Chapter 3: The Woman in the Hotel Records
I read the message five times.
Then I took a screenshot.
My first instinct was to call Daniel.
My second was to call Patricia.
I did neither.
For once, I decided that I wasn't going to give anyone the opportunity to prepare another lie.
Instead, I called Rachel from a different number.
She answered almost immediately.
"Emily?""
"Who sent me that message?""
"I don't know. What message?""
I read it aloud.
Rachel became quiet.
"Someone knows you're investigating.""
"Did you find out who the third person was?""
"Yes.""
"Tell me.""
She hesitated.
"Emily, I think you should sit down.""
I was already sitting.
"Rachel.""
"The third name was Patricia Carter.""
I stared at the wall.
My mother-in-law.
My husband.
His former assistant.
All connected to the same hotel reservation.
"Why would Patricia be there?"" I asked.
"That's what I couldn't understand. The receipt showed three guests, but Mom told me she'd been visiting her friend in Connecticut that weekend.""
"Did you take a picture?""
"Yes.""
"Send it to me.""
A few seconds later, my phone vibrated.
Rachel had sent a photograph of a hotel receipt.
It showed the Grand Meridian Hotel.
The date was May 19.
Three registered guests:
Daniel Carter.
Vanessa Miller.
Patricia Carter.
The room charge was $4,200.
My credit card number appeared beneath the payment details, partially obscured.
I zoomed in.
It was mine.
I felt nauseated.
"Rachel, why would your mother travel with Daniel and Vanessa?""
"I don't know. But I asked her, and she became furious.""
"What did she say?""
Rachel sighed.
"She said Daniel was helping Vanessa with a family emergency, and I had no right to question him.""
I looked at the hotel reservation for tomorrow.
Three guests.
The same names.
This wasn't a simple affair.
Something larger was happening.
"Rachel, can you meet me?""
"Where?""
"Somewhere away from your mother's house.""
"Give me an hour.""
We agreed to meet at a coffee shop downtown.
Before leaving, I took photographs of every bank statement and emailed them to myself.
I also changed my banking password and contacted the fraud department again.
The representative confirmed that Patricia had been added as an authorized user four months earlier.
I asked how.
"An additional cardholder request was submitted through the online account," the representative explained.
"Was it approved using my authorization?""
"The request was authenticated through your online profile.""
I remembered that evening.
Daniel had been sitting beside me on the couch while we watched television.
He'd asked to borrow my phone because his battery was dead.
I'd handed it over without thinking.
Apparently, he'd used it for something else.
"Can you tell me who requested the additional card?""
"I can document the request details for the investigation, but I can't establish who physically completed it.""
"Please do.""
When I arrived at the coffee shop, Rachel was already waiting.
She looked pale.
Her hands were wrapped around a cup she hadn't touched.
"Emily," she said, "I think Mom has been lying to us for longer than we realize.""
I sat across from her.
"Tell me everything.""
Rachel opened her handbag and removed a small envelope.
Inside were photocopies of several hotel receipts.
There were also two printed emails.
"I found these in Mom's desk drawer," she explained.
"I wasn't snooping. I was looking for her insurance paperwork because she asked me to help with a claim.""
I examined the first receipt.
It was dated March 12.
Daniel and Vanessa.
The second was dated April 4.
Daniel and Vanessa.
The third was dated June 8.
Daniel, Vanessa, and Patricia.
Every payment had been made with my card.
I looked up.
"Why would Patricia help them?""
Rachel shook her head.
"I think she was getting something out of it.""
"Like what?""
"I don't know.""
She pushed the printed emails toward me.
The first was from Daniel to Patricia.
The subject line read:
*About Emily's account.*
I began reading.
Mom, the card should work now. Don't use it for anything too obvious. I'll take care of the statements before she notices.
My hands went cold.
I read it again.
Then the second email.
Vanessa needs another few weeks. Keep Emily distracted. The birthday dinner should help. Once everything is settled, we'll tell her what she needs to know.
I looked at Rachel.
"What does that mean?""
"I don't know.""
I continued reading.
The next line was worse.
Don't let her talk to the bank before Friday.
Friday was tomorrow.
The date of Daniel and Vanessa's hotel reservation.
I placed the email on the table.
"Rachel, I think they're planning something.""
She nodded slowly.
"Emily, there's another thing.""
"What?""
"Mom called me yesterday. She asked whether you had ever mentioned selling your house.""
I frowned.
"I don't own a house.""
"I know. But she asked whether you had savings.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
Rachel looked uncomfortable.
"She said Daniel was trying to arrange something for the family.""
I felt a cold wave move through me.
My savings.
My credit card.
My identity.
The pieces were beginning to connect, but I couldn't yet see the whole picture.
Then Rachel pulled another document from her handbag.
It was a photocopy of a printed financial application.
At the top was the name of a lending company.
Below it was my full legal name.
My home address.
My date of birth.
And a signature.
My signature.
Except I hadn't signed it.
The requested loan amount was $120,000.
I read the document twice.
"Rachel, what is this?""
"I found it in Mom's desk with the hotel receipts.""
"Why would my name be on a loan application?""
"I don't know.""
I turned to the final page.
There was a section listing the purpose of the loan.
The words were printed in bold.
*Business acquisition and debt consolidation.*
The application listed Daniel Carter as the secondary contact.
Patricia Carter was listed as the person who would receive correspondence.
And the proposed business beneficiary was a company called VM Hospitality Group.
I looked at Rachel.
"Who owns VM Hospitality Group?""
She shook her head.
"I searched online last night. I couldn't find much.""
I took out my phone and searched the company name.
The first result was a state business registration.
The company had been formed six months earlier.
Its registered owner was Vanessa Miller.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
My husband had been using my credit card to pay for hotels, restaurants, jewelry, and luxury purchases.
His mother had been given an additional card without my permission.
Now someone was attempting to obtain a $120,000 loan using my identity.
And the company receiving the money belonged to Vanessa.
"Emily," Rachel said quietly, "I don't think this is just about an affair.""
I looked at the application again.
"No," I whispered.
"It's about stealing my life.""
My phone vibrated.
An email had arrived from the lending company.
*Subject: Final verification required — Your loan application.*
I opened it.
The message stated that the application was scheduled for final verification the following morning.
There was also an attached document.
I downloaded it.
It contained a list of assets and supporting financial information.
At the bottom was a declaration authorizing the lender to verify my income, credit history, and marital status.
But one detail made my heart stop.
The application stated that I had agreed to use my personal savings as collateral.
My savings account balance was listed accurately.
Every dollar.
Someone had accessed my financial information.
Someone who knew exactly how much I had.
Then I noticed the emergency contact.
Patricia Carter.
And beneath her name was a phone number I recognized.
It was the number of the woman who had sent me the threatening message.
I looked at Rachel.
"Do you recognize this number?""
She leaned closer.
Her eyes widened.
"That's Mom's second phone.""
Before I could say anything, my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered and put it on speaker.
"Emily," he said, his voice unusually calm.
"Where are you?""
"Why?""
"Your mother-in-law told me you've been asking questions.""
I looked at Rachel.
Daniel continued.
"Listen carefully. I need you to come home. We have something important to discuss.""
"About Vanessa?""
Silence.
Then he exhaled.
"Emily, don't make this more difficult than it needs to be.""
"Did you use my credit card?""
"We'll discuss that at home.""
"Did you apply for a $120,000 loan in my name?""
Another silence.
Then his voice changed.
"Where did you get that document?""
I felt my fingers tighten around the phone.
"That's an interesting question, Daniel.""
"Emily, listen to me. You need to delete whatever you've found and stop contacting the bank.""
"Why?""
"Because if you interfere with what happens tomorrow, you'll lose more than money.""
My stomach tightened.
"What happens tomorrow?""
He lowered his voice.
"Vanessa is going to tell you everything.""
I stared at the hotel reservation.
Three guests.
Daniel.
Vanessa.
And Patricia.
Then he added six words that made my entire world collapse.
"She's not the only woman involved.""
The call ended.
And before I could process what he'd said, Rachel received a message.
She turned her phone toward me.
It was from Patricia.
Tell Emily to bring her passport and sign the papers tomorrow. If she refuses, Daniel will make sure she never sees a dollar of that money again.
I stared at the message.
Then I looked at the fraudulent loan application.
Tomorrow wasn't just another hotel reservation.
May you like
They were expecting me to show up.
And suddenly, I understood why Daniel had been so desperate to keep me away from the bank.
