The loan.
Then another memory surfaced.
Six months earlier, Brandon had arrived home driving a black Mercedes SUV.
“Trade-in,” he had explained.
He kept it for four days.
Rachel remembered Paige taking a picture beside it.
She searched their shared photo account.
The photograph was still there.
Paige smiling beside the Mercedes.
Rachel enlarged the license plate.
Then she searched through older messages.
One message from Brandon appeared.
Don’t post the Mercedes pics anywhere. Dealership paperwork isn’t finalized.
At the time, Rachel hadn’t given the message another thought.
Now she forwarded everything to Daniel.
At 3:11 p.m., Brandon called again.
This time, Rachel answered.
His voice sounded gentler.
“Can we start over?”
Rachel almost admired the attempt.
“Start over with what?”
“This morning got completely out of control.”
“Did you figure out how to cover the hotel?”
A pause.
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“Mom transferred some money.”
Rachel knew Brenda’s card had been close to its limit.
She also knew Brenda didn’t normally keep $4,200 readily available in checking.
“Where did it come from?”
“Rachel.”
“I’m just curious.”
“Can we focus?”
“On what?”
“Us.”
Rachel looked at the signature bearing her name on the screen.
“Of course.”
Brandon exhaled, apparently relieved.
“I made some poor decisions.”
“That’s certainly one description.”
“I was under a lot of pressure.”
“From whom?”
“Work.”
Rachel became completely still.
He continued too quickly.
“There were opportunities. Investments. Things I didn’t explain because I knew you would refuse.”
“So instead, you moved the money.”
“I planned to replace it.”
“And put my signature on those documents.”
“I didn’t sign anything for you.”
Rachel’s eyes narrowed.
“Then who did?”
Silence.
“Brandon?”
“I’m not talking about this over the phone.”
“Paige created the documents.”
Complete silence.
Rachel knew she had touched something important.
“How did you find that out?”
It was the first genuinely honest thing he had said all day.
No denial.
