Chapter 2: The Money That Wasn't There
My father didn't raise his voice.
That was what made the moment frightening.
Marcus Brooks had a temper, but he rarely displayed it in front of other people. When he was angry, he became quieter. His shoulders squared.
His jaw tightened. He asked questions in a tone that made it clear he expected actual answers.
He held his phone in one hand and stared at Denise.
“I'm going to ask you again,” he said.
“Why is there a $96,800 charge from Prestige Luxury Motors on my account?””
Denise glanced at Kaylee before looking back at him.
“Marcus, please. Not out here.””
“Why not?””
“Because the neighbors can hear us.””
My father looked toward the houses across the street, where sprinklers hissed over freshly cut lawns and a delivery truck rolled past.
Then he looked back at her.
“You were comfortable discussing Nia's car in the driveway. You can explain this here, too.””
Denise pressed her lips together.
I had never seen her struggle so visibly to find the right words.
“It's Kaylee's new vehicle,” she finally said.
“We discussed getting her something safe.””
“No, we didn't.””
“You knew she needed transportation.””
“I knew her old car needed repairs. I did not agree to spend nearly a hundred thousand dollars on an SUV.””
Kaylee stepped away from the passenger door.
“Dad, I thought Mom had everything handled.””
Marcus turned to her.
“What does that mean?””
Kaylee's eyes flicked toward Denise again.
“She told me the money was already arranged.””
“From where?””
“I don't know.””
Denise threw up her hands.
“This is ridiculous. I made a decision because somebody had to. Kaylee's car was becoming unreliable, and Nia barely uses hers during the day anyway.””
I stared at her.
“Barely uses it? I drive to work five days a week.””
“You work fifteen minutes away.””
“Twenty-eight minutes in traffic.””
“Then take the bus.””
She said it again, casually, as if she were discussing the weather.
I felt something inside me go still.
Not because the words hurt less the second time.
Because I suddenly understood that Denise wasn't going to admit she'd done anything wrong simply because the truth was obvious.
My father lowered his phone.
“Denise, did you sell Nia's car?””
She hesitated.
“I arranged the sale.””
“Did she authorize you?””
“She understood what needed to happen.””
“No,” I said.
“I didn't.””
Denise swung toward me.
“Would you stop interrupting?””
“Would you stop lying?””
“Enough!”” Marcus snapped.
The word echoed across the driveway.
Even the birds in the oak tree seemed to disappear into silence.
Dad took a breath and looked at me.
“Nia, when did you last see your car?””
“Yesterday evening. I parked it in the garage after work. The keys never left my possession.””
“Did you give anyone permission to move it?””
“No.””
“Did you sign anything authorizing a sale?””
“No.””
He nodded once, then turned to Denise.
“Where is the money?””
Denise's eyes widened.
“I haven't had time to sort everything out.””
“Where is the money, Denise?””
“It was a private transaction.””
“Was it deposited into your account?””
“No.””
“Was it deposited into Nia's?””
Denise didn't answer.
That silence was enough.
I reached for the garage door frame to steady myself.
My car had been worth far less than the SUV in front of us, but that wasn't the point. I'd spent years learning how to budget, how to save, how to plan for emergencies. I'd gone without vacations and expensive clothes because I wanted financial independence.
Denise had taken the one possession that represented all those decisions and turned it into a family bargaining chip.
And now my father's money was tangled up in the same mess.
Marcus unlocked his phone again.
“I want to see the transaction details.””
Denise moved closer.
“Marcus, there's no reason to turn this into a financial investigation.””
He didn't look at her.
“Then it should be easy to explain.””
He tapped the screen, opened his banking application, and scrolled through the recent activity.
I watched his expression change.
“What?”” I asked.
He didn't respond immediately.
He opened another screen, then another.
Finally, he turned the phone toward himself and read something I couldn't see.
“That's strange,” he murmured.
Denise's face lost color.
“What is?””
“The payment was authorized through my business account.””
She stared at him.
“Well, yes. We share household expenses.””
“No, we don't. My business account is not our household account.””
“You know what I mean.””
“I know exactly what you mean.””
He looked at Kaylee.
“Did you go to the dealership with your mother?””
Kaylee nodded reluctantly.
“Yesterday.””
“Did you see the price?””
“I saw the monthly payment estimate.””
“What estimate?””
“Mom said it was handled through a special financing arrangement.””
Marcus let out a slow breath.
“Kaylee, this vehicle was paid for in a single transaction.””
Her mouth fell open.
“Paid for? I thought—”
“Don't,” Denise interrupted.
The sharpness in her voice made Kaylee flinch.
Dad noticed.
“Don't what?””
Denise's hands curled into fists at her sides.
“Don't drag Kaylee into this. She's done nothing wrong.””
“Then tell me what happened.””
She shook her head.
“You're making this sound like a crime. I was trying to help our daughter.””
“Which daughter?”” I asked quietly.
Denise turned on me.
“Don't start playing the victim.””
I looked directly at her.
“You sold my car to buy Kaylee a luxury SUV. You used Dad's business account without telling him. And you still think I'm the problem?””
For once, she had no immediate comeback.
Dad walked to the front of the SUV and examined the dealership plate. He took a photograph of it, then photographed the vehicle identification number visible through the windshield.
“I'm contacting the dealership,” he said.
Denise hurried after him.
“Marcus, wait. I can explain this inside.””
“Then explain it.””
She caught his arm.
“Please. Not before you understand the whole situation.””
He gently removed her hand.
“I'm listening.””
She looked at the phone in his hand, and then I saw her glance toward the house.
It was brief.
Almost nothing.
But it was the first time I'd noticed her looking at the front door as though she wanted to escape the driveway without anyone noticing.
Dad noticed it, too.
He pulled his phone closer and opened the transaction details.
“There's something else,” he said.
His voice had changed.
He wasn't looking at the SUV anymore.
He was staring at the authorization information beneath the payment.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He enlarged the screen.
Then he looked at Denise.
“Who used my saved payment credentials to approve this purchase?””
Denise went completely still.
Kaylee looked between them.
“Mom?””
Denise swallowed.
“I was going to tell you.””
“Tell me what?””
“I needed to make sure everything was finalized first.””
Marcus's face hardened.
“You had access to my business account?””
“I'm your wife.””
“That wasn't my question.””
She took a step backward.
Dad tapped the screen again, and the banking application displayed a reference number alongside the payment details.
He read it twice.
Then he turned toward me.
“Nia, did you ever receive a message from a dealership about selling your Honda?””
“No. Why?””
“Because this transaction references a second payment record.””
Denise's eyes closed briefly.
My heart began pounding.
“What second payment record?”” I asked.
Dad didn't answer right away. He was already calling the dealership.
The call rang twice before a man answered.
“Prestige Luxury Motors, this is Daniel. How may I help you?””
Marcus put the phone on speaker.
“This is Marcus Brooks. I need information about a $96,800 purchase charged to my business account today.””
“Of course, Mr. Brooks. One moment while I locate the transaction.””
We stood in the driveway while the afternoon sun warmed the concrete beneath our feet.
A lawn mower started somewhere down the street.
Kaylee rubbed her palms against her pink leggings.
Denise stared at the ground.
Finally, the man on the phone returned.
“Mr. Brooks, I can confirm the payment was received. However, the transaction was associated with a trade-in and purchase package.””
Dad frowned.
“A trade-in?””
“Yes, sir. The file indicates a vehicle was surrendered as part of the arrangement.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“What vehicle?”” I asked.
The salesman paused.
“I'm sorry. Who is speaking?””
“I'm Nia Brooks. The car that was taken from my garage belongs to me.””
Another pause.
Then the salesman said something that made my father straighten.
“Ms. Brooks, according to our paperwork, the vehicle was transferred under your name with authorization provided electronically.””
I gripped my keys so tightly that the metal teeth pressed into my skin.
“That's impossible. I never authorized anything.””
Marcus's voice became dangerously calm.
“Daniel, I want you to preserve every document connected to this transaction.””
“Certainly, sir.””
“Every signature, every electronic authorization, every identification record. Do not delete or alter anything.””
“Understood.””
Dad ended the call.
For a moment, none of us moved.
Then I looked at Denise.
“You used my name?””
She shook her head quickly.
“I didn't forge anything.””
“Then how did my car get sold?””
“I said I didn't forge anything!””
“You just heard him. They have electronic authorization under my name.””
She turned toward my father.
“Marcus, you need to listen to me. This wasn't supposed to happen like this.””
Dad stared at her.
“What wasn't supposed to happen?””
Her lips trembled.
She looked at Kaylee, then at the house.
Finally, she whispered, “The money from Nia's car wasn't supposed to be part of the purchase.””
My stomach dropped.
“Where did it go?”” I asked.
Denise said nothing.
And when my father demanded that she answer, she reached into her handbag, pulled out her own phone, and stared at a message on the screen.
Whatever it contained made her hands begin to shake.
May you like
Then she said five words that turned our family argument into something much worse.
“It's already gone. All of it.””