Chương 13
He pointed to one line.
“Custom signature stamp.”
My father stared at him.
“Who submitted it?”
Martin looked toward Vanessa.
Not at her.
Past her.
“Blake.”
Vanessa sat down.
The movement was slow and careful.
“No.”
Martin nodded once.
“He claimed it was for routine executive documents during Thomas’s recovery.”
My mother put a hand against the desk.
“He told me the same thing.”
Every face turned toward her.
She swallowed.
“When I complained that Thomas couldn’t keep signing forms, Blake said he had seen companies use signature stamps.”
“You said you had yours made online,” I said.
“I did.”
“When?”
“February.”
“After Blake already had one made.”
She nodded.
“I didn’t know he had done it.”
My father’s face turned gray with anger.
“So there were two.”
“At least.”
The words came from Eleanor.
Her voice sharpened.
“Photograph the reimbursement record and send it to me.”
Martin did.
Then she said, “No one touches the stamp again.”
My father leaned back in the chair.
For a few seconds, the only sound was the old radiator ticking against the wall.
Vanessa stared at the floor.
“He had Dad’s signature before Mom ever made hers.”
“Yes,” I said.
“And he had my login.”
“Yes.”
“And yours.”
“Yes.”
Her mouth twisted.
“I’m beginning to dislike how often you’re saying yes.”
“So am I.”
My father looked at her.
“Did Blake ever ask you to take documents to the office?”
“All the time.”
“What kind?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Folders.”
“That narrows it down.”
“Dad.”
“No, I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
She rubbed her forehead.
“There was one envelope he gave me in February.”
“Where did it go?”
“To Martin’s office.”
Martin looked up.
“I don’t remember receiving anything directly from you.”
“I left it with Denise.”
“What was inside?”
“I didn’t open it.”
My father gave a tired laugh.
“Apparently curiosity skipped a generation.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Apparently boundaries did too.”
He almost smiled.
Almost.
Then the front door opened.
Everybody froze.
A second later Blake stepped into the hallway.
He had no suitcase.
His coat was unbuttoned.
His face looked ten years older than it had that morning.
Vanessa stood.
He stopped when he saw all of us.
“Hi.”
Nobody answered.
His eyes went to the study.
Then to the stamp.
He closed them.
“That.”
Vanessa’s voice was very calm.
“You recognize it.”
Blake opened his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Which one?”
He stared at her.
She took one step forward.
“Because apparently there were two.”
His shoulders dropped.
That was the moment the last piece of denial left the room.
My father pointed toward the chair opposite him.
“Sit.”
Blake obeyed.
Not because he had to.
Because he had run out of alternatives.
I stayed standing beside the desk.
“Start with January twenty-second.”
Blake looked at me.
“Martin found the reimbursement.”
He nodded.
“Okay.”
Vanessa laughed once.
“Okay?”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“The truth would be innovative.”
He flinched.
Then he looked at my father.
“I made the first stamp.”
“Why?”
“You were in rehab.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“I was helping with paperwork.”
“With my permission?”
“No.”
My father’s jaw tightened.
Blake continued before anyone could interrupt.
“At first, I only used it on things I believed you would have signed anyway.”
“That sentence should frighten you,” Eleanor said through the phone.
Blake looked toward the sound.
“It does.”
I folded my arms.
“What was first?”
“Vendor extensions.”
“Legitimate?”
“Yes.”
“Then?”
“Property transfers.”
“For Vanessa’s house?”
He nodded.
Vanessa stared at him.
“You told me Dad signed those.”
“I know.”
“Did he?”
“Sometimes.”
“And when he didn’t?”
Blake looked at the stamp.
“I did.”
She covered her mouth.
My mother closed her eyes.
My father said nothing.
That silence was worse than shouting.
“When did Philip get involved?” I asked.
“February.”
“Before or after you lost the investment money?”
“After.”
“How much had you lost by then?”
“About four hundred thousand.”
Vanessa whispered, “God.”
Blake looked at her.
“I thought I could earn it back.”
“Of course you did.”
“I know how stupid that sounds.”
“It sounds expensive.”
He nodded.
“Philip knew I was in trouble.”
“And offered a loan.”
“Yes.”
“Then used the debt to pressure you.”
“Yes.”
“And you used company money to pay him.”
“Not exactly at first.”
Martin gave a disgusted sigh.
“Here we go.”
Blake looked at him.
“I’m not minimizing it.”
“Then stop qualifying every sentence.”
Blake nodded.
“You’re right.”
He turned back to me.
“I approved inflated North Bay invoices.”
“Using Vanessa’s login.”
“Yes.”
“Mine?”
“Once.”
Martin spoke.
“You used his credentials more than once.”
“I used them once.”
“The logs show multiple approvals.”
“Then I don’t know who did the others.”
I looked at Martin.
He shook his head.
“I used Daniel’s credentials twice.”
Blake stared at him.
Martin’s mouth tightened.
“I told you I covered shortages.”
“So between both of you, my account was used three times.”
“Yes.”
My father rubbed his forehead.
“This family has turned basic internal controls into folklore.”
Nobody laughed.
Blake looked at Patricia.
“I never meant for her account to be involved.”
My mother stared at him.
“You moved ninety thousand dollars through it.”
“I needed a place Philip wouldn’t connect directly to me.”
“You used my name.”
“I know.”
“You made it look like I was stealing.”
“I know.”
Her voice rose for the first time.
“No, I don’t think you do.”
Blake looked down.
“I’m sorry.”
She stared at him for several seconds.
“That is a very small sentence.”
“I know.”
Vanessa sat opposite him.
“What about the voicemail?”
He looked confused.
“What voicemail?”
“Mom supposedly called Martin.”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t.”
“I’m serious.”
She watched him carefully.
“You never used recordings of her voice?”
“No.”
“You never had access to her phone?”
Blake’s expression changed.
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
He looked toward my mother.
“I borrowed your phone this morning.”
Her face went still.
“When?”
May you like
“You left it on the breakfast table.”
“For what?”
