Chapter 5 - Her Mother Had Signed TooRebecca called her mother immediately.
Eleanor Mercer lived twelve minutes away in a limestone house overlooking Long Island Sound.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Rebecca?”
“Did you approve an eight-million-dollar loan to Graham?”
Silence.
That was enough.
“Mom.”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Is Graham there?”
“Yes.”
“Get Oliver out.”
Rebecca's blood went cold.
“Why?”
“Rebecca.”
“What did you sign?”
Eleanor lowered her voice.
“I will explain everything.”
“Now.”
“Not over the phone.”
Rebecca looked toward Graham.
He watched her carefully.
“Come here.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Graham should not hear this conversation.”
Rebecca turned away from him.
“What are you afraid he'll hear?”
Eleanor didn't answer.
Rachel touched Rebecca's arm and silently mouthed:
Go.
Rebecca asked Brooke to stay with Rachel.
Graham objected.
“She isn't staying in this house.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“You lost the right to decide who stands in my hallway when I found her in our closet.”
She took Oliver upstairs.
“Are you okay, Mom?”
She crouched.
“No.”
Oliver looked frightened.
“Because Dad kissed Miss Brooke?”
Rebecca's heart broke.
He knew more than she wanted.
“Did you see them?”
Oliver shook his head.
“But I heard Dad tell her not to leave.”
“When?”
“Lots.”
Rebecca swallowed.
“Lots?”
“She came when you went places.”
Her son had noticed.
Of course he had.
“How many times?”
He shrugged.
“Maybe five.”
Rebecca kissed his forehead.
“You didn't do anything wrong.”
“Dad said not to tell you.”
That landed harder than the affair.
Graham had recruited their child into secrecy.
“What exactly did he say?”
“That grown-up surprises aren't for kids to ruin.”
Rebecca closed her eyes.
She would deal with that later.
She took Oliver to Eleanor's house.
Her mother opened the door before they reached it.
Sixty-two, silver-haired, usually immaculate.
Today she looked exhausted.
She hugged Oliver.
Then Rebecca.
Rebecca didn't return the hug.
“Talk.”
Eleanor sent Oliver upstairs with the housekeeper.
Then she led Rebecca into the sitting room.
“I signed the loan.”
“Why?”
“Graham came to me.”
“When?”
“Nineteen months ago.”
“What did he say?”
“That his company was facing a temporary liquidity crisis.”
“And you gave him eight million dollars?”
“It was Mercer money.”
“That makes it worse.”
“He promised repayment within six months.”
“Did Dad's trust allow you to do that?”
Eleanor looked away.
Rebecca understood.
“No.”
“I had discretion as interim trustee.”
“Not for personal loans to family.”
“It wasn't personal. Caldwell Strategic had contracts.”
“Mom.”
Eleanor's eyes filled.
“He told me if the firm failed, you would lose everything.”
Rebecca stared.
“How?”
“He said you'd guaranteed several obligations.”
“I never did.”
“I know that now.”
“You didn't check?”
“I trusted your husband.”
The same sentence people always said after betrayal.
Rebecca felt sick.
“Why forge my signature?”
“I didn't know he had.”
“Then why did you sign?”
“To protect you.”
“No. You protected him.”
Eleanor flinched.
Rebecca continued.
“Dad knew.”
Her mother's face changed.
“He found out before he died.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
“And the trust amendment?”
Eleanor went very still.
“You found it?”
“No.”
Rebecca watched her.
“But you know what it said.”
Eleanor sat.
For several seconds, she didn't speak.
Then:
“Your father changed the trust after discovering Graham had been quietly using your name to secure business credit.”
Rebecca's stomach turned.
“How long?”
“I don't know.”
“What did Dad change?”
Eleanor looked toward the stairs, making sure Oliver wasn't nearby.
“The remaining Mercer voting shares were supposed to transfer into your direct control when Oliver turned seven.”
Rebecca stared.
“That was three months ago.”
“Yes.”
“Why seven?”
“Arthur wanted enough time for you to build your own life after his death.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“There was another condition.”
“What?”
“If Graham remained married to you.”
Rebecca frowned.
Eleanor continued.
“Your father created protection against marital claims.”
The trust amendment stated that when Oliver turned seven, Rebecca would receive direct voting control of an additional twenty-one percent of Mercer Development.
That would give her fifty-nine percent.
Absolute control.
But only if specific safeguards remained intact.
One safeguard prohibited Graham from acting as proxy, adviser, trustee, or financial agent over those shares.
Another required immediate independent review if Graham had borrowed from Mercer entities.
Rebecca finally understood why he wanted the document destroyed.
“If the amendment becomes active, auditors look at his loan.”
“Yes.”
“And the forged signature.”
“Yes.”
“And if people discover that?”
“He could face criminal charges.”
Rebecca stared at her mother.
“So he had nineteen months to repay the money.”
“Yes.”
“He didn't.”
“No.”
“How much is left?”
Eleanor's silence terrified her.
“Mom.”
“The eight million isn't the real problem.”
Rebecca's heart sank.
“How much?”
“Fourteen.”
She stared.
“What?”
“Graham returned part of the original loan.”
“Then how is it fourteen?”
Eleanor looked ashamed.
“Because I approved more.”
Rebecca actually stepped backward.
“You gave him more money?”
“Three additional transfers.”
“How much?”
“Six million total.”
“Why?”
“He kept saying repayment was coming.”
“You hid fourteen million dollars from me?”
“I thought I could fix it before the trust transferred.”
Rebecca laughed.
There was no humor in it.
“You and Graham were fixing it?”
“No.”
“Then what?”
Eleanor began crying.
“Your father found out the night before he died.”
Rebecca froze.
Her father had suffered a fatal stroke four years earlier.
Sudden.
At home.
She had always believed his final evening was ordinary.
“What happened?”
“He confronted me.”
“About Graham?”
“Yes.”
“What did Dad say?”
“That Graham was dangerous.”
Rebecca felt something cold move through her.
“What exactly did he mean?”
Eleanor stood and walked toward a locked desk.
She removed an envelope.
Arthur's handwriting covered the front.
REBECCA ONLY.
“Why do you have this?”
“He gave it to me that night.”
“And you've had it four years?”
“I was afraid.”
Rebecca took the envelope.
Her hands trembled as she opened it.
Inside was one page.
Rebecca,
If Graham ever tells you my distrust of him was personal, don't believe him.
I have found evidence that he has been using your identity.
Do not confront him alone until you know how far it goes.
Rebecca stopped reading.
Her father's final sentence had been underlined twice.
And never let him gain access to the west cabinet.
May you like
She looked at Eleanor.
“Graham already did.”
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