Chapter 6: The Last Transfer
Nobody touched the phone.
The notification remained on the carpet between us.
*TRANSFER PENDING: $47,000.00*
Jordan slowly picked it up.
“It's from the account in Maya's name.””
I stared at the screen.
“Cancel it.””
“I don't know the password.””
“Call the bank.””
Jordan nodded and immediately started dialing.
Arthur didn't move.
Derek watched him carefully.
Rose stood near the sofa, one hand pressed against her mouth.
“Arthur,” she whispered.
He didn't answer.
“Where is forty-seven thousand dollars coming from?””
Arthur finally looked at her.
“It isn't mine.””
“Then whose is it?””
His eyes moved toward me.
“Maya's.””
I laughed bitterly.
“I don't have forty-seven thousand dollars.””
“You do.””
“No, I don't.””
“You had more than you thought.””
I stepped closer.
“Explain.””
Arthur rubbed both hands over his face.
“When you were eighteen, your grandfather left you money.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He left you an inheritance.””
“Grandpa died when I was twelve.””
“I know.””
“You said there was nothing.””
Arthur looked away.
“I said there wasn't anything available at the time.””
Rose's face changed.
“Arthur.””
He closed his eyes.
“I managed it.””
“You managed it?”” Rose repeated.
“I invested it.””
“You stole it,” she whispered.
“I didn't steal it.””
“You hid it from her.””
“I was going to give it back.””
“When?””
Arthur looked at me.
“When I could replace what I'd lost.””
My throat tightened.
“How much did Grandpa leave me?””
Arthur didn't answer.
Derek did.
“Fifty thousand dollars.””
I stared at him.
“Fifty?””
He nodded.
“Your father transferred most of it into the account under your name.””
My knees nearly buckled.
“So the account wasn't for my future.””
“No,” Derek said.
“It was my inheritance.””
“Yes.””
“And you used it.””
Arthur's voice cracked.
“I needed time.””
“You used my inheritance to pay your debts.””
“I was going to restore it.””
“You used Grandma's medical situation to get another eighteen thousand.””
Arthur looked at me.
“I didn't know the insurance would pay.””
“You knew.””
“I suspected.””
“You knew.””
He said nothing.
Jordan's voice cut through the room.
“The bank answered.””
He put the phone on speaker.
A woman's voice came through.
“Ma'am, I'm sorry, but we need to verify the account holder.””
Jordan handed me the phone.
“This is Maya Bennett.””
The representative asked several security questions.
I answered them.
Then she said,
“Ms. Bennett, your account has been flagged for suspicious activity.””
I looked at Arthur.
“Why?””
“There were multiple unauthorized transfers.””
“How many?””
A pause.
“Seven.””
My stomach dropped.
“Seven?””
“Yes.””
“Can you stop the pending transfer?””
“We can place a temporary hold.””
“Do it.””
“I need your verbal authorization.””
“Yes. I authorize the hold.””
The woman continued.
“There is another issue.””
“What?””
“The account's beneficiary information was recently changed.””
I looked at Arthur.
“Changed to who?””
The representative hesitated.
“A company.””
“What company?””
She read the name.
*Collins Financial Recovery LLC.*
I looked at Derek.
He went pale.
“That isn't my company.””
Arthur's head snapped toward him.
“Derek—”
“I never authorized that.””
“You don't understand.””
“No.””
Derek stepped toward Arthur.
“I understand perfectly.””
Jordan stared at the phone.
“Dad, what did you do?””
Arthur backed away.
Derek's voice became hard.
“You used my name.””
Arthur said nothing.
“You used my company.””
Nothing.
“You moved Maya's money through an account connected to me.””
Arthur's face was gray.
“I needed somewhere to put it.””
“You put it in my name without permission?””
“I was desperate.””
Derek shook his head.
“You didn't just lie to Maya.””
He pointed at Arthur.
“You set me up to take the fall.””
Arthur's eyes flashed.
“I never meant for anyone to get hurt.””
I stepped forward.
“You keep saying that.””
Arthur looked at me.
“I love you.””
The words hurt more than I expected.
Because part of me still wanted to believe them.
I looked at the framed family photograph on the table.
All four of us smiling.
Grandma in the middle.
Dad's arm around my shoulders.
Jordan making a face behind us.
A picture from a Thanksgiving I'd spent believing we were safe.
I picked it up.
“Did you love me when you forged my signature?””
Arthur's eyes filled with tears.
“Maya…”
“Did you love me when you let me spend my savings?””
“I was trying to fix it.””
“Did you love Grandma when you told her the insurance wouldn't pay?””
He couldn't speak.
Rose wiped her face.
“Arthur, answer her.””
He looked at his mother.
Then he whispered,
“Yes.””
Rose shook her head.
“That isn't love.””
Arthur sank into the chair.
The room became quiet.
Then the bank representative spoke again.
“Ms. Bennett?””
“Yes?””
“We've successfully placed the hold.””
I exhaled.
For the first time all afternoon, I felt like I could breathe.
“Thank you.””
“There is one more thing.””
I closed my eyes.
“What?””
“The person who initiated the $47,000 transfer is still logged into the account.””
My eyes opened.
“Can you see who?””
“No.””
“Can you trace the device?””
“Not without a fraud investigation.””
“Start one.””
“We already have.””
I looked at Arthur.
He was staring at the floor.
Then the representative said,
“Ms. Bennett, there's something unusual about the login.””
“What?””
“The device isn't in this house.””
Arthur slowly raised his head.
Jordan frowned.
“Where is it?””
The woman paused.
“It's coming from a hospital.””
Rose's face went white.
“What hospital?””
The representative gave the name.
It was the same hospital where Rose had undergone surgery.
I looked at Arthur.
He looked at Derek.
Derek looked at me.
Then Jordan whispered,
“Dad…”
Arthur's phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
*You have until noon tomorrow. After that, I'm telling Maya everything.*
Arthur stared at it.
I stepped forward.
“Who sent that?””
He didn't answer.
I took the phone from his hand.
The message had come from a number saved under one word.
*MOM.*
Rose looked at the screen.
Then at Arthur.
“That number belongs to me,” she whispered.
May you like
But Rose's phone was sitting on the sofa.
And it had never left the room.
