Chapter 1 - THE ACCOUNT
Oscar had spent most of his life believing money was simple.
You worked for it.
You saved it.
You spent what you needed.
And if you were lucky, you left something behind for your children.
He had never been wealthy.
He had never wanted to be.
For forty years, Oscar had repaired industrial machinery in factories around Chicago. His hands had become rough from decades of work, his hearing had weakened, and his knees hurt whenever winter settled over the city.
But he had always taken pride in one thing.
He had never owed anyone anything.
When his wife died, Oscar stayed in the small apartment they had shared.
When Jared became successful, Oscar refused his son's offers to move into a better home.
"I don't need a mansion," Oscar always said.
Jared would laugh.
"You're my father. Let me take care of you."
Oscar always answered the same way.
"You already do."
But over the past three years, Jared had started sending money.
At first, it was two thousand dollars.
Then four.
Then eight.
Jared had become extraordinarily successful after selling the technology company he founded with two friends.
He could afford it.
And he wanted his father to stop worrying about money.
Lauren had been the one who suggested creating a monthly account.
"It'll be easier," she had told Jared.
"You don't have to keep sending individual transfers."
Oscar remembered that conversation.
He also remembered telling Lauren he didn't want charity.
She had smiled.
"It's not charity, Oscar. It's family."
Now, sitting in Beverly's office, Oscar wondered how long that sentence had been a lie.
Beverly printed several pages.
She slid them across the desk.
"These are only the transactions we can currently verify."
Oscar stared at the dates.
Three years.
Thirty-six months.
Two hundred eighty-eight thousand dollars.
His son had sent almost three hundred thousand dollars.
And Oscar had received nothing.
Not even a fraction.
"I thought I was living on my pension," Oscar whispered.
Beverly looked uncomfortable.
"Apparently, someone else thought you were living on something much larger."
Oscar looked at her.
"What does that mean?"
Beverly lowered her voice.
"Your account has been connected to another financial profile."
"Whose?"
Beverly didn't answer immediately.
Then she said, "I can't tell you everything yet."
"Why?"
"Because the account is currently under internal investigation."
Oscar felt a chill.
"Investigation for what?"
Beverly looked toward the closed office door.
"Fraud."
Oscar sat motionless.
He suddenly remembered Lauren's face when she entered his apartment.
That brief flash of fear.
The way she had immediately said she could explain.
But explain what?
Before Oscar could ask another question, Beverly's computer chimed.
She glanced at the screen.
Her expression changed.
"What is it?" Oscar asked.
Beverly didn't respond.
She opened a new notification.
Then another.
Then another.
Someone was trying to access Oscar's account.
Right now.
From a device that had been previously authorized.
Beverly looked at Oscar.
"Mr. Blake..."
May you like
"Yes?"
"I think whoever took the money knows we're looking."
