Chapter 4: The Man at the Church Doors
“Julian Carter?””
The voice came from the open church doors.
Every head turned.
A Black man in a charcoal suit stood at the entrance, holding a brown leather briefcase against his side. He appeared to be in his early forties, with close-cropped hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and an expression that suggested he had rehearsed this moment several times.
Julian recognized him immediately.
“Derrick?””
Derrick Hayes had been his father's attorney before his death, a man Julian hadn't seen in nearly six years. He had attended the funeral, delivered a brief condolence, and disappeared from the family's affairs soon afterward.
Now he stood at the back of the church while Julian's wedding fell apart.
“What are you doing here?”” Julian demanded.
Derrick glanced at the recorder in Gloria's hand.
“I came because I received information that a financial authorization bearing your signature was about to be processed.””
Vanessa's fingers tightened around the folded document.
Gloria looked as though the floor had shifted beneath her feet.
“You knew about the transfer?”” she asked.
“I knew someone had submitted paperwork that required immediate attention.””
“Then why didn't you contact me?”” Gloria demanded.
“I tried. Your phone went directly to voicemail.””
“I never received a call.””
Derrick opened his briefcase.
“Then perhaps the number I was given was incorrect.””
Julian stepped away from the altar.
“Stop. Nobody is talking about anything else until somebody tells me what is happening. Derrick, what transfer are you talking about?””
Derrick looked at Vanessa.
She stared back at him with an intensity that made Julian's stomach tighten.
“Mr. Carter,” Derrick said carefully, “your grandfather established a trust to protect certain family assets. After your father's death, your mother continued serving as trustee under the terms of that agreement.””
“I know that much. My mother just told me.””
“Then you also need to know that the trust contains restrictions on certain transfers. A document submitted this week appears to request a change in those arrangements.””
Julian held up the paper Gloria had given him.
“This one?””
Derrick examined it from several feet away without touching it.
“Yes. That appears to be a copy of the authorization I was notified about.””
“Is my signature real?””
“I cannot authenticate it from here.””
“Did I authorize the transfer?””
“Not according to the records available to me.””
A sharp whisper spread through the congregation.
Vanessa stepped forward.
“This is absurd. Derrick, you don't know the circumstances. You have no idea what Julian and I discussed privately.””
Derrick turned toward her.
“Ms. Reed, I have not accused you of anything.””
“Your presence here says otherwise.””
“My presence here says that a potentially unauthorized transaction needs to be addressed.””
Vanessa's jaw tightened.
“Then address it through the proper channels. This is a church, not a courtroom.””
“On that point, we agree,” Derrick replied.
“But the timing makes it impossible to ignore.””
Julian watched the exchange.
Something about Vanessa's reaction bothered him more than the document itself. She wasn't surprised to see Derrick. She looked furious that he had arrived before she was ready.
“You said the person who gave you that document recorded your conversation,” Julian said, turning toward her.
“Was Derrick the person?””
Vanessa immediately shook her head.
“No.””
Derrick's expression changed slightly.
Julian noticed.
“Do you know who recorded the conversation?””
“I don't know who made that recording,” Derrick answered.
“I was contacted by someone who claimed to have evidence of an attempted unauthorized transfer. I was told to come here today if I wanted to prevent a potentially irreversible mistake.””
Gloria pressed the recorder against her chest.
“Who contacted you?””
“A number I couldn't trace to a verified individual.””
“Convenient,” Vanessa muttered.
Derrick ignored the remark.
Julian approached him.
“What happens if the transfer goes through?””
“That depends on the terms of the request. I need to review the underlying documents before I can answer.””
“How long do we have?””
“I don't know. That's why I came in person.””
Julian looked at the wedding rings resting beside the pastor.
Only forty minutes earlier, he had been worrying about whether his tie was straight and whether his grandmother would cry during the vows.
Now he was standing in front of two hundred guests, trying to determine whether the woman he intended to marry had used his name to access a family trust.
He turned to Vanessa.
“Give Derrick the document.””
She clutched it tighter.
“No.””
“Vanessa.””
“I said no.””
“Why?””
“Because I don't trust him.””
Derrick slowly closed his briefcase.
“You're entitled to seek independent legal advice. But if that document concerns a transaction you have been involved in, refusing to preserve it may complicate matters.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You all sound so rehearsed. Your mother produces a recorder. Derrick arrives with a briefcase. Suddenly everybody knows about a transfer nobody bothered to explain to me.””
Gloria stared at her.
“You were the one talking about signing his name.””
“I told you, that conversation was taken out of context!””
“Then what is the context?”” Julian demanded.
Vanessa looked at him.
For several seconds, she seemed to be fighting an internal battle. Her eyes moved toward the guests, then toward Derrick, then finally settled on Julian.
“I was trying to protect you,” she whispered.
“From what?””
She opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, Derrick spoke.
“Mr. Carter, there's something else you should know. The person who contacted me didn't just mention the transfer.””
Julian turned.
“What else?””
Derrick hesitated.
“They said the person who submitted the authorization may have had access to your personal identification documents.””
Julian felt a chill travel down his spine.
He thought about the folder he kept in the locked drawer of his home office. His passport copies. His financial statements. His father's estate paperwork.
Only a handful of people had ever been allowed near those documents.
His mother.
His accountant.
And Vanessa.
He looked at his bride.
“Did you go through my office?””
Vanessa's face went blank.
“What?””
“My locked drawer. The folder with my identification documents. Did you take anything from it?””
She shook her head too quickly.
“No.””
Derrick watched her without speaking.
Julian stepped closer.
“Look at me and answer.””
“I already answered you!””
“Then why can't you look me in the eye?””
Vanessa finally raised her gaze.
“Because you're treating me like a criminal in front of everyone I love.””
“Then help me understand why my signature is on a document I never signed.””
Her eyes filled with tears again.
“I can't.””
The answer was so quiet that Julian almost thought he had imagined it.
But he hadn't.
Gloria heard it too.
She lowered the recorder.
Derrick opened his briefcase once more and removed a sealed envelope.
“Mr. Carter, this was left at my office yesterday. I was instructed to give it to you personally if the wedding proceeded as planned.””
Julian stared at the envelope.
“By whom?””
“The same person who contacted me about the transfer.””
“What's inside?””
“I haven't opened it. It was addressed to you.””
Julian reached for it.
Vanessa suddenly stepped between them.
“Don't open that.””
The entire church went silent.
Julian looked at her.
“Why?””
May you like
She stared at the envelope, her breathing shallow and uneven.
Then she whispered, “Because if you read what's inside, you'll never believe me again.””
