Chapter 5: The $312,000 Betrayal
I didn't remember sitting down.
One moment I was standing in front of Nia, holding the bank statement. The next, I was staring at the carpet with my elbows resting on my knees.
Three hundred and twelve thousand dollars.
My father had spent years building that money.
He worked double shifts at a manufacturing plant. He repaired neighbors' cars on weekends. He rarely bought anything for himself.
I remembered him coming home with grease under his fingernails, dropping his lunchbox beside the kitchen door, and asking my mother whether she had eaten.
That money was supposed to take care of her.
It was supposed to give her a comfortable retirement.
And now most of it was gone.
"How?"" I finally asked.
Nia sat on the bottom step.
"I didn't know the transfers were happening at first.""
Danielle shook her head.
"Stop lying.""
Nia looked at her.
"I'm not!""
I raised one hand.
"Let her talk.""
Nia took a breath.
"Jordan contacted me after he found out about your mother's account. He said your father had left money in an old investment account that nobody had properly managed.""
I frowned.
"How would he know about Dad's account?""
"He said someone at the bank told him.""
"Who?""
"I don't know.""
She continued.
"He said your mother could be losing money because the account wasn't properly structured. He offered to help.""
"And you believed him?""
"I thought he was doing something good.""
I stared at her.
"You knew what he was like.""
"I know.""
"Then why did you trust him?""
She lowered her head.
"Because he told me he had changed.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Of course he did.""
Nia wiped her face.
"He said he wanted to make things right between us.""
I stared at her.
"Between us?""
She nodded.
"He said he regretted what happened years ago. He said he didn't want to interfere with our marriage.""
"Yet he was discussing our finances with you.""
"I know how it sounds.""
"No, Nia. You don't.""
Danielle placed the transaction history on the table.
"Look at the dates.""
I examined them.
The first transfer had occurred five weeks earlier.
$45,000.
The second was $62,500.
Then $38,000.
Then several smaller transfers.
I recognized one date immediately.
It was the day my mother underwent surgery.
I had been sitting in the hospital waiting room for nearly fourteen hours.
Nia had told me she needed to go home to collect some clothes for my mother.
I remembered thanking her.
I remembered kissing her forehead.
And while I was waiting for the surgeon to give us an update, money had been disappearing from my mother's account.
I looked at her.
"Were you with Jordan that day?""
Nia started crying.
"Yes.""
My chest tightened.
"You told me you were bringing Mom's medication.""
"I did bring it.""
"But you also met Jordan.""
She nodded.
"Why?""
"He said he needed me to sign something.""
I closed my eyes.
"Another document?""
"He said it was a bank verification form.""
Danielle shook her head.
"You told me you were going to the pharmacy!""
Nia looked at her.
"I couldn't tell you everything.""
"Why?""
"Because Jordan said too many people knowing about the arrangement would complicate things.""
I stood abruptly.
"Enough.""
Both women fell silent.
I walked to the kitchen and filled a glass of water.
My hands were shaking so badly that water spilled onto the counter.
I stared at my reflection in the dark window.
I had spent four years believing Nia was the person I could trust most in the world.
Now I was discovering that she had been helping another man access my family's money.
I returned to the living room.
"How much did you receive?""
Nia looked confused.
"What?""
"Jordan took money from my mother's account. How much did he give you?""
She shook her head.
"Marcus, I didn't take anything.""
"Answer the question.""
"Nothing.""
Danielle opened her bag and removed another document.
"Marcus.""
She handed me a printed transfer receipt.
The sender was Blake Property Solutions.
The recipient was Nia Carter.
The amount was $28,000.
The date was two weeks earlier.
I looked at my wife.
She stopped crying.
For the first time, her face showed anger.
"That money was mine.""
I stared at her.
"Your money?""
"Jordan said it was compensation for helping him organize the property documents.""
I slowly put the receipt down.
"You were paid to help him?""
"No. I wasn't paid to steal anything!""
"Then what were you paid for?""
She looked away.
"Introducing him to Danielle. Helping him communicate with your mother. Organizing paperwork.""
I laughed.
"You were paid twenty-eight thousand dollars to introduce a man to my family?""
Nia's voice rose.
"You don't understand what he promised me!""
"Then make me understand.""
"He said he was going to start a property development company. He wanted me to be involved. He said once everything was settled, we'd have enough money to build something of our own.""
I stared at her.
"Something of our own?""
She nodded.
"And where would I fit into that plan?""
She didn't answer.
"Where would our marriage fit?""
Her lips trembled.
"Marcus...""
"Was I supposed to be part of this business?""
She looked at the floor.
That was when I noticed something on the receipt.
A second account number.
The same account number printed on the suspicious bank statements she had shown me upstairs.
I picked up the paper.
"Wait.""
Danielle leaned closer.
"What?""
I pointed to the account number.
"This is the same account Nia accused me of hiding.""
Danielle examined it.
Then she looked at Nia.
"That's Jordan's account.""
I felt a cold wave move through me.
The account that Nia had claimed was evidence of my financial dishonesty was actually connected to the company that had received my mother's money.
She had brought those statements into our bedroom.
She had used them to accuse me.
And she had known exactly where the money was going.
I turned toward her.
"Why did you show me those statements?""
Nia's face crumpled.
"Jordan told me to.""
"Why?""
"He said if you discovered the transfers, I needed to make you believe they were yours.""
I couldn't speak.
Danielle stood up.
"Are you serious?""
Nia covered her face.
"He said it would buy us time.""
I looked at her.
"Us?""
She lowered her hands.
"Marcus, I was trying to protect myself.""
"By making me look like a thief?""
"I was scared!""
"Of what? The truth?""
She began sobbing.
I stepped away.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unfamiliar number.
I answered.
"Hello?""
A man's voice came through.
"Mr. Carter?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Daniel Reeves. I'm calling from First National Bank's fraud investigation department.""
My stomach tightened.
"What's this about?""
"We received a report concerning suspicious activity on an account belonging to your mother. We've identified several transfers requiring verification.""
I looked at Danielle.
"Yes. We've been trying to investigate those.""
"There's another issue, sir.""
"What?""
"The account receiving the transfers has recently submitted an additional withdrawal request.""
"How much?""
"$120,000.""
My knees nearly buckled.
"Has it been processed?""
"No. We placed a temporary hold pending verification.""
I exhaled.
"Thank you.""
"There's one more thing. The person who submitted the withdrawal request presented a power of attorney document.""
I frowned.
"Whose name is on it?""
"Your mother's.""
"Who was authorized to act on her behalf?""
The man paused.
Then he answered.
"Your wife, Mrs. Nia Carter.""
I slowly turned toward Nia.
She was staring at me.
Her eyes widened as she realized what the bank employee had just said.
"Mr. Carter?"" the man asked.
"Are you still there?""
"Yes.""
"Do you recognize this authorization?""
I looked at the woman I had married.
"No," I said.
"I absolutely do not.""
The bank employee lowered his voice.
"Then I strongly recommend you come to the branch with your mother as soon as possible. We have reason to believe the authorization may not be genuine.""
I thanked him and ended the call.
Nobody spoke.
Then Danielle whispered:
"Marcus, what did he say?""
I looked at her.
"Nia has a power of attorney document in my mother's name.""
Danielle's face drained of color.
Nia immediately stood.
"That's not what happened.""
I turned toward her.
"Then tell us what happened.""
She shook her head.
"I never asked for that.""
"Your name is on it.""
"Jordan handled the paperwork!""
"Did you sign it?""
She started crying again.
"I thought it was temporary!""
I stared at her.
"Did you sign it?""
She nodded.
My sister covered her mouth.
I felt as though someone had punched me in the chest.
"Why?""
Nia looked directly at me.
And then she said something I would never forget.
"Because Jordan told me your mother was going to die soon, and the money would eventually belong to you anyway.""
Danielle slapped her hand over her mouth.
I couldn't move.
My mother was alive.
She was recovering.
And someone had used her illness as an opportunity to steal from her.
I took out my phone.
"I'm calling the police.""
Nia rushed toward me.
"Marcus, don't!""
I stepped back.
"Don't touch me.""
"Please! Jordan said everything would be fixed!""
"Where is he?""
"I don't know!""
"Call him!""
She shook her head.
"I can't.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
May you like
Her answer came out in a whisper.
"Because he told me if I ever exposed him, he'd make sure I went to prison too.""
