PART5

I didn’t sleep that night.

I sat in my office aboard the Sea Star, staring at the photograph David had sent me.

The document was four years old.

Four years.

For four years, I had believed that my son simply needed a little help getting his life together. I had believed that the paperwork he asked me to sign was connected to his car loan. I remembered sitting at his kitchen table while he explained that the bank needed a few additional signatures.

He had smiled at me that afternoon.

“Don’t worry, Mom. It’s just routine paperwork.”

I had trusted him.

That was my mistake.

But the more I studied the photograph, the more questions appeared.

Why was Lilia’s name on the second page?

Why had David sent me the document now?

And why was he suddenly so interested in my financial affairs after discovering that I owned part of a cruise company?

At 7:15 the following morning, Elizabeth Carter arrived at my office.

She carried a thick leather folder and a laptop.

“Good morning, Marlene.”

“Please tell me you’ve figured out what this is.”

She placed the folder on my desk.

“I’ve started investigating. But before I explain anything, I need you to understand something. Don’t panic, and don’t confront your son until we’ve established the facts.”

I nodded.

Elizabeth opened her laptop.

“The document David sent you appears to be connected to an old financial authorization. However, the photograph doesn’t show all the pages. I need the original.”

“Could he have used it to access my savings?”

“Possibly. But we need to distinguish between authorization to obtain information, authority to conduct transactions, and authority to make decisions on someone’s behalf. They’re not necessarily the same.”

I rubbed my forehead.

“Elizabeth, just tell me what I should do.”

“First, contact your bank directly. Ask them to review every authorized user, joint account, power of attorney, beneficiary designation, and transaction connected to your name. Second, change your online banking credentials. Third, don’t transfer money or sign anything because someone pressures you.”

I nodded.

Then she said something that made my heart sink.

“I also found an old email exchange between your son and a financial services office. It suggests he was asking questions about your savings and retirement arrangements.”

“When?”

“About eighteen months ago.”

I stared at her.

“Eighteen months?”

“Yes.”

I remembered that period.

David had called me several times, asking whether I had considered retiring. He had asked how much money I had saved and whether I planned to leave my house to him.

At the time, I thought he was simply worried about my future.

Now those conversations felt very different.

Elizabeth closed her laptop.

“There’s one more thing. We should also investigate whether your signature was copied onto any additional documents.”

I swallowed.

“Do you think he forged my signature?”

“I don’t know yet. But if he did, we’ll deal with it through the proper legal channels.”

I looked toward the ocean.

For years, I had been afraid of losing my son.

Now I was beginning to understand that I had already lost the relationship I thought we had.

And I couldn’t keep sacrificing my safety to preserve an illusion.

The confrontation

That afternoon, David called.

I almost let it go to voicemail.

But Elizabeth had advised me to keep communication open and avoid making accusations before the evidence was reviewed.

So I answered.

“Hello, David.”

“Mom, finally.”

His voice was impatient.

“What’s going on?”

“We need to talk about the document I sent you.”

“I’ve seen it.”

“Good. Then you understand that you have obligations.”

I closed my eyes.

“What obligations?”

He sighed.

“Mom, don’t make this difficult. Lilia and I have been helping you for years.”

I almost laughed.

Helping me?

I had paid rent in their house. I had purchased groceries. I had helped with their car payments. I had contributed to household expenses and even covered some of their vacations.

But apparently, in David’s version of history, I was the one who owed them.

“David, what exactly do you believe I owe you?”

“At least $50,000.”

There it was again.

The same amount.

“The cruise?”

“Not just the cruise. We have expenses. We’re trying to build a future.”

“Then build it with your own money.”

He became angry.

“You’ve changed since meeting that captain.”

“No, David. I’ve simply stopped giving away everything I have.”

He went quiet.

Then he said something I never expected.

“Mom, Lilia and I know about the partnership agreement. We also know you’re getting a significant income from the company.”

I looked at Elizabeth.

She was listening silently.

“How do you know that?”

“Does it matter? We’re family.”

“Yes, David. It matters.”

He lowered his voice.

“Look, we can handle this privately. You don’t need lawyers involved. Just give us what we need, and we’ll forget everything that happened.”

I felt a chill.

“Forget what?”

He didn’t answer.

“David, are you threatening me?”

“No! I’m trying to protect you from making a terrible mistake.”

I ended the call.

Elizabeth looked at me.

“That was useful.”

“Useful?”

“His statements may become relevant. Save the message history and preserve the original photograph. Don’t delete anything.”

I nodded.

Then I asked the question I had been afraid to ask.

“What if he really did use my signature?”

Elizabeth met my eyes.

“Then your son will have to answer for his actions.”

The truth about the $50,000

Two days later, Elizabeth called me into a private meeting.

This time, she wasn’t alone.

A banking investigator named Robert Hayes was sitting beside her.

He introduced himself politely.

“Mrs. Patterson, we’ve completed an initial review of the account information you authorized us to examine.”

My hands tightened around my coffee cup.

“What did you find?”

Robert opened a folder.

“First, we found that your son had been listed as an authorized contact on an older account. That arrangement did not give him unrestricted access to your money.”

CONTINUE FOR NEXT PART6…