Chapter 4: The Woman in the Courthouse Photograph
Camille stared at the photograph in the parking garage.
Derrick stood outside the Fulton County courthouse, smiling.
His arm rested around a blonde woman in a cream-colored dress.
Patricia stood beside them, holding a bouquet.
The photograph was dated four months earlier.
Camille zoomed in.
The woman looked familiar.
Not because Camille knew her personally.
Because she had seen her face before.
On Derrick's phone.
In a message preview that had disappeared when he turned the screen over.
Her name was Lauren.
Camille remembered asking about her.
Derrick had said Lauren was a consultant helping with a business project.
Apparently, the consultation had included courthouse visits.
Camille called Olivia.
“Are you busy?””
“Not anymore. What's wrong?””
“I think Derrick has been hiding something much bigger than the insurance money.””
She sent the photograph.
Olivia called back immediately.
“Camille, who is that woman?””
“That's what I'm trying to find out.””
“Do you recognize her?””
“Her name is Lauren. I think.””
Olivia was silent for a moment.
“Have you checked whether the picture is real?””
“Not yet.””
“Don't assume anything. But don't ignore it either.””
Camille agreed.
She drove to Nia's apartment, where her sister was waiting with coffee.
When Camille showed her the photograph, Nia's face changed.
“Oh, no.””
“You know her?””
Nia looked closely.
“I've seen her.””
“Where?””
“At Patricia's house.””
Camille frowned.
“When?””
“Last Christmas. Patricia introduced her as Derrick's business associate.””
Camille sat down.
“Was Derrick there?””
“Yes. And Mom—”
Nia stopped herself.
Camille looked up.
“What?””
“Patricia told me something strange that day.””
“What?””
“She said Derrick was finally making decisions that would protect the family's future. Then she said some women were too emotional to understand financial planning.””
Camille let out a humorless laugh.
“That sounds like Patricia.””
Nia sat beside her.
“Camille, do you think they were planning something?””
“I don't know.””
Her phone rang.
It was Thomas.
She answered.
“Hello?””
“Mrs. Reed, I've received some information you may want to review.””
“About the insurance policy?””
“Partly. But first, have you ever heard of a company called Sterling Events and Hospitality?””
Camille frowned.
“No.””
“It is registered under Lauren Whitmore's name.””
Camille looked at the photograph.
“What does that have to do with Derrick?””
“Your husband appears to have been conducting business through that company.””
“What kind of business?””
“Property management and event consulting.””
Camille closed her eyes.
She knew Derrick's business had failed two years earlier.
He had told her he was working on rebuilding his career.
He had spent months at home, attending meetings and making phone calls.
Camille had covered the mortgage and most household expenses during that period.
“Is Lauren involved in the insurance money?”” she asked.
“We're investigating.””
Thomas paused.
“There is something else. The company has received several payments from Reed Family Holdings.””
“How much?””
“Approximately $46,000.””
Camille felt her stomach tighten.
“Where did that money come from?””
“Some of the transfers appear to have originated from the account that received your inheritance.””
Camille looked at Nia.
Her sister was watching her closely.
“Do you think Derrick was paying Lauren with my money?””
“It's a possibility. We need to establish the full transaction history before making that conclusion.””
Camille thanked him and ended the call.
For several minutes, she said nothing.
Then Nia asked, “What are you going to do?””
Camille looked at the photograph.
“I'm going home.””
Nia frowned.
“Absolutely not.””
“I need my documents.””
“Then I'll go with you.””
Camille shook her head.
“I don't want to give Derrick a reason to say I came there to cause trouble.””
“Camille—”
“I'll be careful.””
Nia reluctantly agreed to accompany her.
They arrived at the house shortly after three.
The two-story brick home sat in a quiet Atlanta neighborhood. Camille had chosen the curtains, the furniture, the landscaping, and nearly every piece of art on the walls.
She had also paid a substantial portion of the down payment.
Patricia's Mercedes was parked in the driveway.
Camille stopped.
“She's here.””
Nia looked at her.
“Do you want to leave?””
“No.””
They walked inside.
Patricia was sitting on the living room sofa, eating strawberries from a crystal bowl.
Derrick stood near the kitchen island.
Neither looked surprised.
“Well,” Patricia said, “look who's back.””
Camille placed her handbag on the counter.
“I'm here for my documents.””
“What documents?””
“My personal records, my passport, and my financial files.””
Derrick folded his arms.
“Can we talk first?””
“About what?””
“About your behavior last night.””
Camille looked at him.
“My behavior?””
“You humiliated my mother.””
Nia made a small choking sound.
Camille raised one hand to stop her.
“Derrick, your mother told me I wasn't welcome at a dinner I organized and paid for. You told me to leave.””
“She was emotional.””
“So was I.””
“You always have to make everything into a battle.””
Camille looked toward Patricia.
“Did you tell Derrick what happened to the insurance money?””
Patricia's expression changed.
“What insurance money?””
“The $280,000 Raymond left me.””
The room went silent.
Derrick's arms dropped.
“Where did you hear that?””
Camille watched his face.
It was the first time since the dinner that he looked genuinely afraid.
“Your father's attorney.””
Patricia placed the bowl on the coffee table.
“That man has no business involving himself in our family.””
“He was Raymond's attorney.””
“And we handled the estate.””
“Apparently, you handled my inheritance too.””
Derrick stepped closer.
“Camille, listen to me. There are things you don't understand.””
“Then explain them.””
“It's complicated.””
She almost laughed.
There it was again.
The favorite phrase of people who wanted her to stop asking questions.
“Where is my money?””
Derrick looked at Patricia.
Patricia looked away.
“It's invested,” he finally said.
“Where?””
“In the family business.””
“What family business?””
“Reed Family Holdings.””
Camille nodded slowly.
“Who owns it?””
“Mom and I.””
“And me?””
He frowned.
“What?””
“Do I own any part of it?””
“That's not how it works.””
“Then how does it work?””
Derrick rubbed his forehead.
“Camille, we're married. Everything we do financially is connected.””
“No. You submitted a document claiming I authorized you to receive my inheritance.””
His expression hardened.
“Who told you that?””
“Was the signature mine?””
“It's a family matter.””
“Was it mine?””
Patricia stood.
“You need to stop speaking to my son like he's some kind of criminal!””
Camille turned toward her.
“Then perhaps he should stop behaving like someone hiding stolen money.””
Patricia stepped closer.
“You ungrateful woman. We gave you a home. We accepted you into this family.””
Camille stared at her.
“I paid for the repairs to this house. I paid the property taxes on your house. I covered Jason's rent. I paid for Raymond's funeral.””
“And nobody forced you!””
“Exactly.””
The room went quiet.
Camille continued.
“I did those things because I loved this family. I thought we were building something together.””
Derrick sighed.
“Can we please stop?””
“No.””
She walked upstairs.
Derrick followed.
“Camille, where are you going?””
“To get my things.””
“You're not leaving.””
She stopped at the top of the stairs.
“Excuse me?””
“This is our house.””
“Then why is your mother here telling me what I can and cannot do?””
Patricia appeared behind him.
“Because somebody has to remind you who you're dealing with.””
Camille opened the bedroom door.
Her suitcase was already sitting on the bed.
Beside it was a stack of papers.
She recognized her passport.
Her birth certificate.
Her Social Security documents.
And several financial statements.
Someone had gathered them together.
She turned toward Derrick.
“Why are my documents on the bed?””
He looked uncomfortable.
“I thought it would be easier if we organized everything.””
“Who went through my desk?””
Nobody answered.
Camille picked up the financial statements.
One page caught her attention.
It was a loan application.
Her name appeared at the top.
Her signature appeared at the bottom.
But the date was only six weeks earlier.
She had never applied for the loan.
She looked at the amount.
$175,000.
The borrower was Reed Family Holdings LLC.
The collateral section listed their marital home.
Camille's blood ran cold.
“Derrick.””
He glanced at the paper.
“What?””
“Did you use my information to apply for this loan?””
He reached for the document.
“Give me that.””
She pulled it away.
“Did you?””
“Camille, you're misunderstanding the paperwork.””
“Did you pledge our house as collateral?””
He said nothing.
Then Patricia spoke.
“Your husband was trying to build something for the family. You should be supporting him instead of sabotaging everything.””
Camille looked at the woman.
For six years, she had mistaken Patricia's cruelty for a personality flaw.
Now she understood that Patricia had a financial interest in keeping her quiet.
She placed the document in her handbag.
“I'm taking this.””
Derrick moved toward the doorway.
“Camille, don't leave with those papers.””
“Move.””
“Let's talk.””
“No.””
He lowered his voice.
“If you walk out with those documents, you're going to destroy this marriage.””
Camille looked at him.
“You should have thought about that before you signed my name.””
She walked past him.
Nia followed.
At the front door, Patricia shouted after them.
“Don't come crying to us when you realize nobody else will put up with you!””
Camille opened the door.
Then she turned.
“Patricia, I spent six years making sure your family never went without anything.””
She paused.
“Let's see how long you last without my money.””
She stepped outside.
As they reached the car, her phone rang.
Thomas.
“Mrs. Reed, I need you to come to my office immediately.””
“What happened?””
“We discovered the loan application you mentioned.””
Camille stopped walking.
“How?””
“The lender contacted our office because the property is part of the trust's asset review.””
She gripped the phone.
“What does that mean?””
Thomas lowered his voice.
“It means your husband may have attempted to borrow against a property he does not have the legal authority to pledge.””
Camille looked back at the house.
Behind the curtains, Patricia was watching.
May you like
Then Thomas said something that made Camille's blood run cold.
“There's also a second application. This one lists you as a personal guarantor for $600,000.””
