Chapter 4: The Woman Who Helped Him
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
My mother was crying on the other end of the phone, and Nia was standing less than ten feet away from me.
I looked directly at my wife.
"Mom, are you sure?""
"Yes, sweetheart. I recognized her immediately. She came into my hospital room with Jordan.""
I swallowed.
"What did they tell you?""
My mother took a shaky breath.
"Jordan said he was helping you with a financial arrangement. He told me you were having difficulties with the mortgage, and you wanted to sell the house before things got worse.""
"That's a lie. I don't have mortgage difficulties.""
"I know that now.""
"What did Nia say?""
My mother went quiet.
Then she whispered, "She told me you didn't want me worrying about your financial problems. She said you were too embarrassed to ask for help.""
I closed my eyes.
My mother had spent her entire life protecting me from hardship. Even after her surgery, she worried more about my problems than her own recovery.
And my wife had used that kindness against her.
"Did they ask you to sign anything?""
"Yes. Jordan brought several papers. He said it was only an acknowledgment that I understood the property arrangement.""
"Did you sign?""
"No. Something felt wrong.""
I exhaled.
"Thank God.""
"But Marcus...""
"Yes, Mom?""
"Jordan showed me a picture of your signature. He said you had already signed the agreement.""
My blood went cold.
"What picture?""
"A photograph of a document. Your name was at the bottom.""
I looked at the property transfer agreement Danielle had brought.
The signature on it looked remarkably similar to mine.
Almost perfect.
But something about the final letter bothered me.
I always signed my surname with a small upward stroke. Whoever had copied it had drawn the last letter downward.
"Mom, don't sign anything. Don't speak to Jordan again. I'll come see you tomorrow.""
"Please be careful, sweetheart.""
"I will.""
I ended the call.
Nobody moved.
Then I turned toward Nia.
"You went to see my mother with Jordan?""
She lowered her head.
"Marcus, I can explain.""
"Don't.""
"Please.""
"Did you know he was trying to get her signature?""
She shook her head.
"Did you know he showed her a document with my forged signature?""
"I didn't know about that.""
"Did you know he was trying to convince her to sell my house?""
Nia looked at the floor.
That hesitation was enough.
I placed the phone on the coffee table.
"How long has this been happening?""
She wiped her cheeks.
"About a month.""
Danielle let out a sharp breath.
"A month?""
Nia looked at her.
"Please don't make this worse.""
"Make what worse?"" Danielle snapped.
"You took my brother's private information, involved his ex-girlfriend—"
"Ex-boyfriend," I corrected automatically.
Danielle shook her head.
"Whatever! You involved Jordan, then you went behind his back to manipulate his mother. And now you want us to believe you didn't know anything?""
Nia began crying.
"I didn't manipulate her!""
"Then why did you tell her Marcus was having financial problems?""
"Because Jordan told me to!""
The room went silent.
I stared at her.
"Jordan told you what to say?""
Nia nodded.
"He said your mother would never agree to anything if she thought it was a business transaction. He said she would be more comfortable if she believed she was helping you.""
I slowly sat down.
"Why would he want my mother involved?""
Nia shook her head.
"He said her signature would make everything easier.""
"Easier for whom?""
She didn't answer.
Danielle picked up the property document.
"Marcus, we need to call a lawyer.""
"Not yet.""
"Why not?""
"Because I want to understand exactly what happened before anyone gets another opportunity to change their story.""
I turned toward Nia.
"Where is Jordan now?""
"I don't know.""
"Don't lie.""
"I'm not!""
"Then call him.""
Her eyes widened.
"What?""
"Call him. Put him on speaker.""
She shook her head.
"Marcus, that's not a good idea.""
I laughed without humor.
"Interesting. You had no problem inviting him into our bedroom.""
She reached for her phone.
Her hands were shaking.
She dialed.
One ring.
Two.
Three.
Jordan answered.
"Nia?""
I stepped closer.
"Put it on speaker.""
She did.
Jordan's voice filled the room.
"What's wrong?""
Nia swallowed.
"Jordan, Marcus knows about the documents.""
There was a pause.
Then he said, "What documents?""
I almost admired the confidence.
I leaned toward the phone.
"The ones with my name on them.""
Silence.
"Marcus," Jordan finally said, "this isn't the time to start making accusations.""
"Then tell me why my mother says you brought her a property transfer agreement.""
Another pause.
"She misunderstood.""
"My mother is recovering from surgery. She understands perfectly well when someone walks into her hospital room and asks her to sign away something that doesn't belong to him.""
Jordan sighed.
"Look, man, I was trying to help.""
"Help who?""
"Nia.""
"By forging my signature?""
"I didn't forge anything.""
I picked up the document.
"Then why does this agreement contain a signature that looks like mine?""
Jordan laughed softly.
"Maybe you should ask whoever prepared it.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Who prepared it?""
He didn't answer.
I asked again.
"Who prepared it, Jordan?""
Then his voice changed.
"Marcus, you should really ask your sister what she knows before you start blaming everyone else.""
I turned toward Danielle.
She looked confused.
"What is he talking about?"" she whispered.
Jordan continued.
"Your sister has been involved in this longer than you think.""
Nia suddenly grabbed the phone.
"Jordan, stop!""
He ignored her.
"Ask Danielle why she has copies of private bank records. Ask her why she was at the bank with your mother. Ask her what she signed.""
My sister stepped forward.
"You're a liar!""
Jordan chuckled.
"Then tell him the truth.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Danielle's face had gone pale.
I turned toward her.
"Is there something I should know?""
She looked at me.
Then at Nia.
Finally, she placed both hands on the coffee table.
"Marcus, I didn't want to tell you until I had proof.""
"Proof of what?""
She reached into her bag and removed a small white envelope.
"I found this in Mom's hospital paperwork.""
Inside was a photocopy of a bank authorization form.
My mother's name appeared at the top.
But the signature at the bottom wasn't hers.
It was Danielle's.
I looked up.
"Why did you sign this?""
Danielle's eyes filled.
"Because I thought I was helping Mom.""
"Helping her do what?""
"Release information about a savings account.""
I frowned.
"What savings account?""
She swallowed.
"An account Dad opened before he died.""
My father had passed away eleven years earlier.
I knew he had left some money for my mother, but I'd always believed most of it had gone toward household expenses and medical bills.
Danielle continued.
"Mom told me there was an old account she couldn't access. Jordan said he knew someone at the bank who could help locate it.""
I stared at her.
"Why was Jordan involved?""
"Because Nia introduced him to me.""
I slowly turned toward my wife.
Nia looked away.
Danielle continued.
"I didn't know they were planning anything. Jordan said he was helping Mom recover money that belonged to her.""
I looked at the authorization form again.
"Did you give him access?""
"I signed the information-release authorization. I didn't authorize any withdrawals.""
"Are you sure?""
"Yes.""
She pulled out another sheet.
"This came from the bank yesterday.""
It was a transaction history.
The account balance was listed near the top.
<text color="default" weight="semibold" tabularNums>$312,450.00</text>
I stared at the number.
My father had left my mother far more money than I had ever known.
But the available balance was now less than $40,000.
I looked at Danielle.
"Where did the rest go?""
She shook her head.
"That's what I've been trying to find out.""
Then she pointed to the last page.
There were several transfers.
And every one of them had been sent to the same account.
An account belonging to a company called Blake Property Solutions.
Jordan's company.
My hands began trembling.
I looked at Nia.
She was crying silently.
"Did you know about this money?""
She didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"Did you know Jordan had taken my mother's savings?""
Finally, she whispered:
"I knew about the account.""
"That's not what I asked.""
She looked up.
And the expression on her face told me that the betrayal was much bigger than I had imagined.
"Marcus, I didn't know how much money he was going to take.""
I stared at her.
"How much did you know he had already taken?""
She covered her mouth.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"Almost all of it.""
