Chapter 4: The Man at the Door
“Richard, don't let him leave!””
The voice came from the hallway.
Everyone turned toward the bedroom door.
Marcus recognized it immediately. It belonged to Daniel Brooks, the attorney who had handled his grandfather's estate. Daniel had been the one person Marcus trusted to keep the inheritance matters private.
But why was he here?
Richard opened the door.
Daniel stood outside wearing a navy suit, holding a leather briefcase. His expression was unusually serious.
“Richard,” he said, “we need to discuss something important.””
Richard stepped aside.
“Come in. What is this about?””
Daniel entered the room and noticed Marcus.
“Good. You're here too.””
Brianna immediately stood.
“Why is he here?””
Daniel glanced at her.
“That's actually what I'd like to know.””
Vanessa frowned.
“Excuse me?””
Daniel placed his briefcase on the dresser.
“Three days ago, someone contacted my office pretending to be Marcus. They requested an early release of funds from his inheritance account.””
Marcus stared.
“What?””
Daniel nodded.
“The request was for thirty-five thousand dollars. It included a scanned signature, a copy of his identification, and instructions to transfer the money to a private account.””
Richard slowly looked toward his son.
“Marcus, did you request that?””
“No!””
Daniel opened his briefcase.
“That's what I suspected.””
He placed several printed documents on the bed.
“The signature was forged. The identification document was altered. And the bank account listed as the destination doesn't belong to Marcus.””
Brianna looked away.
Marcus noticed.
“Who owns it?”” he asked.
Daniel hesitated.
“Before I answer that, I need to know whether everyone here understands the seriousness of this situation.””
Richard nodded.
“Tell us.””
Daniel removed another sheet.
“The account belongs to a company registered six months ago. Its listed director is Vanessa Carter.””
Vanessa's face went white.
“What?””
Richard turned toward his wife.
“Vanessa?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know anything about that!””
Daniel remained calm.
“The company is called Carter Lifestyle Consulting. It has no meaningful business activity, but it has received several suspicious deposits.””
Richard picked up the document.
“Who authorized these transfers?””
“That's what we're investigating.””
Marcus looked at his stepmother.
“Why would your company be connected to my inheritance?””
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“I told you. I don't know!””
Brianna suddenly interrupted.
“This is ridiculous. You're all acting like Mom committed a crime.””
Daniel looked at her.
“I haven't accused anyone of anything.””
“Then why are you bringing her name into this?””
“Because the account was registered using her personal information.””
Vanessa grabbed the papers.
“I never signed this!””
Daniel studied her face.
“Then someone may have used your identity without permission.””
Richard looked increasingly confused.
“Can we start from the beginning? Why would anyone try to access Marcus's inheritance?””
Daniel turned toward Marcus.
“Your grandfather left you a protected trust. The principal could only be released under specific conditions. However, six months ago, someone began making inquiries about changing the beneficiary instructions.””
Marcus frowned.
“I never requested any changes.””
“I know.””
Daniel opened another folder.
“Your grandfather anticipated that someone might eventually try to interfere with the inheritance. Before he died, he left a sealed instruction with our office.””
Richard looked up.
“What instruction?””
Daniel glanced at Marcus.
“He wanted us to investigate any unauthorized attempt to access the trust before releasing further information.””
Brianna's breathing became noticeably faster.
Marcus turned toward her.
“Why are you so nervous?””
“I'm not!””
“You've been acting strange since he arrived.””
“Maybe because everyone is accusing my family!””
Daniel closed the folder.
“There's another issue.””
Richard sighed.
“What now?””
“The person who submitted the fraudulent request used an email address connected to this household.””
Silence.
Vanessa looked at Brianna.
Brianna immediately shook her head.
“Don't look at me.””
Nobody had said her name.
Marcus noticed.
Richard noticed too.
“Brianna, why would you assume anyone was looking at you?””
“I didn't!””
Daniel placed a final document on the bed.
“This is the email authorization attached to the request.””
Marcus leaned closer.
He recognized the address.
It was an old email account he had created years earlier for a shared family tablet.
But the recovery phone number had been changed.
He looked at Daniel.
“Can you identify the device used?””
Daniel nodded.
“The technical report suggests the request originated from a tablet registered to this residence.””
Richard slowly turned toward Brianna.
She stood motionless.
Then she whispered, “I want a lawyer.””
Vanessa immediately stepped toward her.
“Brianna, sweetheart…”
“No, Mom! I want a lawyer!””
Richard looked at Daniel.
“Are you saying my daughter stole from Marcus?””
Daniel shook his head.
“I'm saying there is evidence of an attempted unauthorized transfer. The responsible person has not yet been established.””
Marcus stared at the papers.
The accusation in his father's eyes had been bad enough.
Now he was beginning to understand that the bedroom incident might have been designed to hide something much bigger.
Richard turned toward Brianna.
“Did you know about this?””
She said nothing.
“Brianna!””
Her eyes filled with tears.
Then she looked at Marcus.
“You think you're so innocent.””
Marcus stepped back.
“What?””
She swallowed.
“You really think Grandpa wanted you to have everything?””
Daniel suddenly straightened.
“Brianna, what do you know about your grandfather's final instructions?””
She looked at him.
And for the first time, the attorney seemed genuinely concerned.
May you like
Because Brianna smiled faintly and said:
“Maybe you should ask Vanessa what happened the night Grandpa died.””
