Chapter 9: The Woman Behind the Company
Marcus sat at Renee's kitchen table.
The phone felt unusually heavy in his hand.
“Whose name appears on the registration?”” he asked.
Evelyn Brooks spoke slowly.
“The records identify a woman named Patricia Hale as the registered owner of Northbridge Consulting. However, the account documents also list Vanessa Reed as an authorized contact.””
Marcus looked at the folder beside him.
“Does that prove Vanessa controlled the company?””
“No. It establishes a connection that needs further examination. We are requesting additional records to determine who authorized the payments and who benefited from them.””
“Can you tell me whether any money from Liv's trust went to Northbridge?””
“We have identified a transfer of $47,000 to an account associated with the company. We have not yet confirmed the complete source and destination of every dollar.””
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
“Understood. Please preserve everything related to that transaction.””
“We will.””
After the call, he remained seated.
Renee stood across from him, her face pale.
“Was it Vanessa?”” she asked.
“Her name appears on the company's records.””
Renee closed her eyes.
“Oh, God.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Did you know about Northbridge?””
“No.””
“Did Vanessa ever mention Patricia Hale?””
Renee shook her head.
“No.””
Marcus opened his notebook and wrote down the name.
Patricia Hale.
He had never heard it before.
He needed to know who she was, what her relationship with Vanessa might be, and whether the company had any legitimate business purpose.
But he also knew that an unfamiliar name on a financial document did not establish wrongdoing. He would need reliable records before drawing conclusions.
He called his attorney, who advised him to request the relevant corporate filings through lawful channels and coordinate with the trustee's review. The attorney also warned him not to contact Patricia with accusations based on incomplete information.
Marcus agreed.
That evening, he returned to Renee's guest room to check on Liv.
She sat cross-legged on the bed, surrounded by photographs and pieces of colored paper. Her drawing of the house had grown into a small family portrait.
Marcus appeared in a police uniform. Danielle stood beside him in a blue dress. Liv was in the middle, wearing her purple backpack.
There was no figure representing Vanessa.
He sat beside her.
“That's a beautiful picture.””
Liv shrugged.
“I didn't know what to draw.””
“You drew us.””
She nodded.
“Will Mom always be part of our family, even though she's gone?””
Marcus put his arm around her.
“Always.””
“Even if we find out she kept secrets?””
He looked at the photograph on the bedside table.
“People can keep secrets and still love their families. What matters is understanding why they kept them and whether they hurt someone.””
Liv was quiet for a moment.
“Do you think Mom would be mad at Aunt Renee?””
Marcus considered his answer.
“I think your mother would want the truth. She would want people to take responsibility for their choices. But she would also want us to be fair.””
Liv looked down at her drawing.
“I don't want everyone to hate each other.””
Marcus pulled her closer.
“Neither do I, baby.””
She leaned against him.
“Can we still have pancakes on Sunday?””
He smiled faintly.
“Absolutely.””
“With strawberries?””
“With as many strawberries as you want.””
For the first time that day, Liv laughed.
The sound eased something in his chest.
Later that night, Marcus sat in his car outside his own house.
He had not returned since leaving with Liv, and he did not intend to go inside without a clear reason. He watched the front windows, where the lights glowed behind the curtains.
He could see a shadow moving through the living room.
Vanessa was home.
His phone buzzed.
A message from her appeared.
I know you've been talking to Richard.
He didn't respond.
Another message arrived.
He is lying to protect himself.
Marcus typed, Then explain the transfers.
Her reply came almost immediately.
I did what I had to do.
He stared at the screen.
Then another message appeared.
You don't understand what Danielle left behind.
Marcus called her.
She answered on the first ring.
“What do you mean?”” he asked.
Vanessa was silent.
“Vanessa, what did Danielle leave behind?””
“You think this is all about money.””
“Then tell me what it's about.””
Her breathing was audible over the phone.
“Danielle knew things about people that she shouldn't have known.””
Marcus frowned.
“What people?””
“She had documents. Records. Information that could ruin lives.””
“Why would she have that?””
“Because people trusted her.””
“That doesn't answer the question.””
Vanessa let out a shaky breath.
“Ask Richard what happened before Danielle got sick. Ask him why he was so desperate to keep her quiet.””
Marcus looked at the dark windows.
“Did you take money from Liv's trust?””
“I borrowed it.””
“Without permission?””
“I was going to repay it.””
“That's not permission.””
“You don't understand how much pressure I was under!””
“Then explain it.””
Vanessa began to cry.
For a moment, Marcus thought she might finally tell him everything.
Instead, she said, “I can't.””
“Why not?””
“Because if I tell you, you won't be able to protect Liv from what comes next.””
The call ended.
Marcus stared at the phone.
He wanted to call back, but he knew the conversation had reached another dead end.
He drove to Renee's house and slept in the guest room beside Liv.
The next morning, Evelyn contacted him with an update.
The trustee's preliminary review had traced several transfers from accounts connected to the disputed trust activity. Some payments had gone toward Vanessa's personal debts. Others had been routed through Northbridge Consulting.
A separate payment, however, had been made to a law office associated with Richard Cole.
Marcus immediately called his attorney.
The payment did not establish that Richard had participated in the transfers or received money improperly. It could have been a legitimate legal fee, a reimbursement, or something else entirely.
But the timing demanded scrutiny.
The payment had occurred two weeks after Danielle's death.
The description read: *Document review and account reconciliation.*
Marcus asked Evelyn to preserve the invoice and supporting records.
Then he called Richard.
“I need an explanation for a payment made to your office after Danielle died.””
Richard went quiet.
“What payment?””
Marcus gave him the date and amount.
“I'll need to review my records,” Richard said.
“I don't want to speculate.””
“Was it connected to Vanessa?””
“I don't know.””
“Then find out.””
Richard promised to review the invoice and provide it through the proper channel.
Marcus ended the call.
The pattern was growing more complicated, not less.
Vanessa had transferred money from Liv's trust without clear authorization. Richard had failed to report a suspicious request. Renee had helped prepare paperwork without fully understanding what it would be used for. Northbridge had received a substantial payment, and Richard's office had been paid for work described as document review.
The facts did not yet reveal whether these events were part of one coordinated scheme or several connected decisions made by different people.
Marcus needed the complete account history.
He also needed to understand Danielle's private records.
That afternoon, he returned to the archive to review the remaining materials. Daniel Price had prepared the next folder according to the release conditions.
Inside was a document Danielle had titled *Personal Notes — For Marcus Only*.
The first page described her concern that someone had been accessing information from her private accounts.
The second listed several dates.
The third contained a short paragraph about Patricia Hale.
Marcus read it slowly.
Patricia was introduced to me as a financial adviser who could help review the family accounts. I never authorized her to manage Liv's trust. I became concerned when she requested copies of documents that were not necessary for the review.
Below the paragraph, Danielle had written a phone number.
Marcus showed the page to Daniel, who confirmed that the archive could provide a certified copy for the trustee and his attorney.
He took the copy and called his lawyer.
Together, they reviewed the appropriate process for contacting Patricia and obtaining records about Northbridge Consulting.
They did not call her directly.
Instead, the attorney sent a formal request for information through the channels available to him, asking that relevant records be preserved.
The following morning, Patricia's attorney responded.
Patricia was willing to provide information about Northbridge, but she denied that the company had ever been intended to receive money from Liv's trust. She claimed that Vanessa had described the transfers as payments from a private lending arrangement.
The attorney included a copy of an agreement.
Marcus read the first page.
It described a loan between Vanessa and Northbridge Consulting.
The amount was $47,000.
The date matched the transfer identified by the trustee.
But the agreement contained a detail that made Marcus stop.
The lender was listed as Northbridge Consulting.
The borrower was listed as Vanessa Reed.
And the funds were described as being secured against an expected inheritance.
Marcus read the phrase again.
Expected inheritance.
He called his attorney.
“Could this refer to Danielle's estate?””
“Possibly,” the attorney replied.
“But we need to establish what Vanessa represented to the lender and whether the agreement was connected to the trust transfers.””
Marcus looked at the date.
The agreement had been signed several months before Danielle died.
Vanessa had apparently borrowed money against an inheritance she expected to receive.
But Danielle's letter made it clear that Liv's trust was separate from any inheritance Vanessa might have expected.
Marcus asked his attorney to investigate the agreement and determine whether the signature and supporting documents were authentic.
Then he returned to the next page.
It contained the signature of a witness.
Renee Reed.
Marcus closed his eyes.
He could no longer dismiss his sister's involvement as a single careless decision without understanding the context.
He called her.
“Renee, I need you to look at a document.””
“What is it?””
“An agreement between Vanessa and Northbridge Consulting. It was signed before Danielle died. Your name appears as a witness.””
Renee didn't answer.
“Renee?””
Her voice came out faintly.
“I remember that document.””
Marcus sat down.
“What do you remember?””
“Vanessa told me it was a loan agreement. She said she needed money to cover some expenses while you were dealing with Danielle's illness.””
“Did you read it?””
“Not carefully.””
“Did you know it was secured against an expected inheritance?””
“No.””
“Did you know the money might be connected to Liv's trust?””
“No, Marcus. I swear.””
He believed she might be telling the truth.
But belief was no longer enough.
“Why did you witness it?””
“Vanessa said she needed someone to confirm that she had signed it. She told me it was a private loan and that everything was legitimate.””
“Did Patricia Hale attend the signing?””
“Yes.””
“Did she say anything about where the money would come from?””
Renee hesitated.
“She asked Vanessa whether the inheritance was guaranteed.””
Marcus's grip tightened around the phone.
“What did Vanessa say?””
“She said that Danielle had already arranged everything and that the money would be available soon.””
“Did you question her?””
“I asked whether you knew. Vanessa said you did.””
Marcus stared at the table.
His sister had witnessed an agreement based on an inheritance she had not verified. She had helped prepare paperwork connected to Liv's trust. She had failed to tell him what she later discovered.
But there was still a crucial question.
Had Vanessa deliberately deceived Renee, or had Renee chosen not to ask questions because the answers might be inconvenient?
Marcus didn't know.
He thanked her for answering and ended the call.
That evening, he sat with Liv at Renee's kitchen table while she finished her drawing.
She had added a small figure beside Danielle.
“Who's that?”” he asked.
Liv smiled faintly.
“That's Mom in heaven.””
Marcus swallowed.
“And who's this?””
“Me.””
She pointed to the girl with the purple backpack.
Then she pointed to the figure in uniform.
“That's you. You're holding my hand.””
He nodded.
“That's right.””
Liv put down her pencil.
“Daddy, if Mom left me money, does that mean I have to be rich?””
Marcus smiled sadly.
“No, sweetheart. It means your mother wanted you to have opportunities. You can decide what kind of life you want when you grow up.””
“Can I still be a teacher?””
“Absolutely.””
“Even if the money is gone?””
He looked at her.
“Even then.””
She nodded, apparently satisfied.
Then she returned to her drawing.
Marcus watched her for a moment before his phone rang.
It was his attorney.
“We've received a response from Northbridge's legal representative,” the attorney said.
“They've agreed to preserve the relevant records. But there's a complication.””
“What complication?””
“The company says the $47,000 payment was not a loan to Vanessa. They claim it was a reimbursement for funds they had advanced on her behalf.””
Marcus frowned.
“Advanced from where?””
The attorney paused.
“According to their records, the original funds came from a separate account held in Danielle Reed's name.””
Marcus felt his pulse quicken.
“Danielle's private account?””
“Yes.””
He looked at the blue box sitting on the counter.
The account Danielle had closed before her death.
The money she had lent Vanessa.
The funds that had later appeared in accounts connected to Northbridge.
It was all connected, but he still couldn't see the full shape of it.
Then his attorney added one more detail.
“There's also a note attached to the transaction. It says the payment was made in accordance with instructions from Danielle Reed.””
Marcus went completely still.
“That's impossible,” he whispered.
“Why?””
“Because Danielle was already in the hospital. And she had explicitly forbidden anyone from using Liv's trust.””
“Then we'll need to establish whether the instructions are authentic.””
Marcus ended the call and looked at the papers on the table.
For the first time, he wondered whether the most important question was not who had taken Liv's money.
May you like
It was whether someone had been using Danielle's name after she was too ill to protect herself.
And if that was true, the person responsible might have been planning the scheme long before Danielle died.
