Chapter 9: The Person Behind the Deal
The name on the agreement belonged to a man named Richard Hale.
I had never heard of him.
Neither had Tasha.
But Elaine recognized him immediately.
"Richard was the person who introduced Marcus to several private lenders," she explained.
"Was he an investor?"" Patricia asked.
"That's what Marcus called him.""
"And what was he really?""
Elaine looked uncomfortable.
"Someone who arranged financing for people who couldn't qualify through traditional banks.""
Mr. Reynolds studied the agreement.
"Was Richard involved in the purchase of the Highlander?""
Elaine nodded.
"He was supposed to provide the remaining financing.""
Patricia looked at the purchase documents.
"That explains the third-party loan application.""
I frowned.
"Why would someone finance a car for Marcus?""
"Because the car wasn't the actual investment," Elaine replied.
She pointed to the handwritten note.
"The vehicle was part of a larger arrangement involving the property sale and the business loan.""
Tasha stared at the paper.
"So he used my money to make the first payment, then used Maya's identity to secure the rest.""
Elaine nodded.
"That's what the agreement suggests.""
I felt sick.
"Why?""
"Because the loan was supposed to be repaid after Willow Creek was sold.""
Mr. Reynolds looked at her.
"Was Richard expecting to receive a percentage of the property proceeds?""
"Yes.""
"How much?""
Elaine took out another document.
"Thirty percent.""
Tasha stared at the number.
"Thirty percent of my house?""
Elaine nodded.
"Approximately forty-nine thousand five hundred dollars, based on the proposed sale price.""
I looked at Tasha.
The initial payment for my car had been $49,800.
Almost the exact same amount.
The connection was suddenly obvious.
Marcus had planned to use Tasha's inheritance to buy my birthday car, then use the sale of her property to repay the person financing the rest.
And somehow, my identity was part of the arrangement.
I looked at Patricia.
"Can Richard be stopped?""
"That's what we're going to determine.""
Mr. Reynolds stood.
"I want to contact him before he has an opportunity to destroy any records.""
Patricia shook her head.
"We shouldn't make direct contact without coordinating with the authorities.""
Elaine leaned forward.
"There's a reason you need to act quickly.""
Everyone looked at her.
"Richard has been calling Marcus all morning. He told him the property transaction must be completed by Monday.""
Tasha looked confused.
"Why Monday?""
Elaine lowered her voice.
"Because Richard has another buyer waiting.""
Patricia immediately opened her laptop.
"Do you know the buyer's identity?""
Elaine shook her head.
"No.""
Mr. Reynolds picked up his phone.
"I'll contact the property attorney and request an immediate restriction on the transaction.""
Tasha stared at him.
"Can someone really sell my house without me knowing?""
"Not lawfully," he replied.
"But that doesn't mean nobody will attempt it.""
She looked down at the photograph of her mother.
The yellow front door.
The little girl holding a red balloon.
"I don't want them to touch that house," she whispered.
I squeezed her hand.
"They won't.""
But I couldn't promise that.
Not anymore.
That evening, I received a message from my mother.
Please come home. I need to explain everything.
I showed it to Tasha.
She shook her head.
"Don't go alone.""
"I won't.""
We agreed to meet Mom at a small café near the office.
Patricia insisted that we avoid discussing the investigation in detail.
When we arrived, Mom was already sitting at a corner table.
Her eyes were swollen.
She looked exhausted.
There was a cup of untouched coffee in front of her.
"Thank you for coming," she whispered.
I sat opposite her.
Tasha remained standing.
"What do you want?""
Nia looked up.
"I want to tell you the truth.""
Tasha's expression hardened.
"Then start.""
Mom took a breath.
"Marcus told me the money from your trust would only be borrowed for a few months. He said his business was going through a difficult period, and that he needed to stabilize things.""
"How much did you know?""
"At first? Not much.""
"How much?""
Mom looked down.
"About thirty thousand dollars.""
Tasha stared at her.
"And later?""
"More.""
"How much?""
Nia began crying.
"I don't know.""
Tasha pulled out a chair.
"Did you know about the car?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know the money came from my trust?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know they were using Maya's identity for a loan?""
Mom shook her head.
"No. I swear I didn't know that part.""
I looked at her.
"Then why is your name on the guarantee agreement?""
"Marcus told me it was a family authorization.""
"Did you read it?""
She nodded.
"Not carefully.""
"Mom, it was eighty-two thousand dollars.""
"I know.""
"How could you sign something like that?""
She covered her face.
"Because I trusted him.""
Tasha laughed bitterly.
"Funny. Everyone trusted him except the people he was stealing from.""
Mom looked at her.
"I never wanted you to suffer.""
Tasha's expression softened for half a second.
Then she asked:
"Did you ever tell Marcus that he was treating me unfairly?""
Nia looked away.
"Sometimes.""
"Sometimes?""
"I told him you needed more attention.""
"And what did he say?""
"He said you were difficult.""
Tasha nodded.
"Of course.""
My mother reached across the table.
Tasha pulled her hand away.
"Please don't.""
Nia withdrew.
Then she opened her handbag and removed a small notebook.
"I kept records.""
I frowned.
"What kind of records?""
"Dates. Amounts. Things Marcus told me.""
She placed it on the table.
"I started writing things down when I realized he wasn't replacing the money.""
Tasha opened it.
The first page contained a list of transactions.
Several amounts matched the bank statements.
But there were additional notes.
One entry was dated two months earlier.
Marcus says Richard will handle the remaining loan once Willow Creek closes.
Another entry, dated three weeks earlier, caught my attention.
Marcus says Maya must not find out about the guarantee.
I looked at my mother.
"You knew he was using my name?""
Nia shook her head.
"I knew he was preparing paperwork. I didn't know he'd copied your signature.""
"Why didn't you warn me?""
"I thought he would stop.""
I stared at her.
"Mom, you keep saying that.""
She began crying again.
"I know.""
Tasha turned another page.
Then she stopped.
There was a handwritten entry with a date from six months earlier.
Marcus says Elena's original documents must be located before the property sale. He believes the attorney has the only valid copy.
Tasha looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Mom swallowed.
"He was looking for something.""
"What?""
"The original trust agreement.""
Mr. Reynolds had mentioned it before.
But now I understood why Marcus had been so desperate to get his hands on the documents.
Tasha looked at the next entry.
Her eyes widened.
Marcus says Elena made a change before she died. He needs to know whether the new agreement can be challenged.
Tasha slowly closed the notebook.
"Mom, what change?""
Nia shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Did Marcus tell you?""
"He said your mother had changed something in the estate documents shortly before she passed away.""
Tasha looked at me.
Then she turned back.
"What exactly was he afraid of?""
My mother hesitated.
"He said there was a clause that could prevent anyone from using your inheritance without your approval.""
Tasha went completely still.
"Anyone?""
"Yes.""
"Even my father?""
Nia nodded.
Tasha stared at the table.
For six years, Marcus had controlled the household finances while claiming he was helping everyone.
But if Elena had deliberately created protections around her daughter's inheritance, then Marcus might have known he was violating those protections all along.
My mother reached into her handbag again.
This time, she removed a small key.
"I found this in Marcus's office.""
Tasha looked at it.
"What is it?""
"I don't know.""
The key had a small metal tag attached.
There was a number written on it.
*417.*
Mom looked at Tasha.
"Marcus told me it belonged to a storage box your mother had.""
Tasha's eyes widened.
"Another storage box?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
Nia shook her head.
"He never told me.""
I took the key.
It was cold against my palm.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Mr. Reynolds.
We have located Richard Hale. He has agreed to speak with us tomorrow morning.
A second message arrived immediately.
There is also a development regarding the original trust agreement.
I showed Tasha.
She read the second message aloud.
"What development?""
My phone rang.
It was Mr. Reynolds.
I answered.
"Hello?""
"Maya, I need to speak with Tasha.""
I put him on speaker.
"Tasha is here.""
His voice was serious.
"We located the original trust agreement in the bank's records. It contains a provision that wasn't included in the copy Marcus received.""
Tasha leaned forward.
"What provision?""
Mr. Reynolds paused.
Then he said:
"Your mother anticipated the possibility that someone might attempt to misuse your inheritance.""
Tasha closed her eyes.
"What did she do?""
"She appointed a second independent beneficiary representative.""
"Who?""
Mr. Reynolds took a breath.
Then he gave us a name.
*Maya Johnson.*
I stared at the phone.
"What?""
Tasha looked at me.
"That's impossible.""
Mr. Reynolds continued.
"Your mother included a provision allowing Maya to challenge any suspicious transaction involving your inheritance if you were unable to act independently or if your interests were being misrepresented.""
I couldn't speak.
Tasha slowly reached for my hand.
"Mom chose you," she whispered.
Mr. Reynolds added:
"There's more. The provision also requires that any attempted sale of Willow Creek Road be reviewed by the independent representative before completion.""
Tasha looked at me.
The house.
The trust.
The car.
Everything suddenly connected.
Elena had anticipated that someone might try to take her daughter's future away.
And she'd chosen me to help protect it.
But why?
I had been only eleven years old when she died.
I barely understood what a trust was.
I looked at the photograph of Tasha and her mother.
Then I remembered something.
Elena had once taken both of us to Willow Creek Road.
I had been standing in the yellow bedroom, watching Tasha show me the little stars her mother had painted on the ceiling.
Elena had knelt beside me and said:
"Look after each other, girls. No matter what happens.""
At the time, I thought it was just something adults said.
Now I understood.
She had meant it.
Tasha wiped her cheeks.
"Does this mean Maya can help stop the sale?""
"Yes," Mr. Reynolds replied.
"But we need to verify the documents and establish the full scope of the attempted transaction.""
I looked at the key in my hand.
417.
Then I asked the question that had been bothering me.
"Mr. Reynolds, do you know what storage box this key belongs to?""
He went quiet.
Finally, he said:
"Yes.""
Tasha leaned closer.
"Where?""
"First National Bank.""
"And what's inside?""
May you like
The attorney took a breath.
"According to your mother's instructions, the box contains the one document Marcus was never supposed to see.""
