Part 8
Cassandra didn't move.
She stood in the center of the study, her arms crossed.
"Get out?" she repeated.
She smiled, but it was a vicious, animalistic expression.
"Eleanor, you really don't understand how deep this goes, do you?"
"You think you won because Richard Vance walked out that door?"
She walked over to the desk, leaning over it.
"The catering? The decorations? The staff outside?"
"They are all under contract."
"A contract signed by Derek as the co-representative of Caldwell Holdings."
"If we don't pay them tonight, the collection agency goes after him."
"The sixty thousand dollars he transferred?"
"It's already gone."
"It was moved to an offshore account this morning."
"You can't trace it."
"You can't get it back."
Derek stepped forward, his fists clenched at his sides.
"I don't care about the money," he said, his voice shaking with rage.
"Take it."
"Just get away from my mother."
Felicia laughed. It wasn't her sweet, melodic laugh anymore.
It was shrill. Sharp.
"Oh, Derek. You sweet, stupid boy."
"You don't care about the money because you don't know the half of it."
She pulled her phone from her clutch.
"Show him, Cassandra."
Cassandra reached into her own bag and pulled out another document.
She didn't hand it to me. She threw it at Derek's chest.
The paper fluttered to the floor.
Derek picked it up slowly.
I looked over his shoulder.
It was a credit application.
An application for a line of credit worth one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.
Under the name: Derek Parker.
Co-signer: Eleanor Parker.
The date on the application was three days ago.
"My signature is on this," Derek whispered, his eyes wide with horror.
"And... Mom's signature is here too."
"I never saw this document, Derek," I said immediately.
"I know," he said, his voice cracking. "I didn't either."
"Identity theft," I said, looking at Cassandra.
"Good luck proving it," Cassandra snapped.
"The IP address used to submit the digital application belongs to this house."
"The security questions were answered using information found right here in your filing cabinets."
"As far as the bank is concerned, you two took out a loan together."
"And that money has already been approved."
"It clears tomorrow morning."
Felicia smiled, adjusting her hair in the mirror on the wall.
"So here is the deal, Eleanor."
"You sign the house over to Derek."
"Derek signs the management rights over to Caldwell Holdings."
"We use the line of credit to pay off the immediate debts, and we leave you alone."
"You get to stay here until you pass away."
"If you don't..."
"...the bank will freeze your accounts tomorrow for suspected fraudulent activity on the loan."
"You won't even be able to buy groceries."
"And Derek will be primary suspect in a federal financial fraud investigation."
They had spent months planning this.
Every detail. Every backup plan.
They had used my son's love to infiltrate my home, scan my documents, and steal our lives.
Derek dropped the paper. He looked like he was going to vomit.
"Mom..." he whispered. "What have I done?"
I put my hand on his shoulder.
I squeezed it tightly.
"You didn't do this, Derek," I said.
Then I looked at Felicia and Cassandra.
"You think you are the only ones who know how to play a game?" I asked.
I reached down to the desk drawer.
I unlocked it with a small key from my pocket.
I pulled out a small, black electronic device.
A digital audio recorder.
The little red light was blinking.
"I've been recording since Mr. Vance walked into this room," I said.
"Every word."
"Every confession."
May you like
"Every threat."
Cassandra's smile vanished completely.
