Chapter 6: What Renee Knew
The invoices filled a box — forty-one separate documents going back three years.
Roofing contractor, deck builder, plumber, electrician, dock repair, appliance delivery, furniture receipts.
Every one in my name.
Every payment from my account.
I dropped the box at Dana's office on a Wednesday morning.
She flipped through the first several folders without speaking.
Then she looked up.
"He's going to have a hard time arguing contribution."
"He never set foot on the property during any renovation.
I have contractor emails confirming the work schedule.
Scott wasn't there for a single day."
"His attorney will claim he contributed in other ways.
Maintenance.
Upkeep.
Labor."
"He used the house.
He didn't maintain it.
The dock cleat he broke the summer before last — I have the repair invoice for that too."
Dana almost smiled.
"Good."
I was almost to the door when my phone buzzed.
Renee.
I stepped into the hallway and answered.
"Erica." Her voice was low.
"I can't talk long.
Scott doesn't know I'm calling."
"Okay."
"The $140,000.
I need you to know what it was for."
I leaned against the wall.
"Tell me."
"He owed it.
There's a man named Darren Fosse.
Scott has been — they've been in a business arrangement for about three years.
It went wrong.
Darren was threatening to take Scott to court, and Scott was terrified of what would come out during discovery."
"What kind of business arrangement?"
A pause.
"The kind Scott couldn't tell your mother about.
Or me, until six weeks ago." Her voice dropped further.
"He was using Darren's company to run invoices through a side business.
Inflating costs, taking a cut.
It worked for a while.
Then Darren decided he wanted more, and Scott didn't have it."
"So he borrowed against my house to pay off someone who had leverage over him."
"Yes."
"Renee." I kept my voice steady.
"Did you know about the notarized letter before he submitted it?"
Silence.
Long enough that I had my answer before she spoke.
"He told me it was something you'd all agreed on years ago.
That it was just being formalized.
I didn't know your mother had never discussed it with you.
I didn't know you hadn't agreed." Her voice cracked slightly.
"I swear I didn't know that part."
"But you knew about the loan."
"I found out after.
When the first transfer hit our account and I asked where it came from."
"Why are you telling me this now?"
"Because he's telling your mother that you're trying to destroy the family.
That you sold the house out of spite and now you're going after him with lawyers to finish the job." A breath.
"And she's starting to believe him again."
I closed my eyes for a moment.
"Renee, I need you to be willing to repeat what you just told me to Dana Fielding."
May you like
A very long pause.
"If it comes to that," she said quietly, "yes."
