Chapter 6 - The Money Trail
I stared at the number.
$913,420.
“That’s impossible.”
Naomi tapped the statements.
“These transfers originated from two investment accounts and one line of credit secured against trust distributions.”
“I never opened a line of credit.”
“I know.”
Ryan slowly sat down.
Thomas looked sick.
Diane had stopped arguing.
I looked at my husband.
“Where is the money?”
Ryan rubbed his forehead.
“Some went into the company.”
“Some?”
“We were having cash-flow issues.”
Thomas snapped.
“We?”
Ryan looked at him.
“You knew.”
“I knew we had loans.”
“You signed them.”
“I did not know you were using Emily’s accounts.”
Ryan laughed.
“Of course you didn’t.”
Thomas stepped toward him.
“You told me Northstar approved bridge financing.”
“They did.”
“No.”
Naomi held up a statement.
“Emily did.”
Ryan’s silence answered everything.
My name had been used as a private bank.
Every time the company struggled, Ryan had reached into assets he told me were irrelevant.
Every time I asked why our personal savings seemed lower than expected, he blamed taxes, investment losses, or expenses.
I had believed him because he managed our finances.
Naomi found another transfer.
“Here’s the forty thousand.”
I leaned closer.
It had gone to a firm called Holloway Advisory Services.
“Who are they?”
Ryan answered before Naomi could.
“Consultants.”
Naomi searched the papers.
Then her expression changed.
“They specialize in transaction structuring and digital document authentication.”
I understood.
“You paid them to make my forged signature look real.”
“No.”
“Then what did they do?”
Ryan stood abruptly.
“I want a lawyer.”
Naomi closed the folder.
“That may be the first sensible thing you’ve said tonight.”
I looked at Lily.
She was exhausted.
I had almost forgotten she was ten years old and witnessing the collapse of her family at a dinner table.
I knelt beside her.
“We’re going with Grandpa.”
“Is Dad coming?”
The question almost broke me.
I looked at Ryan.
He stared at the floor.
“No, sweetheart.”
Her eyes filled.
“Are you getting divorced?”
Ryan looked up.
“Lily, your mother is angry.”
I stood.
“Do not answer for me.”
He glared at me.
I turned back to my daughter.
“I don’t know what happens next.”
That was the only honest answer I could give.
“But you and I are leaving together.”
Lily nodded.
Then the sound of tires came from outside.
Several headlights swept across the windows.
Ryan looked toward the driveway.
Dad’s voice came through the phone.
“I’m here.”
Ryan whispered something under his breath.
I heard it anyway.
“We’re finished.”
I looked at him.
“No, Ryan.”
May you like
I picked up the forged documents.
“You are.”
