Chapter 9 - The Account With Her Name
At 7:40 Friday morning, Naomi sat across from a bank investigator with a cup of coffee she hadn't touched.
"The payment instruction names you as beneficiary," he said. "But the destination account isn't yours."
"I have one checking account," Naomi said. "I use it to pay rent and help my brother with college."
"We believe someone used your identity details to create a false payment record. The originating request is being reviewed."
Naomi felt sick.
"So if Mrs. Vale's money disappeared, I'd be the person everybody blamed."
The investigator didn't promise her otherwise.
"We need to preserve the banking records before anyone alters them."
Adrian approached Naomi in the corridor.
"I asked the foundation's counsel to cover an independent lawyer for you. No conditions. You can choose the attorney."
"Why are you offering now?"
"Because I should have protected you before I needed your help."
She studied his face.
"Don't make me a redemption project, Mr. Vale. I still need my job. I still need the truth."
"You'll have both, if I can make that happen."
"The truth first."
He nodded.
At eight, June called. "The bank has a notice of dispute, but a notice isn't an injunction. Martin filed transfer approvals with what looks like a full trustee packet."
"He forged the vote?"
"That's what we suspect. We're asking a court to block it."
Naomi's phone buzzed with a message from an unknown number.
YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN THE MONEY AND LEFT.
She showed Brooks immediately.
A second message arrived before the detective could respond.
YOUR EMPLOYER WON'T BE ABLE TO PROTECT YOU WHEN HIS MOTHER IS DECLARED UNFIT.
Brooks checked the time.
"That's not just a threat," she said. "That's a warning about something already in motion."
May you like
Her phone rang.
Celeste had filed a petition seeking emergency control of Evelyn's medical decisions.
