Amanda had paid her medical copays, replaced her broken refrigerator and covered several months of household expenses after Beatrice said she was falling behind.
Now Beatrice’s company was listed to receive most of the money borrowed against Amanda’s house.
Claire slid a corporate registration printout across the table.
“Briar Rose Property Group was created six weeks ago.
Beatrice Mercer is the managing member.
Patrick is listed as the authorized organizer.”
Beatrice’s shock hardened into anger.
“You have no right to investigate me.”
“You were designated to receive funds obtained through my client’s forged authorization,” Claire said.
“That gives her every reason to ask questions.”
Beatrice turned toward Patrick.
“You said this was legal.”
“It was supposed to be,” he snapped.
The words escaped before he could stop them.
Nora wrote something in her notebook.
Amanda watched Patrick realize what he had admitted.
His mouth opened, but no explanation came.
Rachel began crying quietly.
“What was the money for?”
Beatrice sat in the nearest chair.
Patrick looked around the lobby, searching for the person most likely to rescue him.
His eyes settled on Amanda.
“The business needed temporary capital,” he said.
“Mom was going to hold part of it so creditors couldn’t seize everything before the new shipment arrived.
It was protection.”
“Protection for whom?” Amanda asked.
“For us.”
“There is no us in any of these documents.”
Patrick lowered his voice again.
“I was trying to save our future.”
Amanda thought about the previous month, when he had told her the company was finally profitable.
She thought about the new watch he claimed a supplier had given him and the sudden insistence that she add him to the deed.
When she refused, he had called her distrustful.
“How much debt does the company have?” she asked.
Patrick looked away.
Nora answered.
“The records submitted with the application list more than seven hundred thousand dollars in liabilities.”
Amanda had known the company struggled.
She had not known it was buried beneath that amount of debt.
Mark swore under his breath.
“You told me you needed eighty thousand dollars to release inventory from customs.”
“I did.”
“There was no inventory, was there?”
Patrick said nothing.
Rachel’s tears stopped.
“You took our savings.”
Beatrice suddenly stood and pointed at Amanda.
“This is what she wants.
She wants to turn us against each other because she cannot stand that Patrick loves his family.”
Amanda expected the accusation to hurt.
Instead, it revealed how little Beatrice had left.
“I paid for this entire trip,” Amanda said.
“I paid your bills.
I repaired Rachel’s car.
I covered Patrick’s debts while he told all of you the money came from him.
