Chapter 5: The Message That Exposed Everything
“Unlock your phone, Brandon.””
Dad's voice was quiet.
Brandon stood near the doorway, breathing heavily.
“It's private.””
“Not when it contains messages about my daughter's stolen money.””
“Michael, you can't just go through his phone!”” Patricia shouted.
Dad turned toward her.
“Then tell me why you're texting him about moving money.””
She said nothing.
Brandon reached for the phone again.
Dad stepped backward.
“I'm giving you one opportunity to explain.””
Brandon looked at his mother.
She shook her head.
“Don't say anything.””
That was when Dad's expression hardened completely.
“Interesting. You're both more concerned about hiding messages than explaining where the money went.””
Brandon finally unlocked his phone.
He opened the conversation with Patricia.
Dad scrolled through the messages.
The first one was dated three weeks earlier.
*Patricia:* The bank account is still active. Don't make any unnecessary transfers.
*Brandon:* You said Michael wouldn't check it.
*Patricia:* He trusts me. Stop worrying.
Another message appeared.
*Brandon:* What happens if he finds out?
*Patricia:* By then, the property will be sold, and we'll have the money somewhere he can't touch.
Dad stopped scrolling.
“What property?””
Brandon looked down.
Patricia started shaking her head.
“Michael, those messages are being taken out of context.””
Dad continued.
There were dozens of messages.
One dated six days earlier caught his attention.
*Brandon:* The buyer wants proof that the deposit came from the company.
*Patricia:* Use the business account.
*Brandon:* What about Emily's name on the paperwork?
*Patricia:* She won't know. She never checks financial documents.
I felt physically sick.
“Dad, what property are they talking about?””
He kept reading.
Then he found an attachment.
It was a photograph of a real estate contract.
The property was a small commercial building on the outskirts of town.
Purchase price: $96,000.
Deposit: $31,500.
The same amount that had disappeared from the college fund.
Dad examined the paperwork.
“Patricia, you bought commercial property with this money?””
She shook her head.
“It's an investment.””
“Under whose authority?””
“The company.””
“Whose company?””
“Mine!””
Dad slammed the document onto the table.
“Then why is my daughter's identity attached to it?””
Patricia raised her voice.
“Because she was listed as a beneficiary! She would have benefited from the investment eventually!””
I looked at her.
“I never agreed to any of this.””
“You were going to inherit the property!””
“I don't want property bought with my stolen money!””
Brandon interrupted.
“Can everyone calm down? The building was supposed to make money.””
Dad turned toward him.
“Supposed to?””
Brandon nodded.
“We planned to renovate it and rent it out.””
“Who was going to pay for the renovations?””
Brandon hesitated.
“More investors.””
Dad looked at the purchase contract again.
“Who owns the building?””
Patricia swallowed.
“The company.””
“And who controls the company?””
She didn't answer.
Dad pointed toward Brandon's name.
“Your son.””
Brandon stepped forward.
“I'm not the only person involved.””
Dad's eyes narrowed.
“Who else?””
Brandon looked at his mother.
Patricia closed her eyes.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Brandon whispered, “There was another investor.””
Dad waited.
“Who?””
“Mom's brother.””
Patricia immediately snapped, “Brandon!””
Dad slowly turned toward her.
“Your brother?””
She sat down.
“His name is Richard. He was helping us find investment opportunities.””
Dad stared at her.
“Did Richard know the money came from Emily's account?””
Patricia shook her head.
“No.””
Brandon looked at the floor.
“Mom told him it was family capital.””
Dad leaned against the table.
“Family capital?””
I couldn't take it anymore.
I stood up.
“Why didn't you just ask Dad for help?””
Patricia looked at me.
“Because your father would have refused.””
“Maybe because it wasn't his money to give away!””
She stood abruptly.
“You think life is fair? You think everyone gets what they deserve? Your father spent his entire life making sure you had everything. Brandon got nothing!””
I stared at her.
“He got a mother who would do anything for him. Apparently, including committing fraud.””
Her hand rose.
Dad immediately stepped between us.
“Don't even think about it.””
Patricia lowered her arm.
Dad took his phone and called Daniel again.
He explained the property purchase, the business registration, and the messages.
Daniel instructed him not to delete anything and to preserve the original devices and documents.
Then he asked Dad a question.
“Michael, has Patricia had access to any of your other financial accounts?””
Dad froze.
“What do you mean?””
“I'm looking at the business registration documents you sent. There may be another connection we need to examine.””
Dad walked into his office and returned with a folder.
He opened it on the table.
“These are the records from our joint household account.””
I watched him compare the transactions.
Then he stopped.
A transfer of $14,000 had been made six months earlier.
The recipient was a company called Westbridge Consulting.
Dad frowned.
“I don't recognize this.””
Patricia's face changed again.
“That's nothing.””
Dad looked at her.
“Nothing?””
“An administrative payment.””
“To whom?””
“My accountant.””
“What's your accountant's name?””
She didn't answer.
Dad searched the company registration.
Westbridge Consulting was owned by Richard.
Patricia's brother.
Dad slowly sat down.
“Fourteen thousand dollars from our household account went to your brother?””
“He was helping with the investment.””
“Which investment?””
“The building!””
Dad shook his head.
“You used our joint money to pay your brother for helping you move Emily's college money into a property owned by your company?””
Patricia began crying again.
But this time, Brandon wasn't looking at her.
He was staring at the phone in Dad's hand.
“Michael,” Brandon said quietly, “there's something else.””
Patricia turned toward him.
“Don't.””
Brandon swallowed.
“Richard wasn't just helping with the property.””
Dad looked at him.
“What else was he doing?””
Brandon hesitated.
Then he admitted, “He was supposed to help us move the rest of the money overseas.””
The room went silent.
I felt my knees weaken.
Dad stared at him.
“Overseas?””
Brandon nodded.
“He said it would be safer there.””
Dad slowly reached for the chair.
“Where is the money now?””
Brandon looked toward Patricia.
She was crying openly.
Then he said the words that changed everything.
“I don't know. But Mom gave Richard the original documents, and he left town yesterday.””
Dad immediately called Daniel.
But before he could explain, his phone received an incoming email.
The subject line read:
*URGENT: Additional Account Activity — Emily Carter.*
Dad opened it.
His eyes widened.
A transfer had been initiated that afternoon.
Amount: $22,000.
Status: PENDING.
And the destination account belonged to someone neither of us had mentioned.
Dad looked at Patricia.
“Who is Daniel Reeves?””
I frowned.
“Dad, that's your attorney.””
He shook his head.
“Not Daniel. The account beneficiary.””
Then he read the name again.
And his face became completely expressionless.
May you like
It belonged to my late mother's younger sister.
My Aunt Laura.
