Chapter 2: Eleven Months of Someone Else's Money
The following morning, I sat in a small conference room at the Family Services office with four children waiting outside.
I hadn't slept.
Ben had climbed into my bed sometime around two in the morning, wrapped both arms around my neck, and whispered, "Don't go, Auntie.""
I hadn't moved for the rest of the night.
Now, across the conference table, Denise Parker opened a thick folder.
She was in her early fifties, with silver-framed glasses and a careful way of choosing her words.
"Claire, I want to explain what we have and what we don't have.""
"Please do.""
"Your sister applied for a family caregiving assistance program last year.""
I frowned.
"What program?""
"It's designed to help parents who rely on relatives for childcare. Depending on eligibility, payments can be made to the parent or directly to the caregiver.""
I stared at her.
"Did Megan tell you I was taking care of the children?""
"Yes.""
"Did she tell you I was paying for everything?""
Denise looked down at the folder.
"She reported that you were providing housing, meals, transportation, and daily supervision.""
"That's true.""
"She also reported that you had agreed to receive reimbursement through her.""
I leaned forward.
"I have never received a dollar.""
Denise stopped turning pages.
"Not one payment?""
"Not one.""
She removed a printed financial statement and slid it across the table.
The first payment had been deposited eleven months earlier.
$2,400.
Then another.
And another.
Every month.
The most recent payment had cleared four days ago.
I stared at the total.
$26,400.
Twenty-six thousand four hundred dollars.
I thought about the grocery receipts tucked into my kitchen drawer.
The winter coats hanging in my hallway.
The orthodontic consultation I'd paid for Ava.
The emergency room bill when Lily fractured her wrist.
The money I'd borrowed from my retirement account because my house had become a second home for four growing children.
I looked up.
"Where did the money go?""
Denise folded her hands.
"That's part of the investigation.""
"Can you tell me where it was deposited?""
"Into an account belonging to your sister.""
I laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
Because if I didn't laugh, I was afraid I'd start screaming.
"She took money for childcare she wasn't providing.""
"Claire, I need to be careful about making conclusions before the investigation is complete.""
"Then let me make one. She stole from me.""
Denise didn't argue.
Instead, she opened another section of the folder.
"There's something else.""
She placed a printed email in front of me.
The sender was Megan.
The date was six weeks earlier.
The subject line read:
*Transition Plan for New Baby.*
I began reading.
As discussed, Claire is comfortable assuming responsibility for the existing four children and the newborn. She has adequate housing, stable employment, and no dependents of her own.
I stopped.
My vision blurred.
She understands that the arrangement may become permanent. She has expressed a willingness to help me rebuild my life without the daily pressure of motherhood.
I pushed the paper away.
"I never said this.""
"I understand.""
"Did you ask her for proof?""
"She submitted a signed statement.""
I stared at Denise.
"Whose signature?""
She turned the page.
My name was at the bottom.
Claire Elizabeth Montgomery.
The signature looked convincing.
Almost.
But there was something wrong with the final letter of my surname. I always finished it with a sharp upward stroke.
This one curved downward.
I had noticed the same thing on a birthday card Megan had written for me two years earlier.
She had practiced my signature.
I had laughed about it then.
Now, the memory made my skin crawl.
"She forged this.""
Denise took the document back.
"We'll have it examined.""
I stood so quickly my chair scraped against the floor.
"Where is my sister?""
"Her current location is unknown.""
"Unknown?""
"She hasn't responded to our calls.""
I paced toward the window.
Outside, a delivery driver was unloading boxes. People were going about their ordinary lives, buying coffee, crossing streets, arguing over parking spaces.
Meanwhile, my sister had turned my entire life into a business arrangement.
A knock came at the door.
Officer Collins entered.
"Claire, do you have a minute?""
I nodded.
She held a small plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a silver USB drive.
"We found this in your sister's bedroom. It was sitting on top of a stack of printed documents.""
"What is it?""
"We haven't reviewed everything yet. But there are some files that may be relevant.""
She placed it on the table.
Denise looked at the label.
It was handwritten in blue ink.
*BABY PLAN.*
My stomach tightened.
"Can you open it?""
Collins nodded.
A few minutes later, she connected it to her laptop.
There were folders.
Photographs.
Scanned documents.
A spreadsheet.
And several audio recordings.
I recognized Megan's voice immediately when Collins opened the first file.
"Okay, so Claire will take the four kids. That's already settled. She practically has them anyway.""
Another voice answered.
A man.
"Are you sure she'll agree to the baby?""
Megan laughed.
"She doesn't need to agree. Once she realizes how much work it is, she'll do what she always does.""
The man chuckled.
"What if she refuses?""
"She won't. She loves those kids too much.""
I felt my hands go numb.
The recording continued.
"Besides," Megan said, "she has the house, the money, and no family of her own. It's practically perfect.""
Then the man asked a question.
"What about the payments?""
Megan's voice dropped.
"I've already taken care of that.""
Officer Collins paused the recording.
I couldn't breathe.
"Who is that man?""
Collins shook her head.
"We're working on identifying him.""
I looked at Denise.
"Does she know I'm here?""
"Not that we're aware of.""
My phone vibrated again.
This time, the caller ID showed Megan.
I answered.
"Where are you?""
There was a short silence.
Then my sister sighed.
"Good morning to you too.""
"Where are you, Megan?""
"Why are you making this so dramatic?""
I closed my eyes.
"Four children were left alone last night.""
"They weren't alone. They were waiting for you.""
"You packed your bags and disappeared.""
"I needed space.""
"You left a three-year-old crying in a hallway.""
Her voice sharpened.
"Don't use Ben against me.""
I gripped the phone.
"You're the one who left him.""
Megan exhaled loudly.
"Listen, Claire. We need to talk about the baby.""
I glanced at Denise.
"There's nothing to discuss.""
"Of course there is. I've already spoken to the people handling everything.""
"You mean the people you lied to?""
Silence.
Then Megan laughed.
A small, cold laugh.
"You always were terrible at understanding how these things work.""
I felt something shift inside me.
"Megan, did you forge my signature?""
"Don't start accusing me of things you don't understand.""
"Did you?""
Her voice became quieter.
"Claire, I need you to listen carefully. If you want to keep those children together, you'll stop asking questions.""
My blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?""
"It means you should be grateful I'm giving you a chance to do something meaningful with your life.""
Then she hung up.
Officer Collins was watching me.
"Did she threaten you?""
I shook my head slowly.
"No.""
I looked at the USB drive.
"She threatened the children.""
May you like
And for the first time, I wasn't thinking about how to rescue Megan.
I was thinking about how to protect myself from her.
Related Stories
