Chapter 4: The $150,000 Agreement
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
Derek Collins was still on the phone.
"Michael? You still there?""
"Tell me exactly what happened to Sarah.""
"Not over the phone.""
"Then tell me where to meet you.""
"There's a diner on Peachtree Street. The one beside the old auto dealership. Thirty minutes.""
I glanced at Brianna.
She was watching me with frightened eyes.
"One more thing," I said.
"If you're lying to me, I'll make sure the bank investigation includes your name.""
Derek chuckled.
"Trust me, Michael. I'm already worried about that.""
He hung up.
I drove to the diner alone.
Derek was sitting in a booth at the back, wearing a navy jacket and a silver watch. He was in his late forties, with thinning hair and a carefully trimmed beard.
A cup of coffee sat untouched in front of him.
He stood when I approached.
"Michael.""
I didn't shake his hand.
"Start talking.""
Derek glanced toward the waitress.
"Coffee?""
"No.""
"Then maybe you should sit down. This isn't going to be a pleasant conversation.""
I slid into the booth.
"Neither was finding out my daughter had been robbed.""
Derek nodded slowly.
"I understand.""
"No, you don't. You have no idea what you've done.""
He reached into his jacket and removed a brown envelope.
"I have something you need to see.""
Inside were photocopies of bank statements, emails, and the original agreement Brianna had photographed.
I recognized Vanessa's signature immediately.
The document was more detailed than the photograph suggested.
It contained several paragraphs about financial access, guardianship, and compensation.
I read one section twice.
"You're entitled to receive $150,000 if Vanessa successfully obtains financial control over the assets designated for Emily Carter.""
My fingers tightened around the page.
"You're saying my wife promised you $150,000?""
"She did.""
"For what?""
"Helping her.""
"Helping her do what?""
Derek leaned forward.
"Your wife wanted security. She knew you had a paid-off house, a good salary, and an education fund established for your daughter. She also knew that you trusted her.""
I stared at him.
"You're telling me this was planned before our wedding?""
"Yes.""
"Why would Vanessa need you?""
Derek gave a humorless laugh.
"Because I knew how to handle paperwork. I knew which banks to approach. And I knew how to make certain documents look legitimate.""
My stomach turned.
"Did you forge my signature?""
He looked down at his coffee.
"I helped arrange some documents.""
"That's not what I asked.""
"Yes.""
I stood so quickly that the table shook.
"You forged my signature?""
"Sit down, Michael. You're not helping yourself by shouting.""
I leaned toward him.
"You used my daughter's future to pay yourself!""
Derek didn't flinch.
"Your wife made the decisions. I just received the money.""
"You're her accomplice.""
"Maybe. But I'm not the one who married you and slept beside you every night.""
That sentence stopped me.
He opened another folder.
"There's something else. The $86,000 from Emily's account wasn't the only money involved.""
I slowly sat down.
"What else?""
"Sixty-four thousand dollars.""
I stared at him.
"Where did that come from?""
"Your house.""
My mouth went dry.
Derek pulled out a document bearing the name of a lending company.
It was a home-equity credit agreement.
My property had been used as collateral.
The principal amount was $64,000.
And beside the borrower's name was Michael Carter.
I examined the signature.
It was another imitation.
"Vanessa took out a loan against my house?""
"She applied for it about five months ago. Your property was debt-free, so the loan was approved.""
"Where did the money go?""
Derek tapped the table.
"Thirty-two thousand went toward Brianna's car. Some went toward Vanessa's personal expenses. The remaining amount covered payments she owed.""
I could barely hear him over the pounding in my ears.
"Payments to whom?""
He hesitated.
"Me.""
I stared at him.
"Then you've received the full $150,000.""
"Not quite. Some of the loan money went through accounts I don't control. But the agreement says I'm entitled to the entire amount.""
I pushed the papers away.
"You're both disgusting.""
Derek didn't argue.
Instead, he reached into his jacket again and took out a small flash drive.
"This is why I'm talking to you.""
I looked at it.
"What's on there?""
"Emails. Payment records. Copies of the documents Vanessa sent me.""
"Why give them to me?""
"Because she's stopped answering my calls. And I don't intend to take the fall for everything.""
I picked up the flash drive.
Then I noticed a date on one of the emails.
It was dated seven years earlier.
The subject line read:
*Sarah Carter — Urgent Financial Discovery.*
My entire body went still.
"What is this?""
Derek looked toward the window.
"Your first wife discovered the arrangement.""
"How?""
"She found a copy of the original agreement while Vanessa was preparing the paperwork.""
"You're saying Sarah knew?""
"She knew someone was trying to gain control of Emily's future.""
I leaned closer.
"What happened when she confronted Vanessa?""
Derek rubbed his forehead.
"Sarah called me three days before she died.""
My heart began racing.
"What did she say?""
"She told me she'd found evidence that your signature had been copied. She said she was going to take everything to a lawyer.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Vanessa threatened to expose my involvement, too.""
I stared at the man across from me.
"Did you know Sarah was going to die?""
Derek's expression changed.
"No. And before you ask, I had nothing to do with her accident.""
I hadn't even asked that question.
He slid one final item across the table.
It was a printed email from Sarah.
The timestamp was November 18, the week she died.
The message contained only one sentence:
*Derek, I know what Vanessa is planning, and I have proof. If anything happens to me, make sure Michael finds the envelope.*
I looked up.
"What envelope?""
Derek swallowed.
"The one Sarah left with her attorney.""
"Who is the attorney?""
"Karen Whitmore.""
I recognized the name.
Sarah's estate lawyer.
Derek stood and put on his jacket.
"You should see her, Michael.""
I grabbed his sleeve.
"Wait. One more question.""
He turned.
"Why did Vanessa need $150,000?""
Derek's face hardened.
"Because that was only the amount she promised me.""
"What do you mean?""
He looked directly into my eyes.
"Your wife planned to take much more than that. The original agreement includes a second stage.""
May you like
He paused.
"Once she gained control over Emily's money, she intended to make sure you couldn't challenge her.""
