Chapter 9: The Bank Employee's Confession
Dad didn't speak for several seconds.
Patricia sat motionless.
Brandon stared at his mother.
Finally, Dad asked, “Her cousin?””
Daniel answered.
“His name is Steven Parker. He worked in the bank's customer verification department. He's currently being interviewed about the suspicious authorization.””
Patricia shook her head.
“Steven had nothing to do with this.””
Dad turned toward her.
“How do you know?””
She looked away.
Daniel continued.
“There are payment records showing transfers from Carter Family Holdings to an account associated with Steven. The payments were labeled consulting fees.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“How much?””
“Approximately $6,800 over several months.””
I felt dizzy.
This wasn't just Patricia and Brandon making bad decisions.
It was an organized effort involving forged documents, false identities, questionable bank approvals, and multiple accounts.
Dad thanked Daniel and ended the call.
Then he looked at Patricia.
“Did you pay your cousin to approve the paperwork?””
She shook her head.
“He was helping us understand the bank's procedures.””
“Why did he receive money?””
“Consulting.””
Dad laughed without humor.
“Your cousin worked for the bank. You paid him from a company funded by stolen money. And you expect me to believe it was innocent?””
Patricia sat down.
For once, she didn't have an answer.
Brandon walked toward the window.
“I told you this was going too far.””
Patricia turned on him.
“You were happy enough when you got the car!””
“That was different!””
“How?””
Brandon raised his voice.
“Because I thought we'd get away with it!””
The words hung in the air.
Dad stared at him.
I felt my stomach turn.
Brandon had finally admitted what he'd been thinking all along.
Not that the money belonged to me.
Not that the documents were wrong.
He simply thought nobody would discover the truth.
Dad took out his phone and called the bank's fraud department again.
He requested that all related accounts remain frozen and asked for confirmation that no additional transfers could be processed.
Then he called his attorney.
By midnight, Daniel had arranged an emergency meeting for the following morning.
Dad insisted that Patricia and Brandon remain available to answer questions from the investigators.
Patricia refused.
“You can't keep us here.””
Dad nodded.
“I'm not asking you to stay. I'm telling you that every document, message, and transaction connected to this matter is being preserved. My attorney will handle the next steps.””
Brandon grabbed his jacket.
“I'm going to my apartment.””
Dad didn't stop him.
But before Brandon reached the door, Dad spoke.
“Brandon.””
He turned.
“The car Emily received today was purchased with my money. It belongs to her. If you damage it, sell it, or attempt to take it again, I'll report it immediately.””
Brandon rolled his eyes.
“Whatever.””
He walked out.
Patricia stayed.
For several minutes, she sat at the kitchen table, staring at the bank statements.
Then she looked at me.
“Emily, can we talk privately?””
I didn't answer.
Dad looked at me.
“Only if you want to, sweetheart.””
I shook my head.
“There's nothing left to discuss.””
Patricia's eyes filled with tears.
“You don't understand. I never wanted to hurt you.””
I looked at the woman who had pushed me onto the floor that evening.
“Then why did you?””
She lowered her eyes.
“Because I was trying to help my son.””
“And I was your husband's daughter.””
She didn't respond.
I continued.
“You knew I was working weekends to save money. You knew I was excited about college. You watched me open my graduation gift, and you decided Brandon deserved it more.””
Patricia whispered, “I was jealous.””
The admission surprised me.
“Of what?””
“Your relationship with Michael.””
I stared at her.
She wiped her face.
“He always put you first. Every decision. Every vacation.
Every conversation. Even after we married, it was always about what Emily needed.””
Dad shook his head.
“Patricia, I was raising my daughter.””
“I know!””
She slammed her hand against the table.
“And Brandon never had that! His father disappeared when he was young. I spent years trying to give him opportunities. I couldn't watch him struggle while Emily had everything.””
I felt a strange sadness.
Not sympathy.
Just the realization that Patricia had spent years competing with a child.
“You could have asked Dad for help,” I said.
She laughed bitterly.
“Your father would never have given Brandon eighty thousand dollars.””
Dad stepped forward.
“Because I didn't have eighty thousand dollars to give away!””
Patricia stared at him.
“You spent that much on Emily!””
“Over eight years. For her education. With money I saved specifically for her future.””
Patricia shook her head.
“Brandon needed it more.””
Dad's voice became quiet.
“Then you should have worked with him to build a future. Not stolen someone else's.””
She covered her face.
For a moment, I thought she might finally understand.
Then her phone rang.
She looked at the screen.
Her expression changed.
Dad noticed.
“Who is it?””
“Nobody.””
He held out his hand.
“Let me see.””
She hesitated.
Then she placed the phone on the table.
The caller's name appeared.
*David Morgan.*
Dad answered on speaker.
“David.””
There was a burst of angry shouting.
“Why have you involved the police? Do you have any idea what you've done?””
Dad remained calm.
“You tell me.””
David laughed.
“You think you're protecting Emily? You're making everything worse.””
“Where is the original will?””
“Safe.””
“Where?””
“Somewhere you won't find it.””
Dad leaned closer to the phone.
“The police already have the documents from your office.””
David went silent.
Then he said, “You don't understand what Catherine wanted.””
Dad's face hardened.
“Don't you dare use my wife's name to justify what you've done.””
David continued.
“She promised me that the family would be taken care of. I was the one who looked after her before she died. You were always working.””
Dad's expression changed.
“You're right. I was working. To provide for my wife and daughter. Something you apparently decided gave you the right to steal from them.””
David suddenly became aggressive.
“Catherine was my sister! I deserved something!””
I stepped toward the phone.
“Uncle David?””
Silence.
Then he answered.
“Emily.””
“Why did you use my identity?””
He sighed.
“Sweetheart, you don't understand.””
“I understand that you tried to take my mother's money.””
“I was protecting it.””
“From whom?””
He didn't answer.
I continued.
“Why did you tell Patricia to make Brandon a beneficiary?””
David laughed.
“Because Brandon was the only one willing to do what needed to be done.””
I looked at Dad.
“What does that mean?””
David suddenly stopped talking.
Dad leaned toward the phone.
“Explain.””
But David had already hung up.
Patricia stared at the screen.
Then she whispered something.
“David said he was going to make everything disappear.””
Dad turned toward her.
“What does that mean?””
She began shaking.
“He said the bank records could be erased. He said Steven could make the original paperwork disappear. He promised nobody would ever be able to prove where the money went.””
Dad stared at her.
“You believed him?””
“He said he had someone helping him.””
“Who?””
Patricia hesitated.
Then she looked directly at me.
“He said the person who started all of this was someone your mother trusted more than anyone.””
I felt cold.
“Who?””
Patricia's voice dropped.
“Margaret.””
Dad immediately shook his head.
“That's impossible.””
But Patricia reached into her purse and pulled out a photograph.
It showed Margaret standing outside a restaurant with David.
The photograph was dated three months earlier.
On the back was a handwritten note:
The final agreement. Once the transfer clears, nobody can stop us.
Dad stared at it.
I couldn't believe what I was seeing.
Margaret had been the person Mom appointed to protect my inheritance.
She had reassured us.
She had promised to help.
And now Patricia was claiming she had been involved all along.
Dad immediately called Daniel.
He sent him the photograph.
Daniel examined it and promised to verify its authenticity before drawing conclusions.
But the timing was suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Then Dad's phone rang again.
It was Margaret.
He answered cautiously.
“Margaret?””
Her voice was urgent.
“Michael, I need you to listen carefully. I just received a warning that someone has accessed Catherine's trust records.””
Dad looked at the photograph.
“Margaret, there's something you need to explain.””
“What?””
“Why were you meeting David three months ago?””
Silence.
Then Margaret spoke.
“Because I was trying to stop him.””
Dad frowned.
“Then why is there a photograph of you holding a document that says the final agreement?””
Margaret's breathing became uneven.
“Michael, that photograph is being used to frame me.””
Patricia suddenly laughed.
“Of course it is.””
Margaret heard her.
“Patricia?””
Dad interrupted.
“Margaret, where are you right now?””
“At home.””
“Stay there. Daniel will contact you.””
Margaret's voice became frightened.
“No. Michael, you don't understand. Someone has already been inside my house.””
Dad stood.
“What?””
“They took Catherine's original letter. They took my copy of the trust agreement. And they left something on my desk.””
“What?””
Margaret whispered:
“A document bearing Emily's signature.””
My heart stopped.
“What document?””
Margaret paused.
Then she said:
“It's a confession. It says Emily willingly transferred her inheritance to David.””
Dad looked at me.
I shook my head.
“I never signed anything!””
“I know,” Margaret replied.
“But there's something written at the bottom that makes this much more dangerous.””
“What?”” Dad demanded.
Margaret took a trembling breath.
“It says that if Emily denies signing it, she will be admitting to committing financial fraud herself.””
The call disconnected.
Dad stared at the phone.
For the first time that night, I saw genuine fear in his eyes.
Someone wasn't just trying to steal my inheritance anymore.
May you like
They were preparing to make me look like the criminal.
And whoever was behind it had one final move planned.
