Chapter 7 - THE FIRST LIE
Jared spent the entire night reading his mother's documents.
The deeper he went, the less he understood.
There were accounts he had never heard of.
Companies that had existed for only months.
Payments disguised as business expenses.
Property purchased under false names.
And one recurring name.
Blake.
Not Oscar.
Not Jared.
Someone else.
A person using the family name without permission.
Beverly arrived at the apartment just after sunrise.
She examined the documents.
"This is much bigger than the account."
Jared asked, "Can the bank trace the transfers?"
"Some."
"Do it."
Beverly nodded.
She looked at Lauren.
"How long have you known?"
Lauren answered honestly.
"Fifteen years."
Jared stared at her.
"You've known since before we got married?"
"I knew something was wrong."
"Something?"
"I didn't know everything."
"Why marry me?"
Lauren's eyes filled with tears.
"Because your mother asked me to stay close to you."
The words struck him harder than any accusation.
Jared stepped backward.
"You married me because of my mother?"
"At first, yes."
"At first?"
"I fell in love with you."
Jared looked away.
Lauren continued.
"I wanted to tell you. But every time I tried, someone reminded me what happened to Margaret."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"You're lying."
"I'm not."
Beverly interrupted.
"There is one more problem."
Jared turned.
"What?"
"The person who accessed your father's account last night used a device registered to your company."
Jared frowned.
"My company has hundreds of devices."
"Not this one."
She handed him the report.
Jared looked at the device ID.
His expression changed.
"That's mine."
Beverly nodded.
"But the device hasn't been used by you in six months."
Jared's mind raced.
Someone had access to his identity.
Someone who knew his passwords.
Someone who knew his father.
Someone who knew Lauren.
Then his phone rang.
A blocked number.
Jared answered.
A distorted voice spoke.
"Stop digging."
"Who are you?"
"You don't want to know."
"What happened to my mother?"
Silence.
Then:
"Ask your father what he did in 2009."
The call ended.
Jared slowly lowered the phone.
Everyone looked at him.
Oscar whispered, "I told you. I don't remember."
May you like
Jared looked at his father.
"Maybe you do."
