Chapter 9 - THE CONTRACT
I drove straight to my office.
Brandon Hale was already there.
That told me Clara had called him.
He rose from the conference table wearing the calm expression that had made me trust him with contracts for nine years.
“Mateo, I heard there’s a family situation.”
“Show me the amendment I was supposed to sign.”
His eyes flicked toward Camila.
“This is privileged.”
“I’m your client.”
He hesitated.
That was enough.
“Show me.”
The document was forty-three pages. Clara had described it as a simple update to protect the new baby if something happened to me.
Page nineteen told a different story.
Upon the birth of a child to my current marriage, management authority over a newly created family holding company would shift jointly to me and Clara.
Page twenty-seven authorized a transfer of eight hundred fifty thousand dollars into that holding company for property acquisition and “newborn security.”
Blue Mesa Family Services was listed as administrative consultant.
I looked at Brandon.
“Who owns Blue Mesa?”
“I was told it was Clara’s family office.”
“You prepared documents sending my money to a company you didn’t verify?”
His jaw tightened. “Clara provided formation records.”
“Who owns it?”
Camila had already pulled the Texas business registry on her phone.
She turned the screen toward me.
Manager: Nicolas Vega.
Nico.
Clara’s brother.
I flipped to the signature pages.
My name was already there on one preliminary authorization.
I had not signed it.
“That’s forged.”
Brandon went pale.
“No. You signed a packet last month.”
“I signed vendor renewals. Not this.”
I remembered Clara bringing papers to dinner, placing little yellow tabs where she said accounting needed initials.
Brandon sat down slowly.
Camila asked, “Did you notarize this?”
He did not answer.
My phone rang.
It was the security company at my house.
They had detected the office safe opening at 8:12 that morning.
Only two people had the code.
May you like
Me.
And Clara.
