Chapter 5: The Woman at the Bank
The bank opened at nine.
I arrived at 8:47 with Isaiah beside me and Malcolm on speakerphone.
He had barely slept.
Neither had I.
Isaiah carried the blue folder we'd bought that morning. It was the first new school item that had actually been purchased for him.
He kept touching the zipper like he was afraid someone might take it away.
Inside the bank, a manager named Daniel led us into a small conference room.
He placed a thick file on the table.
“Mr. Carter requested these records,” Daniel said.
I nodded.
“I need to understand how my signature ended up on this account.””
Daniel looked at me carefully.
“Mrs. Carter, do you recognize this authorization form?””
“No.””
“Did you ever visit this branch?””
“I've banked here for years.””
“Did you come in with Emily?””
“Yes. Once.””
“When?””
“About four years ago.””
Daniel opened another file.
“That's important.””
He slid a photocopy toward me.
It was an account authorization dated three years later.
My name was on it.
My supposed signature was underneath.
But I noticed something else.
The witness line.
*Tasha Williams.*
I looked up.
“Why is my daughter-in-law listed as the witness?””
Daniel's expression changed.
“That's what raised a flag during our internal review.””
“What flag?””
“The authorization was processed by an employee who no longer works here.””
“Why?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Fraud.””
My skin prickled.
“What kind?””
“Document manipulation.””
Malcolm's voice came through the speaker.
“Daniel, does the bank have security footage?””
“From that date? Yes, potentially.””
“Can we see it?””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not without proper authorization.””
I leaned forward.
“What can you tell us?””
He opened another folder.
“The account was originally restricted to education expenses.””
“Then how were withdrawals allowed?””
“Someone changed the account classification.””
“When?””
“Three days before the first withdrawal.””
“Who requested the change?””
Daniel looked at the paperwork.
“Your daughter-in-law.””
I felt a slow chill move through me.
“Tasha?””
“Yes.””
Isaiah's fingers tightened around the blue folder.
“Grandma?””
I reached for his hand.
Daniel continued.
“She presented identification and a notarized authorization.””
“From me?””
“Yes.””
“But I never gave her authorization.””
Daniel nodded.
“That appears to be the issue.””
He turned another page.
“The notary's name is here.””
I recognized it.
My neighbor.
Mrs. Reynolds.
I had known her for twenty years.
I called her immediately.
She answered on the third ring.
“Evelyn?””
“Did you notarize a document for me three years ago?””
Silence.
“What document?””
“An authorization for Emily's education account.””
Her voice changed.
“Oh.””
“You remember?””
“Yes.””
My heart began pounding.
“Was I there?””
“No.””
The room went completely still.
“Then why is my name on it?””
Mrs. Reynolds took a shaky breath.
“Because Tasha brought it to me.””
“Did she say I signed it?””
“She said you had signed it earlier.””
“Did you see me sign?””
“No.””
“Then why did you notarize it?””
“She showed me a copy of your driver's license.””
I closed my eyes.
“Did she say why?””
“She said you were sick and couldn't come.””
“I wasn't sick.””
“I know that now.””
I looked at Malcolm.
He was silent on the phone.
Then Mrs. Reynolds said something that made my blood run cold.
“She also told me you had asked her to manage Isaiah's money because Malcolm was irresponsible.””
My chair scraped against the floor.
“I never said that.””
“I know.””
“How?””
“Because a week later, I saw you at the grocery store.””
“And?””
“You asked me why I hadn't called you.””
I swallowed.
“What did you tell me?””
“You said you had no idea what I was talking about.””
I looked at the bank manager.
“Can you preserve all records related to this account?””
Daniel nodded.
“We can.””
“Do that.””
As we stood to leave, Daniel called after me.
“Mrs. Carter.””
I turned.
“There is one more document.””
He handed me a photocopy.
“This was submitted when the account was first changed.””
I read the heading.
*Beneficiary Change Request.*
My eyes moved down the page.
Isaiah was removed as the sole beneficiary.
A new beneficiary had been added.
I read the name twice.
Then a third time.
It wasn't Tasha.
It wasn't Jordan.
It wasn't Ava.
It was *Malcolm Carter.*
I looked at my son through the phone speaker.
“Malcolm…”
His voice was confused.
“What?””
I held the paper tighter.
“Why did you make yourself the beneficiary of Emily's money?””
“I didn't.””
Then Daniel quietly said,
“Mrs. Carter, the signature authorizing that change is not your son's.””
I looked at the page.
It was Tasha's handwriting.
May you like
And beside it was a date.
The same day Emily had died.
