Chapter 4 - My Sister's Name
I called Melanie from Greg’s office.
She answered on the second ring.
“What now?”
“I found the loan.”
Nothing.
“Mel.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Twenty-four thousand dollars. My name. Your number.”
Her breathing changed.
Greg silently shook his head, telling me not to push too hard.
I kept my voice calm.
“I’m asking once. Did you take out a loan in my name?”
“No.”
“Did Mom?”
“No.”
“Dad?”
“Aaron, everyone is upset enough already.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Interrogate people like you’re better than us.”
I laughed once. “Someone stole my identity.”
“Stop being dramatic.”
Then I heard my mother in the background.
“Don’t tell him anything.”
Melanie went quiet.
I did too.
“Melanie,” I said, “what exactly are you not supposed to tell me?”
The line went dead.
Greg looked at me. “That was useful.”
“It was?”
“She just gave us a reason to move fast.”
We filed an identity-theft report, froze my credit, and contacted the lender’s fraud department.
By noon, the bank had emailed copies of the original application.
The application included scanned pay stubs.
Mine.
A copy of my driver’s license.
Mine.
A forged signature.
Not mine.
And one more document.
A handwritten letter explaining why the borrower needed the loan.
The words were simple.
HOME REPAIRS AND MEDICAL COSTS FOR ELDERLY PARENTS.
But the bank records attached to the application told a different story.
The loan had been deposited into the joint account.
Then transferred out in four payments.
Two to Melanie.
One to Mom.
And one for $8,400 to a company called BrightLine Events.
I searched the company.
Luxury weddings.
Private parties.
Engagement celebrations.
Then a photo loaded on the company’s social page.
Melanie stood beneath an arch of white roses beside her boyfriend.
The caption read:
CONGRATULATIONS TO MELANIE & TYLER.
May you like
Engaged December 3.
My stolen loan had paid for my sister’s engagement party.
