Chapter 4: The Contract
The phone kept ringing in my hand.
Vanessa.
Again.
Daniel Mercer stood in my mother's living room with the thin folder pressed against his chest, watching me as if he already knew what I was going to do.
I answered.
“Where are you?””
Vanessa's voice came out breathless.
“I'm at Mom's house.””
Silence.
Then she said, “David, listen to me.””
“No. You listen to me.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Who is Daniel Mercer?””
There was another silence.
Longer this time.
“David…”
“Who is he?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel gave a humorless smile.
I turned away from him.
“You're lying.””
“I am not lying.””
“Then why did he just tell me you know we're here?””
“Because he's trying to scare you.””
“Why would he know where I am?””
“I don't know!””
Her voice cracked.
For the first time since I'd known Vanessa, she sounded genuinely afraid.
I looked at Mom.
She was watching me carefully.
“Vanessa,” I said, “what is Bellrose Holdings?””
Nothing.
Not a word.
“Vanessa?””
She finally whispered, “You need to come home.””
“I asked you a question.””
“You don't understand what happened.””
“Then explain it.””
“I can't do this over the phone.””
“Try.””
“I said I can't!””
Her breathing became uneven.
“David, please. Come home before you make this worse.””
I almost laughed.
“You've already made it worse.””
Daniel stepped closer.
He held out the folder.
“Open it.””
Vanessa heard him.
“Who's with you?””
I didn't answer.
“David, who's with you?””
I ended the call.
Mom looked at me.
“She's frightened.””
“So am I.””
Daniel placed the folder on the dining table.
“Then you should read this.””
I opened it.
The first page was a contract.
At the top:
*BELLROSE HOLDINGS LLC*
Underneath was my mother's full legal name.
My stomach tightened.
“She signed this?””
Daniel nodded.
“Three years ago.””
I scanned the document.
It described an investment.
$60,000.
A promised annual return.
A maturity date.
Nothing immediately appeared criminal.
Then I reached the signature page.
My mother's signature was there.
But beneath it was another signature.
*Vanessa Carter — Authorized Representative*
I looked at Mom.
“Did you authorize her?””
Mom shook her head.
“No.””
Daniel nodded.
“That is why I am here.””
I flipped another page.
There was a transfer authorization.
Another signature.
Then a photocopy of Mom's driver's license.
Another page.
A wire-transfer receipt.
The money hadn't gone into an investment account.
It had gone to a company called *Mercer Development Group*.
I looked at Daniel.
“That's yours?””
“Yes.””
“What does your company have to do with Bellrose?””
“Bellrose bought property from me.””
“With my mother's money?””
Daniel nodded.
“Partly.””
I felt my pulse in my throat.
“What property?””
He slid another document toward me.
A property address.
I knew it.
Everyone in our family knew it.
I stared at the page.
“No.””
Mom looked over my shoulder.
Her face went pale.
“That's…”
“Yes,” Daniel said.
“It was your father's property.””
My chair scraped against the floor as I stood.
“My father didn't own that.””
“He did.””
“No. The estate was settled.””
“Not completely.””
Daniel pointed to the document.
“Your father owned a small commercial building downtown. He left it in a trust for your mother.””
Mom covered her mouth.
I looked at her.
“You knew?””
She shook her head quickly.
“No.””
Daniel continued.
“After your father died, someone began trying to access the trust.””
“Who?””
He didn't answer.
I already knew.
“Vanessa.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Your wife approached my company three years ago.””
“What did she want?””
“To buy the building.””
“Why?””
“She said she represented your mother.””
Mom whispered, “I never gave her permission.””
“I know.””
Daniel looked at me.
“She showed me paperwork that appeared legitimate.””
“Then why didn't you sell it?””
“I did.””
My chest tightened.
“To Vanessa?””
“No.””
He tapped the contract.
“Bellrose Holdings purchased the property.””
I looked at the documents again.
“And who owns Bellrose?””
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he pulled out another page.
I read the name.
*Vanessa Carter — 100% Managing Member.*
The room seemed to tilt.
I sat down slowly.
My wife owned Bellrose Holdings.
The company that had taken my mother's money.
The company that had purchased my father's hidden property.
The company whose existence Vanessa had never once mentioned.
Mom began to cry.
“I don't understand.””
I took her hand.
“Neither do I.””
Daniel looked toward the window.
“There is one more thing.””
“What?””
“The property wasn't worth sixty thousand dollars.””
“How much?””
“Four hundred and eighty thousand.””
I stared at him.
“What?””
“Your mother's sixty thousand was only the first payment.””
I couldn't speak.
Daniel opened another file.
“There were additional transfers.””
He pushed a page across the table.
I saw amounts.
$75,000.
$90,000.
$110,000.
My mouth went dry.
“Where did all this money come from?””
Daniel looked at me.
“That's what I've been trying to determine.””
Mom shook her head.
“I didn't give her that money.””
“I know.””
I looked at the dates.
Some transfers had been made from an account I recognized.
Our joint savings account.
My account.
My money.
I felt something inside me collapse.
“Vanessa.””
Daniel watched my face.
“She wasn't just taking your mother's money.””
He paused.
“She was moving yours too.””
I pushed the papers away.
“No.””
“David—”
“No.””
I stood abruptly.
“She couldn't access our savings without me.””
Daniel's eyes remained fixed on mine.
“She didn't need your permission.””
“How?””
He handed me another document.
A loan agreement.
My name was printed across the top.
I stared at the signature.
My signature.
Except I hadn't signed it.
“What is this?””
“A $180,000 business loan.””
I felt dizzy.
“I never took out a loan.””
Daniel's voice dropped.
“Someone did.””
I looked at the final page.
There was a witness signature.
A notary stamp.
And beneath the borrower information:
*David Carter, Managing Partner — Carter & Associates.*
My company.
A company I owned.
A company Vanessa had no legal authority to borrow against.
I looked at Mom.
Then at Daniel.
“Why are you showing me this now?””
Daniel's expression changed.
“Because the lender is coming tomorrow.””
“For what?””
“To collect.””
“How much?””
He looked down at the document.
“Two hundred and thirty-seven thousand dollars.””
Mom reached for my arm.
“David…”
My phone rang.
Vanessa again.
I answered.
This time, I said nothing.
Her voice was barely audible.
“Did you see it?””
I closed my eyes.
“What did you do, Vanessa?””
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
“I didn't steal anything.””
“You forged my mother's documents.””
“I was trying to save us.””
“You stole from me.””
“I was trying to save the family!””
“You bought a building with my mother's money.””
“She was going to lose it anyway!””
My blood ran cold.
“What?””
Vanessa started crying.
“You don't know what your father left behind.””
I froze.
“What did my father leave behind?””
She didn't answer.
“Vanessa.””
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Debt.””
Then the call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Daniel's face had gone pale.
“What did she say?””
I looked at him.
“She said my father left behind debt.””
Daniel slowly sat down.
“No.””
“What?””
He shook his head.
“That isn't possible.””
“Why?””
“Because I handled your father's final accounts.””
Daniel opened his folder again.
Then he pulled out a document I'd never seen before.
A document dated two weeks before my father died.
He placed it in front of me.
At the bottom was my father's signature.
May you like
And one sentence had been underlined in red:
*If anything happens to me, do not let Vanessa Carter access the trust.*
