Chapter 14 - The Escrow Officer
Ava didn't panic. She locked down the file, alerted her supervisor, and instructed IT to preserve the access logs. Then she did something I hadn't seen anyone in Daniel's family do for days.
She apologized without explaining away the harm.
"I'm sorry our company put you in this position," she said.
"Thank you for stopping it."
"It's not over. The lender may still think it holds a valid lien."
Nina nodded. "We'll challenge that through the proper process. The attempted sale is only one piece."
We gave statements to a financial-crimes investigator who had been alerted by the lender. He asked about my whereabouts on November tenth, the altered identification, and the source of the $410,000. He didn't promise arrests on the spot. He did ask us to preserve every original message.
His caution reassured me.
Ava returned with a printout from the document system. The altered driver's license had been uploaded from the same workstation as the false hospital report. Its metadata showed the original file name: NATALIE_ID_FINAL.
I stared at it. So did the investigator.
"That file name isn't proof by itself," he said, "but it tells us where to look."
By afternoon, the buyer's lawyer confirmed Briarstone would not proceed while the title dispute remained unresolved. I had stopped the closing.
The mortgage, however, still shadowed my property. If I wanted the false lien removed, I would need evidence and time.
On the way out, a woman stepped from behind the lobby Christmas tree.
Natalie.
Her mascara had streaked down her face.
"Grant is going to delete everything," she whispered. "He promised he could fix it before anyone checked."
Nina stopped beside me. "Then talk to the investigator. Right now."
Natalie stared at my bandaged hand.
May you like
"I can tell you what happened," she said. "But Daniel won't forgive me."
"He didn't forgive me for owning my house," I replied. "Start there."
