Part 14
The next three days were a whirlwind of legal appointments, police statements, and financial audits.
Maya Lin came to the house on Friday afternoon.
She looked lighter, the dark circles under her eyes finally fading.
We sat in the living room, which had been restored to its original state.
The white roses and catering tables were gone.
Only the scent of old wood and fresh coffee remained.
"The bank confirmed it this morning, Eleanor," Maya said, taking a sip of her tea.
"Because the transfer was interrupted before completion, the sixty thousand dollars was caught in the clearinghouse system."
"It's been returned to Derek's account."
Derek, who was sitting on the armchair, let out a breath he seemed to have been holding for a year.
"Thank God," he whispered.
"And the credit application?" I asked.
"Canceled," Maya smiled. "The fraud division flagged the IP address and the forged signatures."
"There will be no black mark on your credit, and Derek's record is completely clear."
"What about Felicia and Cassandra?" Derek asked. His voice was quiet when he spoke her name.
There was no love left in his tone. Only a deep, lingering regret.
"They are both in the county jail," Maya said, her expression turning serious.
"Cassandra tried to post bail, but the judge denied it once the federal charges from Richard Vance's case were tied to her."
"Felicia is singing like a bird."
"She's blaming everything on Cassandra and Richard, trying to get a plea deal."
"But the prosecutor told my lawyer they are looking at a minimum of ten years each."
Maya looked at me, her eyes filled with gratitude.
"You saved a lot of people, Eleanor."
"If they had gotten your house and Richard's fake loan, they would have vanished."
"I just protected my family, Maya," I said gently.
"And you helped us do it. We couldn't have done it without you."
After Maya left, Derek and I walked out onto the front porch.
The storm had passed, leaving behind a thick, beautiful blanket of white snow.
The afternoon sun made the yard glitter like diamonds.
"I feel like a fool, Mom," Derek said, looking out at the street.
"I wanted so badly to be the man who could buy a thirty-thousand dollar apartment."
"I wanted to show you that I could take care of things."
"Instead, I almost let them take the only thing we have left of Dad."
I stood next to him, wrapping my arm around his waist.
"Your father didn't love this house because of the bricks, Derek."
"He loved it because we were inside it."
"You are a good man, Derek. You were just lonely."
"And there are people in this world who know how to use that against you."
"But you learned."
"And you fought back."
He looked down at me, a small, genuine smile finally breaking through his tired face.
"I think I want to stay home for a while," he said.
"If that's okay with you."
"I think that's a wonderful idea," I smiled.
"But tomorrow, you are helping me clean the gutters."
May you like
He laughed, a clear, happy sound that echoed in the quiet winter air.
"Deal, Mom."
