Chapter 6 - TWELVE YEARS OF RECEIPTS
Thomas Reed entered the property with two investigators.
Anthony immediately demanded identification.
Thomas showed it.
Anthony's attorney arrived minutes later.
Eleanor refused to leave.
Marissa remained calm.
Thomas looked at the documents.
“We need to establish the chain of evidence.”
Anthony pointed at Marissa.
“She created those documents.”
Marissa said nothing.
Thomas looked at him.
“Do you have evidence of that?”
Anthony hesitated.
“She had access.”
“That isn't evidence.”
“She was my wife.”
“That isn't evidence either.”
Eleanor stepped forward.
“This is ridiculous.”
Thomas turned toward her.
“Mrs. Cole, I recommend you remain silent.”
Eleanor looked offended.
“I am his mother.”
“That does not give you legal authority over this investigation.”
Anthony's attorney pulled him aside.
“What did you do?”
Anthony whispered.
“Nothing.”
“Then why are federal investigators here?”
“I don't know.”
The attorney stared at him.
“You better start remembering.”
Marissa opened the folder.
She removed a series of copies.
“Seven years ago,” she said, “an account was opened in my name.”
Anthony looked away.
“Six years ago, money began moving through it.”
Thomas accepted the documents.
“Where did the money go?”
Marissa pointed to another page.
“Multiple entities.”
Thomas examined the records.
“Cole Holdings?”
“Yes.”
Anthony interrupted.
“These are corporate transfers.”
Marissa looked at him.
“Then why was my name used?”
He said nothing.
Thomas continued reading.
“There's another problem.”
He held up one document.
“This authorization appears to contain a digital signature.”
Anthony's attorney looked at it.
“That could be forged.”
Marissa nodded.
“It was.”
Thomas looked at her.
“How do you know?”
“Because I was deployed when it was supposedly signed.”
The attorney stared.
Anthony's face changed.
Thomas turned toward him.
“Where were you on that date?”
Anthony swallowed.
“I don't remember.”
Marissa almost laughed.
“You remember everything.”
Anthony looked at her.
She continued.
“You remember what I wore to dinner twelve years ago.”
“You remember the car I drove.”
“You remember every vacation.”
“But somehow you don't remember opening a company account?”
Anthony's attorney whispered:
“Don't answer.”
Thomas closed the folder.
“We'll continue at the office.”
Eleanor stepped forward.
“You're not taking my son anywhere.”
Thomas looked at her.
“No one said we were.”
Anthony looked relieved.
Then Thomas added:
“Yet.”
The word hung in the air.
Marissa watched Anthony.
For years, he had been the one who made people wait.
Now he was the one waiting.
As the officials left, Thomas stopped beside Marissa.
“There's something you should know.”
“What?”
“The original document hasn't been recovered.”
Marissa nodded.
“I know.”
“You may be closer than you think.”
Marissa looked toward the townhouse.
Thomas lowered his voice.
“Someone inside your former family has been protecting that document.”
“Who?”
Thomas looked at Anthony.
Then at Eleanor.
“I don't know yet.”
The sedan disappeared down the street.
Marissa turned around.
Anthony was still standing by the gate.
He stared at her.
“You think you've won.”
Marissa shook her head.
“No.”
May you like
She held up the folder.
“I think you made the mistake of assuming I was playing the same game.”
