Chapter 5: The House Was Already for Sale
Nobody moved.
The investigator, Daniel Price, placed another document beside the first.
“Mr. Williams, this is a preliminary sales agreement submitted to a private investment group. The property is valued at approximately $1.2 million.””
Dad stared at the figure.
“Who submitted it?””
Daniel opened his briefcase.
“Vanessa Williams.””
My stepmother immediately shook her head.
“I never signed anything like that.””
Daniel turned the page.
“Your name appears on the submission, along with your electronic identification and the authorization of Marcus Williams.””
Dad snatched the document.
“That isn't my signature.””
Daniel nodded.
“We suspected that might be the case.””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“This is absurd. I have never sold a house in my life.””
I pointed at the address.
“Then why is my house listed?””
She turned toward me.
“Stop calling it yours!””
Daniel raised a hand.
“Please. Let's keep this civil.””
Dad looked at the investigator.
“Can you prove she submitted it?””
“We have the original electronic application, the IP address, and the receiving account information. However, we still need to establish who physically authorized the transaction.””
Vanessa laughed.
“Then you have nothing.””
Daniel removed another sheet.
“We also have a recording of the verification call.””
Vanessa's expression changed.
Dad looked at her.
“What verification call?””
Daniel opened a small laptop.
“Three days ago, someone contacted our office claiming to be Marcus Williams. The caller confirmed the sale, provided personal identification information, and requested an expedited closing.””
He pressed play.
A woman's voice filled the room.
“Hello, this is Marcus Williams. I'm calling about the Oakridge property.””
My father went pale.
The voice continued.
“Yes, I authorize the sale. My son is eighteen, and I have full authority to handle the property.””
I felt sick.
It was Vanessa.
She had lowered her voice and imitated Dad's speech pattern.
Daniel paused the recording.
“Do you recognize the caller?””
Dad nodded slowly.
“That's my wife.””
Vanessa grabbed the laptop.
“Turn that off!””
Daniel pulled it away.
“Mrs. Williams, please don't interfere with the investigation.””
“You can't prove anything!””
Dad looked at her.
“You impersonated me to sell my son's house?””
“I was trying to fix a financial problem!””
“What financial problem?””
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Daniel answered for her.
“The investment group was instructed to send the proceeds to an account registered under the name of Northstar Holdings.””
Dad frowned.
“What's Northstar Holdings?””
Daniel glanced at his notes.
“A limited company registered four years ago. The listed director is Vanessa Williams.””
I felt my chest tighten.
Four years.
That was one year after Vanessa married my father.
Dad slowly sat down.
“Where did the money go?””
“The company account received several deposits over the past two years. Some appear to have originated from accounts connected to the Williams household.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“You don't understand how business works.””
Daniel looked directly at her.
“Then perhaps you can explain the transfers.””
He placed a bank statement on the table.
The first transaction was for $18,000.
The second was $32,500.
The third was $47,000.
There were dozens more.
Dad studied the dates.
His face became increasingly pale.
“Some of these transfers happened while I was traveling.””
Vanessa said nothing.
“Some happened when I was in the hospital after my surgery.””
Still nothing.
He looked up.
“Were you stealing from me?””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“I was managing our household.””
“With money you moved into your private company?””
“I was protecting our future!””
Dad shook his head.
“What future? You were planning to sell Ethan's house!””
“Because we needed money!””
I stepped forward.
“Who is we?””
She glared at me.
“You have no idea what it costs to maintain this family.””
“Then why steal my inheritance?””
“Because you don't deserve it!””
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Silence swallowed the room.
Dad looked at her.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I felt something inside me break.
For years, I had wondered why she treated me differently from Brittany.
Why she made me apologize for things I hadn't done.
Why she constantly reminded Dad that I wasn't her responsibility.
Now I knew.
I wasn't a child she had been forced to accept.
I was an obstacle between her and money.
Daniel closed his briefcase.
“Mr. Williams, I strongly recommend that you contact your attorney immediately and secure every relevant financial record.””
Dad nodded.
“Can you freeze the sale?””
“We have already placed a temporary hold on the transaction pending verification of ownership.””
Vanessa looked furious.
“You can't do that!””
Daniel remained calm.
“The registered owner is Ethan Williams. Without his authorization, the sale cannot proceed.””
Dad looked at me.
“Ethan, I'm sorry.””
I didn't know what to say.
Daniel handed him a card.
“There's one more issue. The attempted trust withdrawal and the property sale appear to be connected.””
“How?””
“The same receiving company was listed on both transactions.””
Dad looked at the name again.
Northstar Holdings.
“Can you tell us who else is involved?””
Daniel hesitated.
“We're still verifying that information.””
Vanessa suddenly laughed.
It wasn't nervous laughter anymore.
It was cold.
“You people think you've figured everything out.””
Dad stood.
“Vanessa, don't.””
She looked directly at him.
“You think I'm the only person who benefited from that money?””
My father froze.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa picked up her handbag.
Then she looked at Brittany.
“Get your coat.””
Brittany didn't move.
“Mom?””
“NOW.””
Daniel stepped toward the door.
“Mrs. Williams, I would advise you not to leave until we've completed a few questions.””
Vanessa ignored him.
Instead, she turned to my father.
“You should ask your son what his mother was really investigating before she died.””
I frowned.
“What are you talking about?””
Vanessa smiled.
“Your mother didn't just suspect me, Ethan.””
She opened her handbag and pulled out a photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside a man I didn't recognize.
The photograph was dated six months before her death.
On the back, someone had written three words.
Marcus knows everything.
Dad stared at it.
May you like
Then he whispered something that made my blood run cold.
“That's impossible. He's dead.””
