Chapter 6: The Second Victim
"Who else did she use?""
Melissa hesitated.
"Her father's.""
I glanced toward Ethan.
He had gone completely still.
"Richard?"" I asked.
"No. Her father, Mr. Harrington. She used his financial information too.""
I lowered myself into the nearest chair.
"Does Richard know?""
"I don't think so. At least, not everything.""
I heard a door close on Melissa's end.
"Mrs. Collins, I can't talk long. Brooke told me to prepare several financial documents before Christmas. She said they were routine guarantees for the company's expansion.""
"And you prepared them?""
"I prepared the paperwork. I didn't sign anything on anyone's behalf.""
"Then how did my signature get there?""
Melissa took a shaky breath.
"Brooke gave me a scanned signature image from an old document. She told me to place it on the guarantee.""
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
Not a misunderstanding.
Not a clerical error.
A deliberate instruction.
"Did you know she didn't have my permission?""
"At the time, she told me you had already approved everything. I believed her.""
"And now?""
"Now I know she lied.""
I looked at Ethan.
He was staring at the floor.
"Melissa, why are you calling me?""
"Because last night, after you left, Brooke told me to destroy the working files. She said the originals had to disappear before the bank requested them.""
My stomach tightened.
"Did you destroy them?""
"No.""
"Where are they?""
"I saved copies.""
I gripped the phone.
"Can you send them to me?""
"I can't send them to a personal number. But I can meet with you and your attorney.""
I nodded, even though she couldn't see me.
"All right.""
"There's one more thing.""
"What?""
"Brooke didn't just use your name for the guarantee.""
I stopped breathing.
"What else did she do?""
"She listed your house as an asset available for collateral.""
I stared at the kitchen wall.
"My house?""
"Yes. The property address was included in the supporting documents.""
I felt as if someone had pulled the floor from beneath me.
This was the house Robert and I had bought when Ethan was six.
We'd spent years paying the mortgage. Robert had repaired the roof himself, replaced the kitchen cabinets, and planted the magnolia tree outside the front window.
It wasn't a luxury home.
It was our home.
And Brooke had placed it inside a financial agreement without asking me.
"Melissa," I whispered, "did the bank accept it?""
"I don't know. The application was still being reviewed.""
"Thank you for telling me.""
"Please be careful, Mrs. Collins. Brooke is furious about the missing paperwork.""
The call ended.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Then Ethan spoke.
"Mom...""
I turned toward him.
"Did you know she listed my house?""
He rubbed his face.
"She said it was just for financial verification.""
"Verification?""
"She wasn't actually going to take your house.""
"How do you know?""
He didn't answer.
I stood up.
"Get out.""
"Mom, please.""
"Get out of my house, Ethan.""
He rose slowly.
"I can fix this.""
"You've had weeks to fix it.""
"I didn't know how far Brooke had gone.""
"But you knew enough to come here and ask me to stay quiet.""
He swallowed.
"I was trying to protect you.""
I shook my head.
"No. You were trying to protect your company.""
He reached for my hand.
I stepped away.
"Your father and I taught you better than this.""
His eyes became wet.
"I know.""
"Then why did you do it?""
He looked at me for a long moment.
"Because I was scared.""
I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
"Fear doesn't give you permission to steal from your mother.""
He left without another word.
I locked the door behind him.
Then I called Richard.
He answered on the second ring.
"Margaret?""
"Richard, I need to tell you something. Brooke used your financial information too.""
There was a long silence.
"What?""
"Melissa, her assistant, called me. She says Brooke prepared documents using your information and mine.""
Richard's voice changed.
"Where is Melissa?""
"She's willing to meet with us.""
"Don't meet her alone. I'll arrange for my attorney to join us.""
"Richard, I also need to know something. Did you ever give Brooke permission to use your name?""
"No.""
His answer was immediate.
Then he said something that made my stomach turn.
"Margaret, there's something I haven't told you.""
"What?""
"Three weeks ago, Brooke asked me to transfer money into Ethan's company. She said it was for a short-term operating expense.""
"Did you?""
"No. I asked for financial statements first.""
"And?""
"I found discrepancies. That's why I stopped the transfer.""
I sat down.
"How much did she ask for?""
"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.""
I covered my mouth.
Richard continued.
"She told me the business was profitable and that the money would be returned within sixty days.""
"Did Ethan know?""
"I believe he did.""
I stared at the family photograph on my mantel.
Robert stood in the center, holding a six-year-old Ethan on his shoulders. I was beside them, laughing at something outside the frame.
We looked so happy.
So certain that love would be enough to hold everything together.
"Richard," I said quietly, "I think we need to find out exactly what Brooke has been doing.""
"I agree.""
He paused.
"And Margaret?""
"Yes?""
"Don't let Ethan or Brooke know about Melissa's evidence until we've secured it.""
I promised I wouldn't.
That afternoon, I drove to a small law office in downtown Raleigh.
Richard's attorney, a woman named Patricia Wells, met us in a conference room.
She was in her early sixties, wore rectangular glasses, and had a calm, precise way of speaking.
After listening to everything, she placed her pen on the table.
"Mrs. Collins, I want you to understand that you are not responsible for obligations you never authorized simply because someone used your name.""
"Can they still take my house?""
"Not based on a forged signature alone. But we need to act quickly to protect your interests.""
She asked me to bring every document Ethan had given me.
I handed her the folded guarantee.
She studied it carefully.
Then she pointed to a section near the bottom.
"Do you recognize this account number?""
I shook my head.
Patricia turned the paper toward Richard.
"Mr. Harrington, do you?""
Richard leaned closer.
His face changed.
"That's my private investment account.""
Patricia nodded.
"According to this document, both of you are listed as guarantors.""
I felt sick.
Then Patricia turned to another page.
"There's something even more concerning. This application was submitted to the bank on October 14.""
I looked at her.
"That's the day I was at the hospital with my sister.""
"Correct.""
Richard leaned forward.
"And the electronic submission time?""
Patricia checked the page.
"October 14, at 2:36 p.m.""
I stared at the date.
Then I noticed a second name in the electronic authorization section.
Melissa Grant.
Patricia picked up her phone.
"I want to speak with her before we make any decisions.""
But before she could dial, Richard's phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
It was Brooke.
He answered on speaker.
"Hello, Brooke.""
Her voice was unusually calm.
"Dad, I need you to come home. There's been a misunderstanding.""
Richard said nothing.
She continued.
"Margaret has been talking to people who don't understand our situation. I think she's confused about some paperwork.""
Patricia quietly began recording notes.
Richard asked, "What paperwork?""
"The guarantee. I explained everything to Margaret. She agreed to help Ethan. She's just upset because of Christmas.""
I leaned forward.
"Brooke, I never agreed to use my house as collateral.""
A sharp silence followed.
Then Brooke said something I will never forget.
"Margaret, you should be careful about accusing people. You might not like what comes out when we start examining your own financial history.""
Patricia stopped writing.
Richard's face hardened.
"What exactly are you threatening?""
"I'm not threatening anyone, Dad. I'm simply saying that some family secrets should remain private.""
The call ended.
I looked at Patricia.
"What did she mean by my financial history?""
Patricia didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she turned the guarantee over and examined the last page.
There, beneath a list of supporting assets, was a reference to an account I hadn't thought about in years.
An account Robert had opened for Ethan when he was a child.
An account I believed had been closed decades ago.
Patricia looked up.
"Mrs. Collins, do you know whether your late husband ever established an education trust for your son?""
I nodded slowly.
"Yes. But we closed it when Ethan finished college.""
Patricia tapped the page.
"According to this application, that trust is still active.""
My blood ran cold.
Because if the trust was active, someone had been accessing it.
And if someone had been accessing it, the money Robert had saved for our son's future might not have disappeared when the account was supposedly closed.
May you like
It might have been stolen much more recently.
And I was beginning to suspect that Brooke's Christmas party was only the latest chapter in a much longer betrayal.
