Chapter 4: Every Dollar Was Gone
Naomi sat Aaliyah at the kitchen table and pushed a glass of water toward her.
“Call the bank now.”
Aaliyah pressed the number with shaking fingers.
“The account had eighty-two thousand dollars this afternoon.”
The representative asked three security questions.
Then she said, “Mrs.
Carter, the funds were transferred to a business account at 9:14 p.m.”
“Whose business account?”
“I can’t disclose the recipient by phone, but the transfer was authorized using your husband’s credentials.”
Aaliyah closed her eyes.
“Freeze anything that’s left.”
“I’ve restricted further transfers.
You’ll need to visit a branch in person.”
Naomi pulled out a chair beside her.
“Tell her you dispute the transaction.”
“I dispute it,” Aaliyah said.
“Every dollar.”
The following morning, Evelyn spread copies of the deed application across her desk.
One signature looked almost perfect; the final letter curved in the wrong direction.
Aaliyah touched it.
“I never end my name like that.”
Evelyn nodded.
“The document was notarized by Carla Benton.”
“Denise’s friend?”
“You know her?”
“She comes to every family barbecue.”
Naomi leaned over the page.
“So Denise supplied the notary.”
“And Marcus supplied the husband,” Aaliyah said.
The office door opened.
Evelyn’s assistant looked uneasy.
“Marcus and Denise Carter are here.
They say they won’t leave.”
Evelyn gathered the papers.
“Let them in.”
Marcus entered first, carrying a folder.
Denise followed with a smile that disappeared when she saw Naomi.
Marcus placed the folder on the desk.
“I came to solve this privately.”
Aaliyah did not touch it.
“Where is our money?”
“It’s safe.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
Denise sat without being invited.
“The money was moved to protect it from an emotional woman.”
Naomi rose.
“You mean the woman who earned most of it?”
“Sit down,” Denise said.
Naomi remained standing.
“No.”
Marcus pushed the folder closer to Aaliyah.
“Sign the separation agreement.
I’ll return twenty thousand dollars, and you can collect your clothes.”
Aaliyah stared at him.
“You took eighty-two thousand and offered me twenty?”
“You damaged the house and abandoned the marriage.”
“I left after your attorney filed a false deed.”
Denise tapped the folder.
“Take the offer before it disappears.”
Evelyn opened it and read the first page.
“This transfers Aaliyah’s interest in the house, waives her claim to the savings, and requires her to accept responsibility for all joint debts.”
Aaliyah looked at Marcus.
“What joint debts?”
His eyes shifted.
Evelyn turned another page.
“There’s a proposed home-equity loan for one hundred and eighty thousand dollars.”
Naomi whispered, “Oh, my Lord.”
Aaliyah pushed back her chair.
“You were going to take my name off the deed, borrow against the house, and leave me responsible?”
Marcus struck the desk with his palm.
“You don’t understand our situation.”
“Then explain it.”
Denise stood.
“My business needs temporary help.”
“Your business closed six months ago.”
“It can reopen.”
“With my house?”
“With family resources,” Denise replied.
Aaliyah’s voice cracked.
“I worked double shifts for that home.”
Marcus leaned toward her.
“And if you fight us, I’ll show the judge what you did last night.”
He held up his phone.
The screen showed Aaliyah sweeping the dishes to the floor, but the video began after the family’s laughter.
“You recorded me?”
“My cousin did.”
Evelyn held out her hand.
“Send me the entire file.”
“That is the entire file,” Marcus said.
Aaliyah’s phone rang.
Leonard’s name appeared on the screen.
She answered and put him on speaker.
“Aaliyah,” Leonard said, “Marcus deleted the doorbell recording from the family cloud this morning.”
Denise smiled.
Leonard continued, “But he forgot the system sends a second copy to my security account.”
The smile vanished.
May you like
“I have everything,” Leonard said.
“Including what Denise told Marcus after Aaliyah drove away.”
