Chapter 5 - MIDNIGHT COLLATERAL
David placed the call on speaker.
The representative from Blue Crest identified himself as Martin Voss, senior recovery manager.
“I need to speak with Mr. Hale,” Martin said.
“You’re speaking with David Whitaker,” David replied. “My name is listed as a guarantor.”
“Yes.”
“I never signed a guarantee.”
Silence followed.
Martin’s tone became cautious.
“Our records contain a notarized authorization.”
“You may want to verify it.”
Brandon reached for the phone.
“End the call.”
David stepped away.
Martin continued.
“The final collateral package includes the primary residence, Hale Outdoor Design equipment, the Hale retirement portfolio, and future distributions from the Whitaker Family Trust.”
Emily stared at Brandon.
“You promised them my inheritance?”
“It was leverage,” he said.
Patricia’s voice cracked.
“You promised them our retirement.”
“The lake property would have covered everything.”
Martin heard the argument.
“Mr. Hale, I need confirmation that the amended trust certificate will be delivered before midnight.”
“It will,” Brandon said.
“No,” David replied.
Brandon’s face twisted.
“Stay out of this.”
David looked at the clock on the outdoor kitchen wall.
It was 7:18 p.m.
“What happens if nothing is delivered?” he asked.
“We declare default.”
“And then?”
“We freeze the associated accounts, seize the investment property, and refer suspected misrepresentations to counsel.”
Brandon spoke quickly.
“Martin, I’ll call you back.”
David ended the call.
For several seconds, only the soft bubbling of the pool fountain could be heard.
Emily picked up her own phone.
Brandon immediately noticed.
“Who are you calling?”
“The police.”
He grabbed her wrist.
David caught Brandon’s arm and pulled it away.
“Don’t touch her.”
Brandon shoved David.
The older man stumbled against the table.
A wine bottle tipped over and shattered.
Emily moved between them.
“Get away from him.”
Brandon raised both hands.
“I barely touched him.”
“You grabbed me.”
“You’re hysterical.”
Emily stared at him.
Those words had worked before.
Whenever she questioned a payment, he said she was stressed.
Whenever she noticed a missing document, he blamed her night shifts.
Whenever she remembered a conversation differently, he accused her of being emotional.
This time the words sounded empty.
She dialed emergency services.
Brandon looked toward the side gate.
Melissa stepped in front of it.
“Don’t.”
He laughed.
“You think you can keep me here?”
“No. But the camera can.”
She pointed toward the security camera above the patio.
A red light blinked.
Brandon glanced at the house.
“You turned those off last week,” he said to Emily.
“I did.”
David looked toward the camera.
“Then who turned them back on?”
A voice answered from the speaker near the kitchen door.
“I did.”
Everyone turned.
A young man stood inside the house, holding a laptop.
Emily recognized him as Noah Reed, one of Brandon’s former employees. He had designed the company’s irrigation systems before abruptly quitting two months earlier.
Brandon’s face became furious.
“You broke into my house.”
“No,” Noah said. “Emily gave Melissa the door code when she arrived.”
Emily looked at Melissa.
“I didn’t.”
Melissa shook her head.
“Neither did I.”
Noah raised the laptop.
“The code was stored in Brandon’s company password file.”
“You hacked me.”
“You never changed the default password.”
David almost smiled, but the situation was too serious.
Noah turned the laptop toward them.
The screen displayed the backyard camera feed along with several archived recordings.
“There’s something you need to see.”
He clicked a video dated three weeks earlier.
The backyard appeared empty at first.
Then Brandon walked into view carrying a folder.
Richard followed him.
Brandon placed a paper on the table and pointed to the signature line.
Richard signed.
A few moments later, Brandon’s phone rang. He walked away toward the pool.
The camera’s microphone captured Richard asking, “Does David know we’re filing this?”
Brandon returned and answered clearly.
“He’ll be dead before anyone checks.”
Patricia screamed.
Richard stared at his son.
Emily covered her mouth.
Brandon rushed toward the laptop.
Noah stepped backward.
David did not move.
The sentence replayed in his mind.
He’ll be dead before anyone checks.
For weeks, David had believed the headaches and dizziness were symptoms of age.
Now he remembered the bottle of vitamins Brandon had given him.
May you like
He remembered the strange metallic taste.
And he remembered that Emily, wearing her turquoise medical uniform, had once found him unconscious in his workshop.
