Chapter 5: The $185,000 Secret
I called Vanessa immediately.
"Tell me exactly what you're looking at.""
Her voice sounded nervous.
"I'm at the hotel. I photographed everything before Daniel left.""
"Why do you have his briefcase?""
"He left it here. He was rushing when he got your call.""
I closed my eyes.
"Read the document.""
"It's from a private lending company. The amount is $185,000, secured against your property.""
"Does it have my signature?""
"Yes.""
"Is it real?""
"I don't know. But there's a notarization certificate attached.""
I sat down at the kitchen island.
"Who notarized it?""
"Patricia Brooks.""
I laughed once, bitterly.
Of course.
My mother-in-law had apparently turned herself into the family's personal fraud department.
"Vanessa, can you send me every page?""
"Yes. But Sarah, I need to tell you something about the money.""
"What?""
She hesitated.
"Daniel told me he had sold his construction company.""
I frowned.
"When?""
"About five months ago.""
I stared at the refrigerator.
Daniel had spent those five months telling me his company was struggling.
He'd asked me to cover his car insurance.
He'd complained about business expenses.
He'd even borrowed $2,000 from me to pay what he called an urgent contractor invoice.
"How much did he sell it for?""
"Two hundred and forty thousand dollars.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"What?""
"He said he sold his shares to another investor. He told me the money was tied up in a new project.""
I opened my banking app.
For months, Daniel had transferred money from our joint account into an account I didn't recognize.
Usually, the transfers were small.
$900.
$1,200.
$1,500.
I'd assumed they were business expenses.
Now I understood why our savings had been disappearing.
"Vanessa, did he tell you where the $185,000 went?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"Into a company called Miller-Brooks Property Group.""
I stopped breathing.
"Your company?""
"No. I didn't know anything about it until tonight.""
I heard papers rustling.
"Sarah, there's another name listed on the registration.""
"Whose?""
"Patricia Brooks.""
I leaned against the counter.
Daniel, Vanessa, and Patricia.
Three people.
One company.
And apparently, my house was the collateral.
"Send me the registration documents too," I said.
"I will.""
After we hung up, I called my bank again.
This time, I requested to speak with the mortgage department.
A representative named Thomas answered.
"I need to know whether another loan has been taken against my property.""
He asked for my details, then placed me on hold.
I watched the clock.
One minute.
Two.
Three.
Finally, he returned.
"Mrs. Brooks, I can see a recent inquiry involving a second-position loan application.""
"Was it approved?""
"According to our records, the application was submitted using your personal information.""
"Did I authorize it?""
"I can't determine that from here. However, the application contains an electronically signed authorization.""
"Can you send me a copy?""
"Not through this department, but I can flag the account and direct you to our fraud team.""
"Please do that.""
Then he said something that made my stomach tighten.
"There's one more concern. The property valuation submitted with the application is significantly higher than the valuation we have on file.""
"How much higher?""
"Approximately $160,000.""
I gripped the edge of the counter.
"Why would someone inflate the value?""
Thomas paused.
"Possibly to qualify for a larger loan.""
I thanked him and ended the call.
A few minutes later, Vanessa sent the photographs.
I opened the first document.
The loan agreement.
The second.
The company registration.
The third.
A bank transfer record.
I enlarged the page.
The money had been transferred in three separate payments.
$75,000.
$60,000.
$50,000.
The recipient account belonged to Miller-Brooks Property Group.
But there was something strange about the transfer dates.
The first payment had been made five months earlier.
The second, four months earlier.
The third, two months earlier.
Daniel hadn't simply borrowed money.
He had been moving it somewhere.
I called Vanessa again.
"Look at the bank transfer records. Can you see the receiving account number?""
"Yes.""
"Read the last four digits.""
She did.
I opened my banking app and checked the account Daniel had repeatedly transferred money into.
The last four digits matched.
My husband had been moving money from our joint account into a company account, then apparently using that same company to borrow against our house.
I heard a notification.
An email had arrived.
The subject line read:
*NOTICE OF INTENT TO ENFORCE SECURITY AGREEMENT.*
I opened it.
The lender was requesting immediate confirmation of the outstanding loan balance.
If the loan was not resolved, the company reserved the right to pursue the security interest against the property.
I read the address at the bottom.
Our address.
My home.
I called Vanessa.
"Does Daniel know I found everything?""
"I don't think so.""
"Where is he?""
She went quiet.
Then I heard a door close on her end.
"Sarah?""
"What?""
"I just checked the hotel lobby camera.""
My heart began racing.
"Why?""
"Daniel is here.""
"Didn't you say he left?""
"He came back.""
I stood up.
"Don't let him see you.""
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
"Sarah, he's not alone.""
"Who's with him?""
"Patricia.""
May you like
Then Vanessa said something even more frightening.
"They're talking to a man carrying a document folder. And I just heard Patricia say your name.""
