Chapter 7 - The Real Plan
Rebecca Shaw met me at a small café overlooking Sarasota Bay.
She looked exhausted.
Her dark hair was pulled into a loose bun, and she kept glancing toward the parking lot.
I had known Rebecca for years.
She was organized, hardworking, and usually impossible to intimidate.
Seeing her nervous frightened me more than I wanted to admit.
"Thank you for coming," I said.
She wrapped both hands around her coffee cup.
"I should have contacted you sooner."
Marisol sat beside me.
"Rebecca, take your time. Tell us only what you know firsthand."
Rebecca nodded.
"About two months ago, Richard started discussing a property transaction with Preston and Kendra."
I leaned closer.
"What kind of transaction?"
"At first, I thought it was a family loan. Then I saw the company documents."
She placed several printed emails on the table.
Marisol examined them carefully.
Rebecca explained that Richard had been searching for investors to rescue several troubled business interests.
He had already guaranteed part of Preston's construction debt.
If Preston's company collapsed, Richard could face substantial losses.
"But your villa changed the situation," Rebecca said.
I stared at her.
"How?"
"Richard believed he could use the property as collateral. Then he planned to move it into a company he controlled."
My stomach tightened.
"Without asking me."
Rebecca nodded.
"He told Preston that you had already promised him the house. He said it was simply a matter of arranging the transfer."
"And Kendra?"
"She was handling the paperwork."
Marisol studied the emails.
"Did you personally see the documents being prepared?"
"Some of them."
Rebecca hesitated.
"There's something else."
She pulled out another page.
It was a draft agreement between Hale Family Holdings and a private investor.
The agreement described my villa as a property the company expected to acquire.
The projected transaction value was two million dollars.
The proposed investor would provide financing against the property once ownership had been transferred.
I stared at the page.
"They were going to use my home to borrow money."
Rebecca shook her head.
"That's only part of it."
She pointed toward a clause near the bottom.
If the company failed to meet certain obligations, the investor could seek control of its assets.
Including the villa.
I felt physically sick.
Preston believed he was securing a home for his family.
Richard was apparently preparing to risk that same home to protect his own finances.
And Kendra had helped arrange it.
"Did Preston know about this?" I whispered.
Rebecca looked miserable.
"I don't know. I never saw the final discussions."
Marisol gathered the documents.
"We need to authenticate these records and determine exactly what happened. Rebecca, would you be willing to speak with investigators?"
She nodded.
"Yes."
I looked across the café windows.
People were walking along the waterfront, laughing, holding hands, enjoying an ordinary Saturday afternoon.
I wanted to be one of them.
Instead, I was discovering that my family's betrayal went deeper than I had imagined.
Rebecca reached across the table.
"Evelyn, there's a reason I resigned."
I turned toward her.
"What reason?"
"Richard asked me to prepare a statement saying you had been forgetful and confused for years."
My breath caught.
"He wanted me to lie?"
"Yes."
"Did you?"
"No. I refused."
Tears filled my eyes.
Rebecca squeezed my hand.
"I'm sorry I didn't warn you immediately."
I shook my head.
"You warned me now."
As we stood to leave, Rebecca's phone vibrated.
She glanced at the screen.
Her expression drained.
"What is it?" Marisol asked.
Rebecca turned the phone toward us.
May you like
A message from an unknown number filled the screen.
Tell Evelyn to drop this, or the next thing she loses won't be her house.
