appeared.
*Subject: Urgent — Insurance Ownership Dispute*
I opened it.
Attached was a scanned copy of the ownership transfer request.
But this time, I noticed something beneath Sarah's forged signature.
A second signature.
A witness.
I zoomed in.
The name belonged to a man named Daniel Brooks.
My younger brother.
I stared at the screen.
Daniel had been dead for eleven months.
Emily looked over my shoulder.
"Michael, who is that?""
I couldn't take my eyes off the document.
"Someone who couldn't possibly have signed it.""
Sarah covered her mouth.
Then another message arrived.
This one was from Richard.
*You should have accepted my offer. Now you've made this much more complicated than it needed to be.*
I read it aloud.
Sarah stood abruptly.
"We need to call the police.""
But before I could respond, Emily took my hand.
"Michael, there's something else.""
Her voice was barely audible.
"Richard told me something yesterday. He said he had a surprise waiting for me after graduation.""
"What surprise?""
Emily reached into her graduation purse.
She pulled out a folded piece of paper.
It was a printed bank statement.
And at the top was an account number I recognized.
It belonged to an account my brother Daniel and I had opened years ago.
An account that had been closed shortly before his death.
Emily pointed to the final transaction.
"Richard said this money was supposed to be mine.""
I stared at the amount.
May you like
$85,000.
And the withdrawal date was three weeks after Daniel died.
