Chapter 6 - WHY THEY CALLED ME NINETY-FOUR TIMES
The ninety-four calls finally made sense.
Not love.
Not panic over losing me.
The house.
Mom arrived at my office at 2:40 p.m.
The exact time Daniel was supposed to be standing at an altar.
Security called.
I almost sent her away.
Then allowed her upstairs.
She walked into the conference room still wearing her wedding dress.
Not bridal white.
Mother-of-the-groom navy.
Pearls.
Perfect hair.
Red eyes.
“Please.”
One word.
I waited.
“Please help us save the house.”
There it was.
“What about Daniel?”
“He’s with an attorney.”
“What about Sophia?”
“She won’t speak to him.”
“What about me?”
Mom froze.
“What?”
“You told me never to contact you again.”
She started crying.
“I was angry.”
“You told people I died from an overdose.”
“I know.”
“You borrowed against your house to fund Daniel’s wedding.”
“Yes.”
“You accepted money from a fake company that intercepted payments from mine.”
“I didn’t know where it came from.”
“I believe that.”
Relief entered her face.
Too early.
“But you knew you never earned it.”
Silence.
“Six thousand dollars a month.”
Nothing.
“What work did you do?”
“Some calls.”
“What calls?”
“Contacts.”
“Name one.”
She could not.
I leaned back.
“I’m not paying your loan.”
Mom’s face collapsed.
“Claire.”
“No.”
“You could lose your childhood home.”
“It isn’t my house.”
“We raised you there.”
“And then declared me dead because you were ashamed of my work.”
Her face twisted.
“That was Daniel’s wedding!”
“And this is your loan.”
Silence.
For once, I let the consequence stay where it belonged.
Then Evan entered.
“Claire, we need to discuss the fraud account.”
Mom looked frightened.
“What?”
The fake Bennett account required identity documentation.
Daniel used his own ID for account control.
But the company registration listed a second officer.
Claire Reeves.
Me.
My signature appeared.
Forged.
My home address.
My Social Security number partially included.
My date of birth.
Daniel had used enough of my identity to make the imitation company appear connected to the real one.
“Where did he get that information?”
Evan asked.
I looked at Mom.
Her face changed.
“No.”
“What?”
“I gave him tax papers.”
My stomach turned.
“When?”
“Last year.”
“Why?”
“He said he was helping you qualify for a retirement program.”
I stared.
“Did that make sense to you?”
“He said you were too proud to ask.”
Of course.
Daniel had used my family’s favorite version of me—
struggling, stubborn Claire—
to steal the paperwork he needed.
Mom covered her mouth.
“Oh God.”
Then Evan’s phone rang.
He listened.
“What?”
He looked at me.
“The Vale audit expanded.”
“To what?”
“The other businesses that paid the fake Bennett account.”
“And?”
“One payment came from Riverside Children’s Hospital.”
My largest hospital client.
Amount:
$82,000.
My stomach dropped.
Daniel had not only stolen from hotels.
He had reached into the healthcare side of my company.
Then Evan said:
“And Riverside’s compliance officer says Daniel had a contact inside the hospital.”
“Who?”
He turned the screen toward me.
May you like
Nathan Cole.
Lauren’s husband.
