Chapter 5: The Page He Switched
Rebecca filed for an emergency restriction on the remaining accounts, but the bank refused to reverse the transfer without stronger proof.
“We need the original refinancing packet,” she said.
“Not Daniel’s copy.”
Claire opened her laptop.
“The company scanner stores document histories for ninety days.”
“Can you access them?”
“Not anymore.
Daniel disabled my account at six this morning.”
Natalie placed coffee in front of Claire.
Claire looked up in surprise.
“Why are you helping me?”
“I’m not helping you forget what you did,” Natalie said.
“I’m helping Rachel find the truth.”
Claire wrapped both hands around the cup.
“That is more kindness than I deserve.”
I sat across from her.
“Tell me every document you signed.”
Claire swallowed.
“Three vendor forms, two account forms and one blank signature page.”
“You signed a blank page?”
“Daniel said legal would attach it to my bonus agreement.”
“You wanted my husband badly enough to stop asking questions.”
“Yes.”
The answer struck harder than an excuse would have.
Claire looked directly at me.
“I knew he was married.
I believed the marriage was ending, but I knew you existed.
I told myself his lies made my choices acceptable.”
“They didn’t.”
“No.
They didn’t.”
My voice cracked.
“I keep looking at you and seeing the message that ended my marriage.”
Claire shook her head.
“My message exposed it.
Daniel’s choices ended it.”
The room blurred.
Natalie knelt beside my chair as I pressed my hands over my face.
“I gave him ten years,” I said.
“He turned my signature into a w*apon.”
Natalie pulled me against her.
“Then we take it back from him.”
Claire wiped her eyes and stood.
“I know someone who may help.”
“Who?” Rebecca asked.
“Ellen Price.
Daniel’s former executive assistant.”
Claire called, but Ellen hung up when she heard Daniel’s name.
Rebecca tried again and introduced herself.
“I’m not getting involved,” Ellen said.
“Ms.
Price,” I said, “did you prepare the refinancing papers Daniel brought home in August?”
Silence filled the speaker.
“I printed them.”
“Was a transfer authorization included?”
“No.”
Rebecca leaned forward.
“Did Daniel add anything later?”
“I saw him at the scanner with a signed page bearing Rachel’s name.
He told me to mind my own business.”
“Will you make a statement?”
“I have a daughter in college.
Daniel made sure I understood what happened to employees who crossed him.”
Claire opened the flash drive folder.
“Ellen, I have his recording.”
“That won’t restore my job.”
“No,” I said.
“But if he succeeds, your silence will help him put this on me.”
Ellen breathed shakily.
“Check the scanner archive under project code B-17.
Daniel thought I deleted it.”
Claire froze.
“You kept a copy?”
“I saved the activity log and the first scan.
It shows the transfer page had no signature.
Three days later, Daniel scanned it again with Rachel’s signature attached.”
Rebecca stood.
“Where is the copy?”
“In a storage unit in Somerville.”
“Can you meet us there?”
“Tomorrow at nine.”
A noise sounded on Ellen’s end.
“Ellen?” I said.
She lowered her voice.
“Someone just pulled into my driveway.”
“Can you see who?”
A car door closed.
Ellen gasped.
“It’s Daniel.”
May you like
The line went silent, and then Daniel’s voice came through from somewhere behind her.
“Ellen, we need to discuss what you kept.”
