Chapter 4: The Laptop in the Pool House
The police officers separated Marcus and me.
One spoke with him near the driveway while another took my statement inside the house.
My mother sat at the kitchen island, her hands wrapped around a glass of water she hadn't touched.
Brianna stood near the pantry.
She looked as though she wanted to disappear.
I couldn't blame her for being uncomfortable.
But I wasn't ready to forgive her.
My attorney, Daniel Whitmore, arrived forty minutes later.
He had represented my grandmother's estate and had known my family for more than twenty years.
He walked through the front door carrying a black briefcase.
“Lauren.””
I stood.
“Tell me what's happening.””
He placed the briefcase on the counter.
“Someone attempted to submit another transfer application this morning.””
I stared at him.
“This morning?””
“Yes.””
“But I was at the grocery store.””
“Exactly.””
He opened his briefcase and removed several printed documents.
The application included my full legal name, date of birth, property address, and a scanned copy of my driver's license.
I felt sick.
“Where did they get all of this?””
Daniel glanced toward Marcus.
“That's what we need to establish.””
Marcus stood near the living room entrance with an officer beside him.
He was no longer smiling.
Daniel continued.
“The first application was rejected because the trust required independent verification. The second attempt included additional documents.””
“What documents?””
“A revised power of attorney, a notarized authorization, and a corporate purchase agreement.””
I stared at the papers.
“Who was buying the house?””
Daniel pointed to the company name.
“Peachtree Capital Holdings.””
I looked at Marcus.
He shrugged.
“It's a legitimate business.””
Daniel didn't react.
“Perhaps. But the company is currently under investigation for several financial irregularities.””
My mouth went dry.
“What kind of irregularities?””
“Unpaid investors. Misrepresented assets. Loans obtained against properties the company didn't own.””
My mother closed her eyes.
Marcus stepped forward.
“That's ridiculous.””
Daniel looked at him.
“Then I'm sure you'll have no problem explaining the transactions.””
Marcus pointed at me.
“This is all because she found me with another woman.””
I stared at him.
“Really?””
He continued.
“She wants revenge. She's destroying my reputation because she couldn't handle a personal issue.””
Daniel closed the folder.
“Your relationship is irrelevant to the property investigation.””
The officer beside Marcus nodded.
“That's correct.””
Marcus looked toward Brianna.
“Tell them what you know.””
She stared at the floor.
He raised his voice.
“Brianna!””
She flinched.
“Stop yelling at me.””
“You have nothing to do with this.””
“You asked me to print the documents!””
Marcus's jaw tightened.
“Because you worked for me.””
“And you told me they were legitimate.””
He took a step toward her.
The officer immediately intervened.
“Stay where you are, sir.””
Brianna began crying.
“I didn't know he was using Lauren's identity.””
I looked at her.
“Did you know he was trying to transfer my house?””
She nodded slowly.
“I knew about the purchase agreement. I thought you had agreed.””
“And the money?””
She wiped her cheeks.
“What money?””
Daniel looked up.
“What money are you referring to?””
Brianna unlocked her phone.
“Marcus told me the company had received an advance payment from a private investor. He said the transfer would close once the property documents were approved.””
“How much?”” Daniel asked.
“Two million dollars.””
My mother nearly dropped her glass.
I stared at Brianna.
“Two million?””
She nodded.
“That's what he told me.””
Daniel looked toward Marcus.
“Where is that money?””
Marcus didn't answer.
The officer asked him again.
“Sir, where are the funds?””
He looked at me.
“Lauren, I can explain.””
I folded my arms.
“I'm waiting.””
He rubbed his forehead.
“The investment was temporary.””
“Where is it?””
“It's been moved.””
“Where?””
He looked away.
Daniel opened his briefcase and pulled out another document.
“This is a bank statement associated with the company.””
Marcus stared at it.
For the first time, I saw something close to panic in his eyes.
Daniel pointed to a transaction.
“Two million dollars entered the company account last month.””
Then he pointed to the next line.
“Within forty-eight hours, almost all of it was transferred to three separate accounts.””
“Whose accounts?”” I asked.
Daniel looked at me.
“One belongs to Marcus. One belongs to a company registered in Delaware. The third belongs to a woman named Vanessa Reed.””
Marcus shook his head.
“That's a business partner.””
Brianna looked up.
“Vanessa?””
Marcus turned sharply.
“Don't.””
I noticed her expression.
“You know her?””
Brianna nodded.
“She was his former assistant.””
My mother leaned forward.
“Former?””
Brianna swallowed.
“She left six months ago. Marcus told me she had moved overseas.””
Daniel checked the paperwork.
“According to these records, Vanessa Reed is listed as the managing director of Peachtree Capital Holdings.””
I looked at Marcus.
“How many people are involved in this?””
He didn't answer.
The police officer stepped toward him.
“Sir, we're going to need you to come down to the station and answer some questions.””
Marcus looked furious.
“You can't arrest me over a relationship dispute.””
“No one's discussing your relationship.””
The officer held up the document.
“We're discussing suspected financial fraud and the use of potentially falsified legal documents.””
Marcus looked at me.
His expression softened.
“Lauren, please.””
I didn't move.
“Remember when you promised me we would never lie to each other?””
He lowered his head.
“I made mistakes.””
“You didn't make one mistake. You built an entire business around my name.””
He reached toward me.
I stepped back.
“Don't touch me.””
The officers escorted him toward the front door.
Brianna watched him go.
Then she whispered something that made Daniel stop.
“Wait.””
Everyone turned.
She opened her phone again.
“There's something else.””
She showed Daniel a photograph.
It was a screenshot of a document stored in Marcus's cloud account.
At the top was my name.
Below it was my grandmother's estate information.
And at the bottom was a signature I recognized immediately.
My grandmother's.
Daniel stared at it.
“Where did you get this?””
Brianna's voice trembled.
“Marcus sent it to Vanessa yesterday.””
Daniel enlarged the image.
Then he looked at me.
“Lauren, this isn't just a forged power of attorney.””
“What is it?””
He pointed to the document title.
*LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT — AMENDED VERSION.*
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My grandmother had been dead for three years.
And according to the document in Brianna's phone, she had apparently changed her will six weeks before she died.
