Chapter 5: The Meeting They Planned Without Me
Richard ended the call without answering the title company.
Then he placed his phone on the desk.
"Nobody is transferring anything," he said.
Tiffany stepped toward him.
"Dad, don't make decisions when you're angry.""
"Angry? You used my company to send fifty thousand dollars to people who apparently had no authority to sell the property!""
"We had an agreement.""
"With whom?""
She pointed at Daniel.
"He handled everything.""
Richard turned toward my son.
"Daniel, did your mother sign a purchase agreement?""
Daniel's silence was enough.
Richard sat down heavily.
"Good Lord.""
I remained standing.
"Mr. Reynolds, have you finished printing the documents?""
"Almost, Mrs. Bennett.""
"Please make sure every email, attachment, and authorization record is included.""
Tiffany grabbed her purse.
"I'm leaving.""
Richard blocked the doorway.
"You're not leaving until you explain where my company's money went.""
She stared at him.
"Move.""
"Not until you answer me.""
Daniel stepped between them.
"Can everybody calm down?""
I looked at him.
"You've been asking everyone to calm down all evening. Perhaps you should try telling the truth instead.""
He lowered his head.
Richard pulled out a chair.
"Sit down, Tiffany.""
For a moment, she looked like she might slap someone again.
Instead, she sat.
Mr. Reynolds returned with a thick stack of papers.
"Mrs. Bennett, these are the records we received from the financing company and the additional wedding authorization.""
I began turning the pages.
The first few were familiar.
My address.
The property description.
The loan amount.
Then I found an email dated four months earlier.
It had been sent from Tiffany's business account to a financing representative.
The subject line read:
*URGENT—ESTATE DOCUMENTATION ATTACHED.*
I read the message twice.
It said:
The surviving spouse is elderly and unlikely to interfere. Her son is handling the family financial matters. We can provide all required signatures.
I felt my throat tighten.
"Who wrote this?""
Tiffany stared at the wall.
Richard leaned over my shoulder.
His face darkened as he read.
"Did you write that?""
She crossed her legs.
"It was a business email.""
"Did you write it?""
"Yes.""
The room went silent.
I looked at Daniel.
"Did you know she described me that way?""
He shook his head.
"I never saw that email.""
I believed he might not have seen that particular message.
But that didn't make him innocent.
I continued reading.
Another email contained a list of documents required for the loan.
Among them were:
- Walter's death certificate. - My property deed. - A power of attorney.
- Proof of income. - A copy of my driver's license.
I recognized the driver's license immediately.
It was an old copy Daniel had taken when he helped me renew my car insurance.
My hands began shaking.
"Where did you get this?""
Daniel looked at the paper.
"I had it from the insurance paperwork.""
"You kept a copy?""
"Mom, I didn't think—"
"You didn't think I'd notice my identity being used?""
He closed his eyes.
Tiffany suddenly leaned forward.
"Margaret, you're acting like we were strangers. We were family. We had access to those documents because you trusted Daniel.""
That sentence hurt more than the slap.
She was right about one thing.
I had trusted him.
I had given my son access to my home, my paperwork, and my life.
I had never imagined he'd use that trust against me.
Richard stood.
"I want my fifty thousand dollars back.""
Tiffany's expression changed.
"You can't demand that.""
"I absolutely can.""
"The money was already allocated.""
"Allocated to what?""
She hesitated.
Daniel looked at her.
"Tiffany, tell him.""
She snapped.
"Don't tell me what to do!""
Richard slapped his palm against the desk.
"Enough!""
The office fell silent.
He looked at his daughter with a mixture of anger and disbelief.
"Did you use my company's money to pay for this wedding?""
Tiffany didn't answer.
Richard turned toward Mr. Reynolds.
"How much did the wedding cost?""
Mr. Reynolds checked his records.
"Approximately seventy-three thousand dollars in total, including the original package, additional services, and deposits.""
I frowned.
"Seventy-three thousand?""
I'd paid forty-five thousand from my savings.
Daniel had told me the remaining expenses were being covered by Tiffany's family.
Richard looked at the invoices.
Then he slowly sat down.
"Margaret, I need to tell you something.""
He took a folded sheet from his jacket.
"This is the original payment schedule my company approved for the development project.""
I studied it.
There were three transfers listed.
Fifty thousand dollars.
Eighteen thousand dollars.
And another twenty-five thousand dollars.
The total was ninety-three thousand.
I looked at Daniel.
"Where did the other twenty-five thousand go?""
He said nothing.
Richard tapped the final line.
"Because this transfer was made to an account in your son's name.""
My stomach dropped.
Then he turned the page.
There was a note beneath the payment schedule.
*SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS: DO NOT CONTACT PROPERTY OWNER UNTIL TITLE TRANSFER IS COMPLETE.*
I looked up.
"Who wrote that?""
Richard pointed to the initials.
T.B.
Tiffany Bennett.
May you like
And beneath those initials was a handwritten instruction that made even Richard step backward.
*If Margaret asks questions, tell her the land is already in probate.*
