Chapter 7 - The Chosen Son
The handcuffs clicked around Mark's wrists in the same kitchen where Daniel Vale used to carve Thanksgiving turkey.
Laura stood three feet away and wanted to hit him.
Agent Carson laid a folder on the table. "Mr. Vale transferred four point eight million dollars from the pending estate sale into an account controlled by Mercer Restitution Partners."
"That's not a crime," Mark said.
"It is if the account is fraudulent."
Laura looked at Mark. "Is it?"
Mark said nothing.
Carson continued. "The authorization contains a digital signature belonging to Laura Vale."
"What?"
He turned the document around.
LAURA J. VALE.
Her signature. Her company credential. Her authorization code.
"I never signed this."
Carson watched her closely. "Are you sure?"
"Do I look unsure?"
Evelyn frowned. "Can somebody fake that signature?"
"Not easily."
Laura faced Mark. "Did you use my credentials?"
"No."
"You had access to Dad's old office. You knew my passwords when we worked together."
"I said no."
"Then who?"
Mark glanced toward Eleanor.
"Oh, come on," Laura said. "What now?"
Eleanor sat down. "Two months ago, Leonard asked me for access to the family server. He said he needed archived tax documents for probate."
"You gave him my login?"
"I gave him an administrator password."
"Mom!"
"I didn't know."
"That sentence should be carved on your grave."
Mark stepped between them. "Enough."
Laura stared at him. "You're defending her?"
"I'm stopping you from saying something you'll have to live with."
"Like she has?"
Agent Carson interrupted. "We can continue the family therapy later."
"You're arresting the wrong person," Richard said from the doorway.
Carson looked at him. "And you are?"
"Richard Vale. I know where the pension money went."
"Not to him. Not all of it."
Richard hesitated.
"Leonard took the second transfer," Richard said. "But he didn't do it alone."
Eleanor stood. "Richard, stop."
"Ellie, this ended years ago. You just refused to admit it."
"Stop."
"Daniel wasn't the only one who signed those wires."
Agent Carson turned to her.
"Eleanor did."
Then Evelyn's phone rang.
Unknown number.
A woman's voice said, "If Mark Vale is in custody, tell the FBI they just made Leonard Shaw's job easier."
Carson grabbed the phone.
"Who is this?"
A pause.
Then the woman said, "Anna Mercer."
May you like
And the line went dead.
The House That Lied
