Chapter 7: My Best Man Knew Everything
For eight years, Daniel Carter had been more than my best friend.
He had been my college roommate, my business partner during the hardest year of my life, and the man who stood beside me when we buried my father. When I proposed to Simone, Daniel had hugged me so hard he nearly knocked me off my feet.
He was supposed to stand beside me today.
Instead, his face was frozen on a security monitor, holding a copy of a document bearing my forged signature.
I stared at the screen.
“Marcus, enlarge the image.””
The picture sharpened. Daniel stood near the ballroom entrance at 2:23 p.m. the previous afternoon, a brown leather folder tucked beneath his arm. His eyes were fixed on Simone, who was still standing beside my mother's reserved seat.
He wasn't walking past.
He wasn't looking for someone.
He was watching her.
And he was holding the same kind of paperwork Patricia had just shown us.
“Where is Daniel now?”” I asked.
Marcus checked his radio.
“He arrived about forty minutes ago. I saw him near the reception area.””
I pulled out my phone and called him.
The call connected after two rings.
“Andre?”” Daniel sounded cheerful.
“Brother, where are you? They're saying something happened in the ballroom.””
“Come to the security monitor.””
A pause.
“Why?””
“Because I need you to explain something.””
Another pause.
Then he said, “I'll be there.””
He hung up.
I looked at Simone.
She had stopped crying.
Her face had taken on a strange, guarded stillness.
“You knew Daniel was involved,” I said.
She shook her head.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
“The recording shows him holding a copy of the authorization.””
“He was helping me organize documents.””
“Why was he helping you?””
“Because he's your best friend.””
The answer was so absurd that I almost laughed.
“My best friend doesn't forge my signature.””
“I didn't say he did!””
“But you just admitted he was handling the documents.””
Simone looked away.
Patricia grabbed her arm.
“Don't say another word.””
I turned toward Patricia.
“You've spent the entire morning telling everyone what I should and shouldn't do. That ends now.””
Her mouth tightened, but she remained silent.
My mother sat beside the table, holding her recovered ring in both hands. Danielle had brought her a glass of water and was sitting beside her, one hand resting gently on her shoulder.
I was grateful someone was looking after her.
I couldn't stop thinking about the recording.
Daniel had been in that ballroom yesterday. He had seen Simone hide something beneath my mother's chair. He had carried a document bearing my forged signature.
If he knew what she was doing, why hadn't he told me?
The ballroom doors opened.
Daniel walked in wearing a navy suit and a silver tie. He carried no folder now. His smile disappeared when he saw the guests gathered around the security monitor.
Then he noticed my wedding band lying on the table.
His eyes moved to Simone.
Finally, he looked at me.
“Andre,” he said quietly.
“What's going on?””
I pointed to the screen.
“Tell me.””
He watched the footage.
For a moment, he seemed confused.
Then his face changed.
Not with surprise.
With recognition.
“You knew,” I whispered.
Daniel rubbed his jaw.
“Let me explain.””
“That's what Simone said.””
He glanced around at the guests.
“Can we talk somewhere private?””
“No.””
“Andre, please.””
“You've had since yesterday to tell me the truth. You don't get to choose privacy now.””
Daniel looked toward Marcus.
“Can you turn the monitor off?””
Marcus folded his arms.
“No, sir.””
I stepped closer to Daniel.
“Why did you have a copy of my signature?””
He swallowed.
“Simone asked me to witness a financial arrangement.””
“What arrangement?””
“She said Loretta had agreed to let her manage the account temporarily.””
“Did you see my mother sign anything?””
“No.””
“Did you see me sign anything?””
Daniel's silence answered before he did.
“No.””
I felt a sharp ache behind my ribs.
“Then why did you carry that document?””
“Because she told me you had already approved it.””
“And you believed her?””
“I trusted her.””
I stared at him.
“You trusted her enough to put your name beside a document you never verified?””
He lowered his eyes.
“I made a mistake.””
“No. A mistake is forgetting a birthday. You helped someone use my name without my permission.””
Daniel flinched.
Simone stepped forward.
“Stop attacking him! He was trying to help me.””
I turned toward her.
“Why did you need Daniel?””
She didn't answer.
Daniel looked at her sharply.
“You told me this was just a temporary loan.””
“It was.””
“You told me Andre had agreed!””
“I thought he would!””
Daniel stared at her as though he'd never seen her before.
“You said the documents were already approved.””
“I was trying to protect my family!””
“And you used me to do it?””
His voice rose.
For the first time since he'd arrived, Daniel seemed genuinely angry.
I looked between them.
“What else did you do?””
Daniel shook his head.
“Nothing else. I swear.””
“Then tell me why you were watching Simone hide something beneath my mother's chair.””
He stared at the monitor.
“I didn't know what she was hiding.””
“But you knew she was hiding something.””
Daniel hesitated.
“I saw her put a paper under the cushion. I asked her what she was doing. She said it was a seating note and that she didn't want the staff to lose it.””
“And you believed that?””
“I didn't think it mattered.””
I took a slow breath.
“Did you know about the ring?””
“No.””
“Did you know she planned to trip my mother?””
His head snapped up.
“What?””
He looked toward Loretta, who sat silently beside Danielle.
“Mrs. Brooks, I didn't know that was going to happen.””
My mother studied him.
“Did you know she was trying to take my money?””
Daniel's face crumpled.
“I knew she wanted a loan. I didn't know she intended to transfer the account into her name.””
“That isn't what I asked,” I said.
He looked at me.
“I knew she needed money from the account.””
“How much?””
“Two hundred and forty thousand.””
My hands went cold.
“You knew the amount?””
Daniel nodded.
“She told me her family's business was in trouble. She said if the transfer didn't happen quickly, her parents could lose their house.””
“And you decided to help her steal from my mother?””
“No. I thought Loretta had agreed. I thought you knew.””
“You thought,” I repeated.
“You never asked either of us.””
He had no defense.
I turned away from him, trying to control the anger rising in my throat.
Daniel had known me for eight years. He knew my mother was the person I would protect above everyone else. He knew my father had spent his life building that account so Loretta would never have to depend on anyone.
And still, he had chosen to trust a story over the people he claimed to love.
Daniel took a step toward me.
“Brother, I know I messed up. But I didn't forge your signature.””
I turned back.
“Then who did?””
His gaze moved toward Simone.
She stared at him with unmistakable warning in her eyes.
“Daniel,” she said softly.
“Think very carefully before you answer.””
He looked at her.
Then at me.
Finally, he reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone.
“I have something you need to hear.””
Simone went white.
“Don't.””
Daniel unlocked the screen.
“Yesterday, after I gave you the documents, I called you because I had a bad feeling. You told me everything was fine.””
He pressed play.
Simone's recorded voice came through the speaker.
“Daniel, if Andre asks, tell him he signed the authorization last week. And if Loretta asks, tell her the bank requires it.””
The room fell silent.
Then Daniel's own voice answered.
“What if Andre finds out?””
Simone's response was immediate.
“He won't. By the time he does, I'll be his wife.””
I stared at the woman I'd almost married.
Daniel stopped the recording.
“There's more,” he said.
“I recorded that call because I realized something wasn't right. But I never sent it to you.””
“Why not?””
He looked ashamed.
“Because I was afraid I'd lose my best friend if I was wrong about her.””
I stared at him.
“You were willing to risk my mother losing everything because you were afraid of being wrong?””
Daniel lowered his head.
“I know.””
I couldn't forgive him in that moment.
But I couldn't ignore the recording, either.
I turned toward Marcus.
“Save that file.””
Then I faced Simone.
“You have one chance left. Tell me exactly how my signature got on those documents.””
She backed away.
“I didn't do anything.””
Daniel looked at her, his face hardening.
“Simone, stop lying.””
She turned on him.
“You promised you would help me!””
“I promised to help you with a loan you said was authorized. I never agreed to forge anything.””
Her eyes flashed.
“You signed as a witness!””
“Because you told me Andre had signed first.””
“You could have checked!””
The words escaped before she could stop them.
Daniel stared at her.
Then he whispered, “Oh, my God.””
I felt the room closing around us.
There was only one person left who could explain how my signature had been copied onto that document.
And when I asked Simone the question again, she finally looked me in the eyes.
“It wasn't my idea,” she said.
I took a step forward.
“Whose idea was it?””
She turned toward her mother.
Patricia's face had gone completely still.
May you like
Then Simone pointed at her.
“My mother told me how to do it.””
