Chapter 9 - The Woman on the Pass
The visitor pass read EVELYN PRATT — REGIONAL LOAN REVIEW. Nina knew the name. Evelyn had once handled business loans at Daniel's bank; now she worked for the institution backing the Bellweather expansion.
"How did Lucía get this?" Nina asked.
"It was under the rug by our back door," Daniel said. "She picked it up the morning after the storm."
Nina called Evelyn's office and left a careful message. No accusations. Just a request to discuss a document bearing a questionable signature. Within an hour Evelyn returned the call.
"I met Mr. Beck that night," she admitted. "He said his financial partner was out of town. I was there to review the missing guarantee. I never met your client."
"Did you witness his signature?" Nina asked.
"No. The electronic paperwork arrived later. Mr. Beck told me Mr. Navarro had approved everything remotely."
Evelyn sounded shaken. "If there's fraud, I need to notify our compliance department."
"Please preserve the original submission record," Nina said.
The conversation gave Daniel his first clean line through the fog. The bank had not authorized a marriage-related shortcut. Someone had represented him as willing collateral, and the lender might have been fooled too.
Outside, Cal argued with a supplier over a returned payment.
Daniel took the phone. "I'll make it right," he told the supplier.
"You always have," the man replied. "That's why I'm giving you until Monday."
Before hanging up, Evelyn called again. Her voice was lower this time. "I checked the lobby log. Harper Rowe was there with Mr. Beck. But there was a third person in the meeting room. Somebody signed in as your representative."
Daniel glanced at the calendar beside his desk. On the storm night, his own father had been out of town. His mother was with Lucía.
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"Who was it?" he asked.
"The badge has your company name," Evelyn said. "The signature looks like Cal Brooks."
