Chapter 2 - Nine O’Clock
“Stop the transfer,” Arthur said.
The banker paused. “Sir, the instruction has already passed dual authorization.”
“One authorization is forged.”
Silence.
Then the woman’s voice became careful. “I’m going to bring our fraud department onto the call.”
Elena reached for Arthur’s phone.
He stepped away.
“Don’t make this worse,” she hissed.
Arthur covered the microphone. “Worse than stealing from my child?”
“I am not stealing.”
“Then explain my fake signature.”
Elena glanced at Maria. “Ask your little employee where she got those copies.”
Arthur looked over.
Maria swallowed. “A courier came this afternoon. Mrs. Vance was out. He asked for a signature. The envelope had the trust company’s name on it.”
“You opened my mail?” Elena demanded.
“No. Evan did.”
Evan flinched.
“I thought it was for Dad,” he said. “It had Vance on it.”
Maria continued. “Mrs. Vance came home, saw the papers, and told him to sign his name on a blank page. She said it was practice. He didn’t want to.”
Arthur’s eyes went back to his son.
“Did she hurt you?”
Evan stared at the floor.
Elena exploded. “Oh, for God’s sake. I grabbed his wrist because he tried to run away.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
The banker returned with a fraud officer. “Mr. Vance, we can place a temporary administrative hold, but because the request contains what appears to be your notarized authorization, we need written notice and identity verification before nine a.m.”
“I’ll be there when you open.”
“Please bring counsel if you believe the documents are fraudulent.”
“I will.”
He ended the call and immediately dialed Clara Bennett, his attorney.
Elena laughed bitterly. “You’re calling a lawyer because of Maria?”
“No. I’m calling a lawyer because of you.”
That landed.
For a moment, the polished confidence vanished from Elena’s face.
Arthur pointed toward the stairs. “Pack a bag.”
“This is my home.”
“It is a marital residence titled to me through a premarital trust. Pack.”
“You think you can throw me out based on photocopies?”
“I think I can keep you away from Evan while I find out why you tried to move eight million dollars out of his account.”
Elena stepped close enough that only he could hear.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.”
“Then educate me.”
Her eyes were flat now.
“If that transfer doesn’t clear tomorrow, your company won’t be the only thing that gets hurt.”
Arthur went still.
“My company?”
Elena smiled again, but there was no warmth in it.
“You really should read everything you sign.”
She walked upstairs.
Arthur looked at Maria.
“What did she mean?”
Maria slowly reached into the envelope.
“There was one document I didn’t show you in front of her.”
She handed him a single page.
It was a personal guarantee.
May you like
For twenty-four million dollars.
And once again, Arthur’s signature was at the bottom.
