Chapter 4: The Records
The man in the dark suit was James Carter, my attorney.
He stood in the doorway holding a thin black folder.
Michael looked at him.
Then at Sabrina.
Then back at me.
“What financial records?”” Michael asked.
James didn’t answer immediately.
He walked toward the podium, his expression grim.
“Linda, I need you to come with me.””
Sabrina stepped forward.
“No.””
James turned.
“I’m sorry?””
“You can’t just walk in here and accuse people.””
“I haven't accused anyone,” James said.
“I brought documents.””
Sabrina’s face tightened.
“About what?””
James looked at Michael.
“Your accounts.””
Michael frowned.
“My accounts?””
I felt something cold settle in my stomach.
James opened the folder.
“Michael, yesterday afternoon, we received an alert from one of your brokerage institutions.””
Michael stared at him.
“Why would your office receive an alert about my account?””
“Because your mother listed you as a beneficiary.””
Michael looked at me.
I nodded.
“That was part of your wedding gift.””
James continued.
“The alert concerned an attempted change of beneficiary.””
Michael’s expression changed.
“Who tried to change it?””
James placed a printed form on the podium.
“Someone attempted to redirect the beneficiary designation to a private trust registered in Delaware.””
Sabrina went completely still.
Michael looked at her.
“Do you know anything about this?””
“No.””
James slid another document across the podium.
“This trust was established six weeks ago.””
Michael picked it up.
His eyes moved across the page.
“Why is my name on this?””
“Because you are listed as the grantor.””
Michael looked up sharply.
“I never created a trust.””
“That is the problem.””
A woman in the front row whispered something to her husband.
The room had become painfully quiet.
I could hear the soft hum of the air-conditioning.
The clink of ice in someone's abandoned champagne glass.
Michael turned another page.
His face drained of color.
“There’s a signature.””
“Yes,” James said.
“That’s my signature.””
“It appears to be.””
Michael stared at it.
“But I didn't sign this.””
James looked at me.
“That’s why I called you.””
Sabrina suddenly laughed.
It was a small, nervous sound.
“This is insane.””
James turned toward her.
“Mrs. Hayes, I suggest you don't make any further statements until you have legal counsel.””
Her smile disappeared.
“I’m not Mrs. Hayes.””
“Correct,” James said.
“You’re Sabrina Cole.””
Michael looked at his wife.
“What is he talking about?””
Sabrina folded her arms.
“This is obviously some misunderstanding.””
I stepped down from the podium.
“Then you won't mind answering a simple question.””
She looked at me.
“Where were you six weeks ago when this trust was created?””
Her lips parted.
“I don't remember.””
“Interesting.””
“Linda, stop.””
Michael's voice was quiet.
I turned toward him.
He looked exhausted.
Not angry.
Just devastated.
“Mom, I need to understand what's happening.””
“So do I.””
James pulled out another sheet.
“There’s more.””
Michael closed his eyes briefly.
“What now?””
“Two days ago, someone attempted to transfer $480,000 from an investment account connected to the trust.””
“To where?””
James looked at Sabrina.
“A company called Bellwether Consulting.””
Sabrina's face went blank.
Michael noticed.
“You know that company?””
“No.””
“Then why are you looking at me like that?””
“I’m not.””
“You are.””
Sabrina stepped closer.
“Michael, please. This is our wedding.””
He laughed bitterly.
“Our wedding?””
“Yes.””
“You just told my mother you didn't shave her head.””
“I didn't.””
“You just said you didn't know about a trust with my signature.””
“I don't!””
James interrupted.
“There is one more thing.””
Sabrina whispered, “Please stop.””
James looked at her.
“You should have thought about that before someone used Linda's personal information to fund the account.””
Michael's eyes widened.
“Linda's information?””
I nodded slowly.
“My Social Security number was used on one of the forms.””
Michael turned toward Sabrina.
“Why would someone have Mom's information?””
She didn't answer.
He stepped closer.
“Sabrina.””
“I don't know.””
“Look at me.””
She did.
“Tell me you didn't do this.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I love you.””
“That wasn't my question.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then the ballroom doors opened again.
A police officer entered.
Behind him were two detectives.
The guests erupted into whispers.
Michael turned toward me.
“You called the police?””
“No.””
I looked at James.
He shook his head.
One of the detectives approached us.
“Mrs. Hayes?””
“Yes.””
“I’m Detective Morgan. We need to speak with you privately.””
“About what?””
He looked toward Sabrina.
“Someone filed a report this afternoon regarding financial fraud.””
Sabrina suddenly stepped backward.
Michael noticed.
“So it was you.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“Then why are you scared?””
“I’m not scared.””
The detective reached into his coat.
“We recovered a laptop this morning.””
Sabrina's eyes widened.
“It contains communications between several parties involved in the trust.””
James asked, “Whose laptop?””
Detective Morgan looked at Sabrina.
“Hers.””
The ballroom exploded into noise.
Sabrina backed away.
“No.””
Michael whispered her name.
“Sabrina…”
She looked at him.
And for the first time since I'd known her, there was no arrogance in her face.
Only fear.
May you like
Then Detective Morgan said four words that made my blood run cold.
“The messages mention your father.””
