The Money I Sent for My Son

I read the message three times.

Then I took a screenshot and sent it to Robert.

He called within seconds.

"Don't respond to that number yet," he said.

"Do you know who Daniel is?""

"I'm checking.""

"Someone just told me to ask about his first wife.""

Robert went quiet.

"Marcus, I need you to listen carefully. Don't confront Daniel. Don't threaten him. Don't go looking for him tonight.""

"I'm not going to sit here while these people plan to send my son away.""

"I understand. But we need facts.""

I looked upstairs.

Noah was sleeping in my room.

"Find out everything you can.""

Robert promised he would.

At 7:30 the next morning, I took Noah to breakfast.

He ordered pancakes with strawberries.

For the first time in months, he ate without looking over his shoulder.

Halfway through breakfast, he asked me something.

"Can I go back to school?""

"Yes.""

"Even if I haven't paid?""

I put down my coffee.

"Your school fees are my responsibility. You don't have to worry about them.""

He looked at his pancakes.

"Mom said I was too expensive.""

I felt my throat tighten.

"Your childhood isn't an expense, Noah.""

He looked up.

I smiled.

"You're allowed to be a kid.""

He nodded, then returned to his breakfast.

At 9:00 a.m., Robert arrived at my house with a folder.

He sat at the kitchen table and opened his laptop.

"I found Daniel Brooks.""

"Tell me.""

"He's forty-one. He owns Brooks Family Services, a small private consulting company. Before that, he worked in residential property management.""

"What does that have to do with his first wife?""

Robert turned his laptop toward me.

A photograph showed Daniel standing beside a blonde woman at what looked like a charity event.

"Her name was Rebecca Brooks. They divorced four years ago.""

"Why?""

"That's where things get interesting. Rebecca filed for divorce after Daniel allegedly withdrew money from an account intended for her daughter's education.""

I stared at the screen.

"His daughter?""

"Yes. Lily.""

The little girl from Noah's photograph.

Robert opened another document.

"Rebecca also requested that the court review Daniel's access to her daughter's educational trust. I haven't obtained the complete court file, so we shouldn't assume every allegation was proven. But the financial dispute is documented.""

I leaned back.

"Vanessa knew about this?""

"That's what we need to establish.""

I remembered Noah saying Daniel sometimes brought presents to the house.

"How did Daniel meet Vanessa?""

Robert searched through the documents.

"Apparently, they met at a charity fundraising event fourteen months ago.""

My stomach turned.

Fourteen months.

Almost exactly when I started working in Ohio.

"Was Noah there?""

"According to a photograph from the event, yes.""

Robert showed me the picture.

Vanessa stood beside Daniel.

Noah was standing several feet away, holding a paper plate.

Neither adult was looking at him.

"Marcus," Robert said, "there's something else.""

He opened a bank statement.

"Brooks Family Services received regular payments from an account associated with Vanessa.""

"How much?""

"That's the strange part. The payments began shortly after your first transfer.""

He showed me the dates.

$1,200.

$1,500.

$950.

$2,000.

The transfers continued for months.

I stared at the screen.

"She was sending him my money.""

"It appears that way.""

"Can we prove it?""

"We can obtain the records through the appropriate legal process.""

I stood and walked to the kitchen window.

Outside, Noah was sitting at the table drawing a picture.

He had drawn three people.

A tall man.

A small boy.

And a dog.

There was no Vanessa.

There was no Daniel.

I turned back to Robert.

"What's the plan?""

"We document the financial trail, contact the school, and get an emergency family court consultation. We also need to make sure the child protection report is properly filed.""

I nodded.

Then my phone rang.

The caller ID showed the name of Noah's school.

I answered.

"Mr. Reed? This is Mrs. Patterson.""

"Good morning.""

"Could you come in today? We received a request yesterday to transfer Noah's student records.""

I frowned.

"From whom?""

"Vanessa.""

"She doesn't have my permission.""

"That's why I'm calling. The request includes an authorization signed by you.""

My stomach dropped.

"What?""

"Your signature.""

I looked at Robert.

He immediately sat forward.

"Ask her to email a copy.""

I repeated the request.

A few minutes later, the document arrived.

It was a school transfer authorization.

My name was printed at the bottom.

The signature looked almost identical to mine.

But I had never signed it.

Robert examined the page.

"That's a problem.""

"Can you prove it's forged?""

"We'll have a document examiner review it. For now, don't accuse anyone in writing.""

I stared at the signature.

Vanessa had forged my name to remove Noah from his school.

Then I noticed the destination address.

Greenwood Residential Academy.

The same institution from the application I had found.

I called Mrs. Patterson.

"Please don't release anything.""

"We won't, Mr. Reed.""

"Thank you.""

After the call, Robert gathered his papers.

"I'll contact the school directly and send a formal notice that your parental rights must be respected.""

As he stood, my phone vibrated again.

Another message from the unknown number.

This time, there was an attachment.

A photograph.

It showed Vanessa sitting at a restaurant table with Daniel.

Between them was a folder.

The folder was open.

I zoomed in.

There was a document with a heading I could barely read.

*GUARDIANSHIP AND FINANCIAL AUTHORIZATION AGREEMENT.*

Below that were two names.

Vanessa Reed.

Daniel Brooks.

And a third name.

Noah Reed.

I looked at the date.

October 28.

Three days before I came home.

I called the unknown number.

Someone answered immediately.

A woman's voice whispered, "Mr. Reed?""

"Who is this?""

"My name is Rebecca Brooks.""

Daniel's former wife.

I tightened my grip on the phone.

"Why are you contacting me?""

She hesitated.

"Because I recognized Noah's name.""

"How?""

"Daniel told me he was going to become the legal guardian of a little boy. He said the boy's father was unreliable and that his mother wanted to start over.""

I looked at Robert.

He motioned for me to put the call on speaker.

Rebecca continued.

"I didn't believe him at first. Then I saw a picture of Noah.""

"What do you know about the agreement?""

"I know Daniel has done this before.""

My stomach tightened.

"Done what?""

"Married a woman, gained access to her household finances, and tried to take control of the money and property connected to her child.""

Robert leaned closer.

"Ms. Brooks, this is Robert Ellis, Mr. Reed's attorney. Do you have evidence?""

"Yes.""