Chapter 2: The Money That Disappeared
Patricia didn't touch the bank statement.
She stared at it as if the paper itself might catch fire.
Dad pulled out a chair and sat down. His hands were steady, but the muscle in his jaw kept tightening.
"Sit down, Patricia.""
She gave a short, disbelieving laugh.
"Michael, I'm not going to sit here while you interrogate me over some bank paperwork.""
"Then stand. But you're going to answer my questions.""
Brandon hovered near the kitchen doorway, still holding his phone.
"What's going on?""
Dad pointed at the table.
"Come here. Both of you.""
Patricia remained where she was.
"Whatever this is, we can discuss it privately.""
"We've been discussing things privately for years," Dad replied.
"Tonight, we're going to discuss the truth.""
I sat on the sofa with an ice pack pressed against my elbow. My graduation dress was wrinkled, and my diploma lay forgotten on the coffee table.
The car keys were still clenched in my other hand.
Dad opened the bank statement.
"When Emily was fourteen, I opened a separate education account for her. I deposited money into it every month. Bonuses, overtime payments, tax refunds. Everything I could spare.""
He slid the first page across the table.
"Eight years of deposits. The balance should be a little over eighty-six thousand dollars.""
Patricia finally moved.
"Michael, you told me you were handling the finances.""
"I was.""
"Then why are you showing me this?""
"Because the current balance is eleven thousand, four hundred and twenty dollars.""
Silence settled over the room.
I lowered the ice pack.
"What?""
Dad looked at me, and the anger in his face softened for half a second.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I should have checked the account sooner.""
I could barely understand his words.
Eighty-six thousand dollars.
That money was supposed to pay for the remainder of my tuition, my textbooks, my dormitory fees, and perhaps graduate school if I worked hard enough to earn admission.
It was the reason Dad had told me not to panic about college expenses.
It was the safety net I had trusted.
"Where did it go?"" I asked.
Dad turned back to Patricia.
"That's what I'd like to know.""
She shook her head.
"I have no idea.""
Dad tapped the statement.
"Forty-seven thousand dollars withdrawn over the last fourteen months. Several transfers to a personal account. Payments to a luxury apartment complex. Two transfers to a company called Westbridge Auto Group.""
Brandon's phone slipped slightly in his hand.
Patricia noticed.
"Michael, you know I've helped manage household expenses. Perhaps some of those transactions were legitimate family costs.""
"Household expenses?"" Dad repeated.
"Emily's tuition fund paid for a luxury apartment?""
"It could have been a mistake.""
"An eighty-six-thousand-dollar mistake?""
She drew herself up.
"You're making accusations without knowing the full story.""
Dad pulled another document from his briefcase.
"Then explain this.""
It was a printed transaction receipt showing a transfer of twelve thousand dollars from Emily's education account to an account in Patricia's name.
The date was visible at the top.
So was the authorization method.
Online banking.
Dad leaned forward.
"Why did you transfer twelve thousand dollars into your personal account three months ago?""
Patricia's eyes flicked toward Brandon.
It was brief, almost imperceptible.
But I saw it.
So did Dad.
"Brandon," he said, "what do you know about this?""
Brandon shoved his phone into his pocket.
"Nothing. Why are you looking at me?""
"Because your mother just looked at you.""
"That's ridiculous.""
Patricia immediately stepped between them.
"Leave my son out of this. If you want to blame someone, blame me.""
"Gladly," Dad said.
"But first, you're going to tell me where the money went.""
She pressed a hand against her chest.
"I've spent years trying to make this family work. I've cooked, cleaned, supported you, and raised a daughter who treats me like an enemy. And now you're accusing me of stealing?""
"You pushed my daughter onto the floor less than ten minutes ago," Dad replied.
"Don't pretend this conversation is about your sacrifices.""
Patricia's eyes filled with tears.
It was a performance I'd seen before. A trembling chin, a quivering voice, a carefully timed pause that usually made Dad soften.
This time, he didn't move.
"Michael, I made a few temporary transfers," she admitted.
"I was going to put the money back.""
"When?""
"Soon.""
"With what money?""
She looked away.
Dad pointed to another transaction.
"Thirty-two hundred dollars to a credit card company. Four thousand eight hundred to a jewelry store. Nearly nine thousand to an apartment management company. And these transfers to Westbridge Auto Group.""
Patricia's lips parted.
"I can explain the apartment.""
"Then explain it.""
She swallowed.
"It was for Brandon. He needed somewhere closer to work.""
Brandon immediately protested.
"Mom, don't—"
She snapped her head toward him.
"Be quiet!""
Dad stood so abruptly that the chair scraped against the floor.
"You used Emily's college fund to pay for Brandon's apartment?""
"It was temporary!""
"And the jewelry?""
Patricia said nothing.
"The credit card bills?""
Still nothing.
Dad turned toward Brandon.
"Did you know where the money came from?""
Brandon shook his head too quickly.
"No.""
I remembered the expensive sneakers he'd bought last month. The new gaming computer in his bedroom. The designer watch he'd proudly shown everyone at a family barbecue.
I'd assumed Patricia had paid for those things from her own money.
Now I wondered how many times I'd watched my future being sold to fund Brandon's comfort.
"Look at me," Dad said.
Brandon reluctantly raised his eyes.
"Did you know?""
"I knew Mom was helping me out. That's all.""
"Helping you with what?""
"My car situation.""
Dad's expression sharpened.
"What car situation?""
Brandon glanced at Patricia.
She closed her eyes.
Dad slowly picked up the page showing the Westbridge Auto Group transfers.
"Is that where you bought a car?""
Brandon said nothing.
Dad repeated the question.
"Did you use Emily's money to buy yourself a car?""
"No!"" Patricia burst out.
"I used my own credit and only borrowed some money temporarily. Brandon needed transportation to keep his job.""
Dad looked at her with open disbelief.
"So you bought your son a car with money meant for Emily's education, and today you decided to take Emily's graduation car as well?""
"That isn't what happened.""
"Then tell me what happened.""
Patricia's tears stopped as quickly as they'd begun.
Her face hardened.
"You always make everything about Emily. Every opportunity, every dollar, every celebration. Brandon is your family too, but somehow he's always expected to struggle while she gets everything handed to her.""
I pushed myself upright.
"Handed to me?""
My voice shook.
"I worked every Saturday for two years. I earned a scholarship. I saved money for college because I didn't want Dad to carry everything himself. You watched me do all of that.""
Patricia turned toward me.
"And you think that makes you better than Brandon?""
"No. I think it makes my college money mine.""
Brandon muttered, "You're acting like I stole it.""
I stared at him.
"You benefited from it.""
"Mom was the one handling the transfers.""
"Did you know?""
He looked away.
That was answer enough to make my stomach twist.
Dad gathered the statements into a neat pile.
"I'm calling the bank first thing tomorrow morning. Every transaction will be investigated.""
Patricia's face went pale again.
"You wouldn't do that to your own wife.""
"If my wife has taken money from my daughter's education account, I absolutely will.""
She stepped closer and lowered her voice.
"Michael, think carefully. If you start digging into everything, you may discover things you don't want to know.""
Dad went completely still.
"What does that mean?""
For the first time that evening, Patricia looked genuinely frightened.
Then Brandon spoke from the doorway.
"Mom, just tell him about the other account.""
Patricia spun around.
"BRANDON!""
He flinched.
Dad slowly turned his head.
"Other account?""
Brandon's mouth opened, then closed.
Patricia reached for his arm, but he pulled away.
Dad took one step toward them.
"What other account?""
Neither of them answered.
Then Dad's phone vibrated on the table.
A notification from the bank appeared on the screen.
It was an alert about a new transfer request.
The amount was $18,000.
The destination account belonged to Patricia.
And the request had been submitted less than three minutes earlier.
Dad stared at the screen.
Then he looked directly at his wife.
"Tell me why you were trying to move another eighteen thousand dollars while we were standing in this room.""
Patricia backed away from the table.
May you like
And Brandon whispered the words that made my blood run cold.
"Mom, you said that money was already gone.""
