Chapter 8: The Secret My Wife Had Been Keeping for a Year
Nobody spoke after Richard placed the beneficiary form on the table.
Even Cole, who had been shifting nervously beside the staircase, became completely still.
Molly looked at the document, then at Tara.
"Why is Cole's name there?""
Tara opened her mouth.
No words came out.
I turned toward Richard.
"Has this change already been approved?""
"No," he said.
"The institution flagged the submission because the supporting authorization appeared inconsistent with the existing records. We have requested further verification.""
"So Molly is still the intended beneficiary?""
"According to the records we have reviewed, yes.""
I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
Then I looked at Tara.
"Why did you try to change it?""
She sank into the nearest chair.
"I didn't think you'd understand.""
"Then explain it so I can.""
Tara stared at her hands.
"I thought Cole would need the money more.""
Molly's face changed.
"Why?""
"Because he's my son.""
The answer came out so simply that it seemed to frighten Tara herself.
I looked at her.
"And Molly is my daughter.""
"I know that!""
"Do you?""
Tara pressed her palms against her eyes.
"I never intended for this to happen.""
"You didn't intend to get caught?""
She flinched.
Jean moved closer to Molly.
"Let's not make the children listen to another argument," she said softly.
I nodded.
"Mom, would you take them into the living room for a little while?""
Molly looked reluctant.
"I want to know why.""
I knelt in front of her.
"I promise you'll get answers. But I need to understand the documents first.""
She studied my face.
"You're not going to send me away?""
"No.""
After a moment, she nodded.
Jean led both children into the living room and closed the door.
Richard gathered the paperwork into separate piles.
"Mr. Bennett, I want to be clear about the distinction between what we know and what remains unverified. The nine hundred dollars was transferred to your wife's personal account.
The withdrawal authorization appears to bear your name, but you deny signing it. The proposed beneficiary change was submitted but has not been approved.""
"And the twelve hundred dollars?""
"We have not established whether the cash Tara reported missing is connected to the old account. We need the bank's transaction history and a full accounting of the funds.""
I looked at Tara.
"Did you take the twelve hundred dollars from our bedroom?""
She shook her head.
"Not the way you think.""
"That isn't an answer.""
"I moved it.""
"Where?""
She stared at me.
"Into another account.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"Which account?""
"Mine.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"Mrs. Bennett, when did you move the money?""
"Three weeks ago.""
"How much?""
"Twelve hundred dollars.""
I gripped the back of a chair.
"So the money you accused Molly of stealing was yours, and you'd already transferred it out of the bedroom.""
Tara shook her head frantically.
"I didn't steal it from Molly!""
"No. You took it from our household and hid it in your account. Then you blamed a twelve-year-old child for taking it.""
"I was going to put it back.""
"With what?""
She looked down.
I thought about the bills on the dining table. The mortgage payment due next week. The washing machine that sounded as if it might fall apart every time it spun.
We had been counting every dollar.
And Tara had been moving money between accounts while I worked overtime to keep us afloat.
"Why did you move it?"" I asked.
"Because I needed to pay the lender.""
"You said the nine hundred dollars had covered the debt.""
"Most of it.""
"How much do you owe?""
She whispered a figure.
I stared at her.
"Nearly four thousand dollars?""
"I told you, the interest kept growing.""
"You told me the debt was paid before we got married.""
"I was ashamed.""
"So you lied.""
"I thought I could fix it before you ever found out.""
I laughed once, without humor.
"You keep saying that. Every decision you made was supposedly temporary. You took money from Molly temporarily.
You misrepresented your authority temporarily. You tried to change the beneficiary temporarily. And now you want me to believe you were going to return the twelve hundred dollars temporarily.""
Tara began crying again.
"I love you, Scott.""
I looked at her.
"I don't know what that means anymore.""
Richard closed his briefcase.
"I recommend that you preserve all relevant documents, avoid moving any further funds, and allow the bank and insurer to complete their reviews. You should also consult an independent attorney about the apparent unauthorized use of your signature and the attempted beneficiary change.""
Tara looked up sharply.
"You're suggesting legal action against me?""
"I'm suggesting that the records be examined properly," Richard replied.
"I represent the interests of Emily's estate. My responsibility is to ensure that money intended for Molly is handled according to the governing documents.""
He turned toward me.
"I'll send you the contact information for an attorney who can advise you personally. Given the circumstances, you should not rely on anyone who has been involved in these transactions.""
I nodded.
"Thank you.""
After Richard and Jean left the room to make a call, I remained at the table with Tara.
She reached across the wood and touched my wrist.
"Scott, please don't destroy our family over this.""
I pulled my hand away.
"You need to understand something. I'm not destroying our family. I'm trying to find out what happened inside it.""
"I made mistakes.""
"You made choices.""
"I was trying to protect Cole.""
"From what? Consequences?""
She shook her head.
"You don't understand what it's like to watch your child make a terrible mistake and believe one bad decision could define the rest of his life.""
I stared at her.
"I understand more than you think. Molly lost her mother when she was six. I've watched her struggle with grief.
I've watched her worry that if she cries too much, she'll make everyone uncomfortable. I've watched her try to be the easiest child in the world because she thinks that will keep me from leaving.""
Tara covered her mouth.
"And yesterday," I continued, "you made her believe her own father might send her away because of three hundred dollars you put in her backpack.""
"I didn't know she'd react like that.""
"She's twelve.""
"I know.""
"Then how could you not know?""
Tara had no answer.
A soft knock sounded on the door.
Cole stood there, holding the purple notebook.
"I want to tell you something," he said.
Tara immediately stood.
"Cole, not now.""
He looked at her.
"You told me I had to lie.""
Her face crumpled.
"Please don't do this.""
Cole stepped into the room.
"You told me if I said Molly stole the money, Dad would send her away and everything would be okay.""
I felt sick.
Tara reached for him.
He moved out of reach.
"I don't want to lie anymore.""
He placed the notebook on the table.
"I found another page.""
Tara went completely still.
Cole opened the notebook to a section near the back.
The writing was smaller there, compressed into the margins as if someone had been trying to fit as much information as possible onto one page.
A date.
An amount.
A name.
And a short sentence:
If the account review begins, use the missing cash to establish a pattern of dishonesty.
I read it twice.
Then I looked at Tara.
"Did you write this?""
She stared at the page.
"I was writing possibilities.""
"Possibilities?""
"I was afraid.""
"So you planned to make Molly look like a thief?""
Tara shook her head.
"I didn't know I'd actually do it.""
The admission was so quiet that I almost missed it.
Cole began crying.
"I saw you put the money in her backpack. I told you not to.""
Tara looked at him.
"You don't understand the pressure I was under.""
"I don't care!""
His small voice filled the room.
"I don't care about the money! Molly is my sister!""
He wiped his cheeks with both hands.
"She helped me with my reading when I was behind in school. She gave me her headphones when mine broke. She never told anyone about the time I cried because I missed Dad who doesn't live with us anymore.""
He looked at Tara.
"Why would you make everyone hate her?""
Tara sank into her chair.
For the first time since I'd known her, she had no argument ready.
I went to Cole and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"You did the right thing by telling me.""
He looked at me anxiously.
"Are you mad at me?""
"No.""
"Even though I knew yesterday?""
I shook my head.
"You were frightened. You're allowed to be frightened. What matters now is that you're telling the truth.""
He nodded, but he didn't look relieved.
"Is Mom going to jail?""
The question cut through me.
I looked at Tara, who was staring at her hands.
"I don't know what will happen," I said honestly.
"That's something the adults will have to work through. You and Molly aren't responsible for it.""
Cole nodded slowly.
Then he whispered, "There's one more thing.""
I turned toward him.
"What is it?""
"Mom didn't start all of this because of the loan.""
Tara's head snapped up.
"Cole, stop.""
He looked at me, terrified but determined.
"She told someone on the phone that the money had to be moved before October twentieth.""
I glanced at the clock.
It was October twentieth.
"Who was she talking to?""
"I don't know. She said the person had been waiting a long time.""
Tara stood so abruptly that her chair tipped over.
"That's enough!""
Cole recoiled.
I stepped between them.
"Don't shout at him.""
She stared at me, breathing hard.
Then her eyes shifted toward the notebook.
Her expression changed.
Not guilt.
Recognition.
"Scott," she whispered, "there's something you still don't know about the twelve hundred dollars.""
I waited.
She swallowed.
"The money wasn't mine to move.""
"I know that.""
"No."" Her voice trembled.
"You don't understand. I didn't put it in my account to pay the loan.""
"Then why did you?""
She looked toward the living room, where Molly was waiting with Jean.
May you like
Then she leaned closer and whispered the words that made the room feel suddenly airless.
"Because someone threatened to expose what happened to Emily before she died.""
