Chapter 6: The Woman Who Knew Everything
Dad didn't speak during the drive home.
The document bearing Denise's signature sat between us in a folder.
I kept looking at it.
Two years before marrying my father.
That meant Denise had known my mother.
Not casually.
Not through some distant family connection.
She had witnessed a legal agreement involving my mother's business and the trust established for me.
And she'd spent years pretending she knew nothing about it.
When we reached home, Kaylee was sitting in the living room with her new SUV keys beside her.
She looked up.
"Where have you guys been?""
Dad placed the folder on the coffee table.
"Where is your mother?""
"Upstairs.""
"Call her.""
Kaylee frowned.
"Why?""
"Now.""
She picked up her phone.
A few seconds later, Denise appeared at the top of the stairs.
She wore a cream-colored sweater and black trousers.
When she saw the folder, she stopped.
"What did you do?""
Dad looked up.
"We went to see Eleanor Hayes.""
Denise gripped the railing.
For a moment, she looked as if she might fall.
Then she slowly walked downstairs.
"You had no right.""
I laughed in disbelief.
"No right? You sold my car.""
She ignored me.
"Marcus, you shouldn't have involved Eleanor.""
"Why?""
"Because she doesn't know the entire story.""
Dad pulled out the document.
"Then tell us the entire story.""
Denise glanced at the signature.
Her face turned pale.
"Where did you get that?""
"From my daughter's mother's attorney.""
"That document was never supposed to leave the original file.""
Dad stood.
"Why were you a witness to Elaine's agreement?""
Denise looked at me.
"Because I knew her.""
"How?""
She hesitated.
Then she sat down.
"I worked for a financial services company years ago. Elaine was one of our clients.""
Dad stared.
"She never mentioned you.""
"She didn't like me.""
I folded my arms.
"Why?""
Denise gave me a cold look.
"Because she thought I was involved with Daniel Mercer.""
Dad went completely still.
"What?""
Denise looked down.
"I wasn't his partner. I worked in the office where some of the investment records were processed.""
"Did you know he was forging documents?""
"No.""
"Did you know about the disputed loan?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know Elaine was trying to prove it was fraudulent?""
Denise nodded.
Dad stepped away from the coffee table.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because by the time I met you, I had left that company.""
"That doesn't explain why you hid everything.""
Denise rubbed her hands together.
"I thought the problem was over.""
"Then why did you start receiving letters six months ago?""
She looked at me.
"Because Mercer found me.""
The room went silent.
I sat down slowly.
"What did he want?""
Denise swallowed.
"He said he had proof that Elaine had transferred the debt to the trust before she died.""
"That's not true," I said.
"I know that now.""
"Then why did you pay him?""
Denise raised her voice.
"Because he threatened to expose me!""
Dad stared.
"Expose what?""
She covered her face.
I looked toward Kaylee.
She was standing near the doorway, listening.
"Mom," Kaylee whispered.
"Tell them.""
Denise lowered her hands.
"Kaylee, go upstairs.""
"No.""
"Go upstairs.""
Kaylee shook her head.
"I want to know what happened.""
Denise looked furious.
For once, Kaylee didn't move.
Dad pointed toward the sofa.
"Sit down, Kaylee.""
She obeyed.
Then Dad turned back to Denise.
"What does Mercer have on you?""
Denise stared at the floor.
"Eleven years ago, I signed a witness statement confirming Elaine had reviewed the original investment agreement.""
"And?""
"Mercer later changed the agreement.""
"How?""
"He replaced one of the pages.""
Dad's voice became quieter.
"And you knew?""
Denise nodded.
My stomach twisted.
"You knew my mother was being cheated?""
"I didn't know everything.""
"You signed the statement.""
"I was told it was a routine amendment.""
"By Mercer?""
Denise nodded again.
Dad looked sick.
"Why didn't you report it?""
She began crying.
"Because I had already accepted money from him.""
Nobody spoke.
Then she continued.
"It wasn't a lot at first. I was struggling. I had Kaylee, and I needed somewhere to live. Mercer offered me a job helping with his accounts.""
Dad looked at her.
"You worked for him?""
"Briefly.""
"And the money?""
"He paid me to process documents. I didn't understand what he was doing until later.""
"How much did he pay you?""
Denise shook her head.
"Marcus, please.""
"How much?""
"Twenty thousand.""
Dad stared at her.
I felt sick.
"Did you know that money came from my mother's business?""
Denise looked at me.
"I thought it was legitimate.""
"Did you return it?""
She didn't answer.
Dad stepped back.
"So when you married me, you already knew about Elaine's trust.""
"I knew she had created something for Nia.""
"And you knew Mercer wanted it.""
Denise nodded.
I stood.
"Then why did you marry my father?""
She looked at me with tears in her eyes.
"Because I loved him.""
I shook my head.
"That doesn't answer the question.""
She looked down.
"I thought the whole matter had been settled. I thought I could leave it behind.""
Dad gave a bitter laugh.
"You built a family with me while keeping this secret?""
"I never intended for any of this to happen.""
"Yet you sold Nia's car.""
Denise wiped her cheeks.
"Mercer told me he needed an immediate payment. He said if I didn't provide the money, he would file the amended agreement and take the trust property.""
"So you stole from Nia to protect yourself.""
"I was trying to protect everyone!""
Dad slammed his hand against the table.
"Stop using that excuse!""
Kaylee jumped.
I looked at her.
"Did you know about the debt?""
She shook her head quickly.
"No.""
"Did you know Mom used my car to pay Mercer?""
Kaylee stared at the floor.
"She told me the money was from an investment account.""
Denise turned toward her.
"Kaylee, don't.""
But Kaylee was already crying.
"She told me you didn't need the car anymore. She said Dad had approved everything.""
I believed her.
At least, I wanted to.
Then Kaylee reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone.
"There's something else.""
Denise stood immediately.
"Give me that.""
Kaylee stepped away.
"No.""
"Kaylee, hand me your phone.""
"Why are you scared of it?""
She opened a message conversation.
There were several messages from an unknown number.
The earliest was dated three weeks before the SUV purchase.
One message read:
*Your mother has agreed to settle the outstanding amount. Keep the vehicle purchase quiet until the transfer clears.*
Another said:
*Once the Honda is transferred, the remaining obligation will be removed.*
I looked at Kaylee.
"Who sent these?""
"I don't know. Mom told me it was someone helping arrange the purchase.""
Dad took the phone.
He scrolled farther.
Then he stopped.
There was a photograph attached to the conversation.
It showed Denise standing beside a man in a dark suit outside a restaurant.
The man was holding a folder.
I recognized him from the photograph on Eleanor's office website.
Daniel Mercer.
But it wasn't the picture that made Dad's expression change.
It was the date.
The photograph had been taken eleven years ago.
Before Denise had married him.
Before she had moved into our house.
Before she had become my stepmother.
Dad looked at Denise.
"You told me you met Mercer through a temporary accounting job.""
Denise began shaking her head.
"Marcus, listen—"
"You knew him before you met me.""
She said nothing.
Dad enlarged the photograph.
On the table between them was a document.
And visible across the top was the name of my mother's trust.
Then Kaylee whispered something that made the room go completely silent.
"Mom, there's another message.""
She scrolled to the newest one.
It had arrived that morning.
*Tell Denise the deadline is Monday. If Nia contacts Eleanor Hayes, activate the second agreement.*
Dad looked at me.
"Second agreement?""
Before anyone could answer, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
A woman's voice spoke.
"Nia Brooks?""
"Yes. Who is this?""
"My name is Rachel Coleman. I'm a paralegal working with Eleanor Hayes.""
I stood up.
"Is something wrong?""
"Yes. We just received a document from Westbridge Capital Recovery.""
"What document?""
There was a pause.
"An application to transfer ownership of the commercial property held in your mother's trust.""
My heart began pounding.
"Can they do that?""
"They claim they can. And there's something else you need to know.""
"What?""
"The application contains your electronic signature.""
I looked at Denise.
She was staring at me.
Rachel continued.
"Miss Brooks, the signature appears to have been submitted through a device registered to your household.""
I slowly lowered the phone.
Dad looked at me.
"Who?""
I couldn't answer.
Because I already knew which device Rachel meant.
The phone Denise had been using.
The same phone that had accessed Dad's digital wallet.
And the same phone that had supposedly authorized the sale of my Honda.
But there was one more detail.
The application had been submitted that morning.
While Denise was sitting in our living room.
While she was telling us she knew nothing about the property transfer.
And while she was pretending to cry.
I looked directly at her.
"How many things have you signed in my name?""
Denise's face went completely white.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"You're not supposed to find out about the second agreement.""
