Chương 10
“What about Curtis?”
“Do not call Curtis.”
“Evan thinks Brandon was targeted.”
“That may matter later.”
“Later?”
“First we establish what happened to your property.”
Charlotte disliked the sequence because it felt too slow.
She also knew Marisol was right.
“What if Curtis contacts me?”
“Do not discuss facts.”
“What do I say?”
“Tell him you are represented and give him my information.”
Charlotte wrote Marisol’s number on the grocery flyer even though it was already in her phone.
“Can he do anything today?”
“That depends on what has already been filed.”
The answer made Charlotte’s stomach tighten.
Marisol’s voice softened slightly.
“Charlotte, I need you to understand something.”
Charlotte waited.
“Fraud allegations can become criminal matters, but the immediate civil issue is preserving your rights and preventing additional damage.”
“My husband asked me not to go to the police.”
“Your husband is not my client.”
The sentence landed cleanly.
Charlotte looked toward the dining room again.
Neither was Gertrude.
Neither was Evan.
Neither was Curtis.
“I am,” Charlotte said.
“Yes.”
Something about hearing it aloud changed the shape of the morning.
For the first time since she came home, somebody’s obligation ran directly toward her rather than around her.
Marisol continued.
“Send me proof of where you were on June ninth.”
“I’ll request it.”
“And send the rest of the documents in higher resolution if possible.”
“Okay.”
“One more thing.”
Charlotte waited.
“If Brandon asks for copies of what you have, do not give him originals.”
“Can I give copies?”
“Not yet.”
Charlotte looked at Evan through the doorway.
He was speaking quietly to Hailey.
“Understood.”
When the call ended, Charlotte remained in the kitchen for a few seconds.
The coffee she had reheated twice sat untouched beside the sink.
She took one sip.
It tasted burned.
She drank it anyway.
When she returned to the table, Evan looked up.
“What did she say?”
“That I’m represented.”
His expression changed.
Not fear exactly.
Respect, perhaps.
Or caution.
“Good.”
“She also said I should not speak to Curtis.”
Evan nodded immediately.
“That’s smart.”
Charlotte sat across from him.
“You were just about to tell me how much Curtis knew before he approached Brandon.”
Evan rubbed one hand over the back of his neck.
“I don’t know what he knew.”
“You told him we had equity.”
“I said Brandon owned a house.”
“You said our money was tied up in it.”
“Yes.”
“That is different.”
“I know.”
Hailey stared at him.
“You never told me that part.”
“I forgot.”
“No.”
Hailey’s voice sharpened.
“You remembered the poker game, the warehouse, the investment, Curtis’s stupid watch, but you forgot telling him Brandon had home equity?”
Evan flinched.
“I didn’t think it mattered until now.”
Charlotte leaned forward.
“Did Curtis ask follow-up questions?”
Evan looked at the spreadsheet.
“Some.”
“What kind?”
“How long Brandon had owned the house.”
Charlotte felt her pulse rise.
“What else?”
“If the mortgage was fixed.”
Hailey whispered, “Jesus.”
“What else?”
Evan swallowed.
“If both spouses were on title.”
Charlotte sat back.
There it was.
Not proof of a scheme.
But too specific to dismiss.
“What did you tell him?”
“That I didn’t know.”
“Did you ask why he cared?”
“He said he liked real estate.”
Charlotte stared at him.
“And you believed that.”
“I didn’t think it was connected.”
“You keep saying that.”
“I know.”
Evan looked tired enough that she almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
“How much money did you lose?”
“Probably nineteen.”
“Probably?”
“I put in twenty-five and got six back.”
“So nineteen.”
“Yes.”
“Did you borrow any of it?”
“No.”
“Did Curtis offer to lend you more?”
Evan looked up sharply.
“Yes.”
Charlotte felt something shift.
“When?”
“After the second payment stopped.”
“What did he say?”
“He said I could double down.”
Hailey closed her eyes.
Evan continued.
“He offered me a private note.”
“Secured by what?”
“My truck at first.”
“And then?”
Evan stared at the table.
“My house.”
Charlotte felt a chill.
“You own a house?”
“Townhouse.”
“Did you take the loan?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“My credit union manager told me I was being stupid.”
Hailey gave a bitter laugh.
“At least somebody had one.”
Evan ignored her.
“I showed him the note because I wanted to know if the rate was normal.”
“What did he say?”
“That the rate wasn’t the biggest problem.”
“What was?”
“The default language.”
Charlotte glanced at the pages in front of him.
“Do you have that note?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I gave it back to Curtis.”
“Any photo?”
Evan shook his head.
Charlotte felt frustration rise.
“Email?”
“He sent a draft.”
“Do you still have it?”
Evan reached for his phone.
“I think so.”
Hailey watched him search.
“This is the part where you suddenly remember useful things?”
He looked at her.
“I’m trying.”
“You’ve been trying for four days.”
“And you’ve been yelling for four days.”
“Because you lied for four months.”
Charlotte put one hand on the table.
“Stop.”
Both of them went quiet.
She was surprised by how much they resembled siblings when cornered, despite not being related.
Same defensive posture.
Same refusal to look directly at each other.
Evan found the email.
“Here.”
He turned the phone toward Charlotte.
The attachment was a PDF with Vane Capital Services in the header.
She did not open it.
“Send it to yourself and preserve the email.”
“I can forward it to you.”
“No.”
Marisol’s warning had settled quickly into her instincts.
“Send it to your own personal account if you haven’t already.”
Evan nodded.
Charlotte pointed at the spreadsheet.
“What is this?”
“I made it.”
“When?”
“Last night.”
“From what?”
“My bank statements and emails.”
“Why?”
“Because Hailey said you were going to need everything.”
Charlotte looked at Hailey.
Hailey shrugged.
“It seemed obvious.”
The spreadsheet listed dates, transfers, returned payments, phone calls, and notes about meetings.
Charlotte followed the sequence with her finger.
One entry stopped her.
April 18.
Dinner with Curtis, Brandon, Evan.
She looked up.
“You had dinner together?”
May you like
Evan nodded.
“Before Brandon invested?”
