Chapter 7: The Business Partner Who Didn't Exist
“Tell me exactly what you mean by that,” I said.
On the other end of the phone, Gregory Shaw exhaled slowly.
“I mean Daniel told me the lake house was being purchased through a legitimate investment company. He said you were providing the capital, he was managing the property, and I would receive a percentage of the profits for arranging the financing.””
“And you believed him?””
“I saw documents bearing your signature. I also spoke to Daniel's attorney—or someone he introduced as his attorney. I had no reason to assume the paperwork was fraudulent.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who was the attorney?””
“Lauren Pierce.””
I looked at Robert.
He mouthed the name silently.
Lauren was Daniel's ex-wife.
“She's not an attorney,” I said.
“She works as a property consultant.””
Gregory went quiet.
Then he muttered, “Oh, my God.””
I pulled out a chair and sat down.
“Mr. Shaw, did you transfer any money?””
“Yes. Twenty thousand dollars.””
The room seemed to shrink around me.
“Where did you send it?””
“To the purchasing company's business account. Daniel told me the funds would cover inspection costs, legal fees, and the initial property expenses.””
“Do you have proof?””
“Every transfer. Every email. Every message. I've already sent some of it to my accountant because I started getting suspicious last week.””
“What made you suspicious?””
“Daniel stopped answering questions about the ownership structure. When I asked for a copy of the final purchase agreement, he told me the documents were confidential. Then I discovered that the company name on my guarantee didn't match the company listed on the property records.””
I opened my laptop.
“Can you send me everything you have?””
“I can send it to your attorney. I don't want to compromise anything if this becomes a legal matter.””
“That would be best.””
Before we ended the call, Gregory added something that made my skin crawl.
“Mrs. Sarah, there's another investor. Someone who transferred considerably more than I did.””
“Who?””
“Daniel said it was a private investor who wanted to remain anonymous.””
“Did you ever see that person's name?””
“No. But I saw a payment confirmation attached to an email. The amount was eighty-five thousand dollars.””
My blood ran cold.
The exact amount Daniel had attempted to take from my savings.
“Was the payment made?””
“I couldn't tell. The confirmation showed a pending transaction, not a completed one.””
“Can you send me that email?””
“Yes.””
When the call ended, Robert sat across from me with both hands wrapped around his untouched coffee.
“Daniel told me Gregory was wealthy,” he said.
“He said Gregory had connections in commercial real estate.””
“Maybe Gregory believed he was investing in a real company.””
“But who was the other investor?””
I stared at the documents on my screen.
“I don't know yet.””
My attorney called shortly afterward. I put her on speaker and explained the conversation.
“Do not contact Daniel about Gregory's statements,” she warned.
“Let us collect the records and verify the claims independently. We also need to ensure that the lender receives formal notice that your guarantee is disputed.””
“Could Daniel have taken out loans in my name?””
“It's possible that he submitted applications, but we cannot assume any were approved. We'll contact the relevant institutions and review your credit records through the proper channels.””
She paused.
“Sarah, I want you to prepare yourself. The evidence may reveal more than one attempted transaction.””
I glanced at the documents scattered across the kitchen table.
“I think I'm already there.””
By noon, my attorney had received Gregory's initial records. She called me back after reviewing them.
“There's a serious inconsistency,” she said.
“What is it?””
“The company identified in the financing documents was incorporated recently. The company named in the property reservation was established several years ago. They have different registration details, different listed managers, and different bank accounts.””
“So Daniel used two companies?””
“It appears that way. We need to determine why.””
“Could that be a mistake?””
“It could be an administrative error, but combined with the disputed signatures and the unauthorized funding request, it warrants careful investigation.””
I looked toward Robert.
He had stood up and was pacing beside the kitchen window.
“There's something else,” I told my attorney.
“Gregory said another investor was supposed to contribute $85,000.””
“I saw that reference in the records. The payment confirmation is incomplete, so we cannot yet establish whether funds were transferred or who initiated the transaction.””
“Can we identify the account?””
“Not from the document Gregory provided. We'll request additional records through the appropriate legal channels.””
After we hung up, I made myself eat half the pastry Robert had brought.
Then my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I nearly let it go to voicemail, but I wanted to know what she would say now that the closing had been suspended.
“Sarah, finally!””
Her voice was sharp and breathless.
“Daniel says you contacted the bank and stopped the entire transaction.””
“The bank stopped a transfer I never authorized.””
“You've ruined everything!””
“What exactly have I ruined, Vanessa?””
“The lake house! The contract! The investment!””
“Then explain why my name appears on documents I never signed.””
She went silent.
I waited.
Finally, she said, “Daniel told me you had agreed.””
“Did you see me sign anything?””
“No.””
“Did you ask me?””
“No, but—”
“Then why did you accept a management position in a company funded by my savings?””
Her breathing became uneven.
“Because Daniel said the house would belong to the family!””
“Which family? The documents say you and Daniel control the company. They don't give me ownership.””
“He said that was temporary!””
“Did he tell you that I was supposed to relinquish my marital claims?””
Another silence.
This one lasted longer.
“Vanessa?””
“I didn't understand all the legal language.””
“But you knew my money was involved.””
“Yes.””
“And you agreed to receive a management fee?””
She began crying.
“I thought we'd all benefit.””
“Did you know about the attempted loan against my home?””
“No!””
Her answer came so quickly that I believed she was genuinely shocked.
Then she said something that changed the direction of the conversation.
“Sarah, you need to ask Daniel about the storage unit.””
I straightened.
“What storage unit?””
Vanessa sniffed.
“The one he rented six months ago. He keeps boxes of paperwork there. He told me it was for his old business records.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know the exact address. I only know it's near the airport.””
“Why are you telling me this?””
“Because I didn't know he was doing all this behind your back.””
I looked at Robert.
He had stopped pacing.
“Vanessa, did you ever go inside that unit?””
“Yes. Once.””
“What did you see?””
“Boxes. Files. A laptop. And a stack of envelopes with different people's names on them.””
My fingers went numb.
“Different people's names?””
“Yes.””
“Whose names?””
“I didn't look closely.””
“Vanessa, think.””
She began crying harder.
“I remember one envelope because Daniel got angry when I picked it up. It had your name on it.””
I closed my eyes.
“Sarah,” she whispered, “I think you should find out what's in that storage unit before he gets there first.””
The call ended.
For several minutes, neither Robert nor I spoke.
Then my attorney called again.
“Sarah, we have an update. The bank has confirmed that the $85,000 transfer remains blocked, and the lender has placed the disputed guarantee under review.””
“That is good news.””
“It is. However, Gregory's records suggest Daniel may have been soliciting investments through more than one company.””
I thought about Vanessa's warning.
“Would it be appropriate for my attorney to arrange a lawful review of documents connected to the transaction?””
“We can pursue records through the proper channels. If you believe evidence may be destroyed, tell me immediately so we can consider the available legal options.””
I thanked her and ended the call.
Then I searched my email for references to Daniel's old business.
I found a rental confirmation from six months earlier, forwarded to me by mistake. It listed a storage facility near Nashville International Airport.
The unit number was 214.
The rental account was in Daniel's name.
I sent the confirmation to my attorney.
She replied almost immediately.
*Do not enter the unit or remove anything without confirming your legal rights. We will determine the appropriate next step.*
I read the message twice.
Then another email appeared.
It was from Gregory.
He had forwarded a document he had forgotten to include in his earlier message.
The file was titled *Investor Allocation Schedule*.
I opened it.
There were four names on the first page.
Daniel.
Vanessa.
Lauren.
Gregory.
I scrolled down.
At the bottom of the second page, beneath the heading Primary Funding Source, was my name.
Beside it was an amount.
*$85,000 — pending authorization.*
And beneath my name was another line.
*Additional asset security: residential property.*
My house.
Daniel hadn't simply planned to buy a lake house with my savings.
He had listed my home as collateral while inviting other people to invest in the same scheme.
I forwarded the document to my attorney.
Then I called the bank again.
May you like
Because suddenly, I wasn't just trying to protect my marriage from a terrible betrayal.
I was trying to discover how many other people Daniel had placed at risk—and whether he had already used my name to do it.
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