Chapter 8 - Lorraine’s Investment.
Lorraine returned just after two.
This time she brought a suitcase.
She also brought anger.
She marched through the front door after Andrew let her in and immediately demanded that everyone leave.
Megan almost smiled.
“Mrs. Parker, you don’t own this property.”
Lorraine pointed toward Andrew.
“My son does.”
“No.”
Megan slid the postnuptial agreement across the table.
“Your son signed away most of the claim you think he has.”
Lorraine did not read it.
Instead, she looked at Andrew.
“You promised me.”
The room became still.
Andrew stood.
“Mom.”
“You promised.”
I leaned against the counter.
“What exactly did he promise?”
Neither answered.
Daniel placed the LLC document in front of Lorraine.
“We know you’re a forty-nine-percent owner.”
Lorraine looked toward him.
“Who are you?”
“Someone asking a very simple question.”
He tapped the document.
“What happened to the money from your house?”
Lorraine’s lips tightened.
Andrew whispered, “Don’t.”
That was all the confirmation we needed.
Lorraine sat.
For several seconds, she seemed to shrink.
Then she admitted everything.
She had sold her Syracuse house for three hundred twelve thousand dollars.
After expenses, she received a little under two hundred ninety thousand.
She invested one hundred fifty thousand with Andrew.
She believed he was buying commercial property.
She believed they would receive steady rental income.
The rest of her money had gone toward paying debts and supporting the lifestyle she had enjoyed while living with us rent free.
“Did you know the company used my name?”
Lorraine looked at me.
“Andrew said it was temporary.”
“Did you know he forged my signature?”
“No.”
“Did you know about Natalie?”
Silence.
Rebecca stood.
“You did.”
Lorraine looked away.
“How long?”
Rebecca demanded.
“Four months.”
I stared at Lorraine.
“You sat at my table every night.”
She said nothing.
“You watched me cook for him.”
Nothing.
“You asked me to wash his shirts before his trips.”
Still nothing.
“All while knowing he was sleeping with another woman.”
Lorraine finally looked at me.
“I thought your marriage was ending.”
“Then why didn’t you ask me?”
“Because Andrew said you wouldn’t accept it.”
That answer nearly made me laugh.
“You believed the man secretly introducing you to his girlfriend, but asking his wife directly seemed unreasonable?”
Lorraine’s face hardened.
“You were never right for him.”
There it was.
The truth.
Not confusion.
Not grief.
Not manipulation.
She simply did not care what happened to me.
“You always made him feel small.”
“How?”
“You earned more.”
I stared at her.
“You inherited money.”
I almost could not believe what I was hearing.
“You were independent.”
Rebecca shook her head.
Lorraine continued.
“A man needs to feel like a man in his own home.”
“And your solution was for him to steal from me?”
“I didn’t know about the stealing.”
“But you knew he wanted my house.”
Lorraine looked at Andrew.
That hesitation was enough.
Megan leaned forward.
“What did he tell you would happen to the Rochester property?”
Lorraine rubbed her hands together.
“He said after the divorce, he would buy Claire out.”
“With what money?”
No answer.
Andrew suddenly stood.
“I need air.”
Daniel blocked the doorway.
“Sit down.”
“I’m not under arrest.”
“No.”
Daniel stepped aside.
“But federal investigators may disagree about your freedom very soon.”
Andrew froze.
Then the front window filled with the reflection of two dark vehicles entering the driveway.
Three people stepped out.
Two men.
One woman.
The woman wore a navy coat.
Natalie had described that coat.
Andrew whispered a curse.
I knew immediately who she was.
Vanessa Cole walked toward my front door.
May you like
But she was not alone.
Two federal agents were walking beside her.
