Chapter 5: The Sister-in-Law's Secret Account
Raymond arrived at Eleanor's office the following morning.
He looked as though he hadn't slept.
I was waiting in the conference room when he entered, carrying another envelope.
"Opal.""
I stood.
"Did Spencer contact you?""
Raymond nodded.
"Twice.""
"What did he say?""
"That I was interfering in family business. He also threatened to tell everyone I stole confidential documents.""
Eleanor gestured toward the chair.
"Mr. Mercer, before we continue, I need you to understand that anything you share should be truthful and complete. We cannot protect anyone by hiding relevant facts.""
Raymond sat.
"I understand.""
He placed the envelope on the table.
"I found something else.""
I opened it.
Inside were bank statements, a business registration, and several printed messages.
The first statement showed a transfer of $84,000 into Mercer Strategic Holdings.
The date matched the loan disbursement.
Three days later, $72,000 had been transferred to another account.
The recipient was listed as C. Mercer Property Management.
I looked at Raymond.
"What's the remaining twelve thousand?""
"Fees, I think. Spencer told me the company needed operating capital.""
Eleanor examined the statement.
"Where did you get this?""
"Spencer gave me access to some records when he asked me to help with a renovation project. I had legitimate access to the shared business folder.""
"Did you download these documents before or after he revoked your access?""
"Before.""
Eleanor nodded.
"Continue.""
Raymond handed me the messages.
The conversation was between Spencer and Vanessa.
*Spencer:* The first transfer cleared.
*Vanessa:* Good. Mum wants the rest moved before the refinancing.
*Spencer:* It will be. Just don't put anything in writing about Opal.
*Vanessa:* She doesn't check anything anyway.
I felt my stomach tighten.
There was another message.
*Vanessa:* What if she finds out?
*Spencer:* She won't. She trusts me.
I placed the pages down.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Eleanor watched me.
"Opal, are you familiar with Vanessa's financial situation?""
"Not particularly.""
Raymond gave a humorless laugh.
"She has a business.""
"What kind?""
"Luxury home staging. At least, that's what she calls it.""
He opened his laptop and showed us a company website.
The business was called Mercer Living Concepts.
Beautiful photographs filled the screen. Expensive furniture, marble countertops, lakefront homes, and carefully arranged living rooms.
The company advertised itself as a premium interior styling service.
I recognized the lake house.
It was the same property Charlene had purchased.
"Is this Vanessa's company?""
"Yes.""
Eleanor leaned forward.
"Is the business profitable?""
Raymond shook his head.
"Not according to what I saw.""
He opened another document.
It was a financial statement.
The company had reported significant losses over the previous year.
Yet its expenses included luxury furniture, travel, vehicle payments, and several large transfers to personal accounts.
Eleanor studied the figures.
"These expenses may be relevant. But we need the complete records before drawing conclusions.""
I looked at Raymond.
"Why are you helping me?""
He lowered his eyes.
"Because I should have done something sooner.""
He told us that six months earlier, Spencer had asked him to review a property renovation estimate.
During that conversation, Raymond discovered that several payments were being routed through companies associated with Vanessa.
He questioned Spencer.
Spencer told him the family was restructuring its investments.
Raymond accepted the explanation.
Until he overheard Charlene talking about my house.
"I heard her say she couldn't wait until November," Raymond explained.
"She said she'd finally have something to show for all the years she'd spent raising Spencer.""
"Did she mention the house?""
"Yes. She said the house would become a family asset.""
I stared at the papers.
A family asset.
My home.
The house I'd bought before I met Spencer.
The house where my mother had helped me paint the kitchen.
The house where I'd spent countless nights working late because I wanted to build something secure.
To them, it was simply another resource to divide.
Eleanor closed the laptop.
"There's one more thing we need to investigate.""
She pointed to the transfer statement.
"The money went into Spencer's company, then into an account associated with Charlene's property business. But the lake house was transferred to a company managed by Vanessa.""
"Why?""
"Possibly for liability, tax, or ownership reasons. We need the underlying agreements.""
Raymond looked uncomfortable.
"I think I know why.""
He reached into his envelope and removed a printed email.
This one was from Vanessa to Charlene.
The subject was:
*Keeping the Lake House Safe.*
The email read:
Once the house is in my company, nobody can touch it if Spencer's marriage falls apart. He can keep saying it's Mum's property, but legally, we'll control everything.
I read the final line.
Opal will never know where the money went.
The room became very quiet.
Eleanor took the document.
"This changes the direction of our investigation.""
I looked at her.
"What do you mean?""
"It suggests they were considering the possibility that the marriage might end while keeping the property beyond your immediate reach.""
I leaned back.
"They planned for me to discover it.""
"Possibly.""
"And they planned to keep the house.""
"That's what the correspondence appears to suggest.""
My phone began ringing.
Charlene.
I looked at Eleanor.
She nodded.
"Answer. Don't argue. Let her speak.""
I put the call on speaker.
"Hello?""
"Opal Bennett, what exactly are you trying to do?""
Charlene sounded furious.
"I don't understand your question.""
"Don't play games with me. The bank called. They said there's a problem with the loan.""
"That's between you and the bank.""
"You've frozen the money!""
"I've disputed a loan I never authorized.""
She laughed sharply.
"Your husband authorized it.""
"He's not the owner of my house.""
"He's your husband!""
"And?""
For a moment, she seemed unable to respond.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Listen carefully. Spencer and I have worked very hard to get where we are. You have no right to destroy everything because you got upset over a dinner.""
I glanced at the envelope.
"Is that what you think happened?""
"You humiliated me.""
"You stole fourteen pounds of food from my kitchen.""
"That meat was for family.""
"Then why did Vanessa put it in her car?""
"Because I told her to!""
There was a brief silence.
I looked at Eleanor.
She wrote something on her notepad.
I continued.
"And why did you slap me?""
Charlene scoffed.
"You were disrespectful.""
"So you admit you hit me?""
"Don't twist my words.""
"I don't need to.""
Her breathing became heavier.
"You're going to regret this, Opal. Spencer has connections. He knows people. You think you can just call a lawyer and take everything away?""
"I don't want everything, Charlene. I want what's mine.""
She laughed again.
"Your little house?""
I felt my spine straighten.
"Yes. My little house.""
"You wouldn't even have a decent life without Spencer.""
I looked at the woman who had spent years treating my work, money, and home as family property.
Then I said something I should have said long ago.
"Charlene, the only reason you've been comfortable in my house is because I allowed it. That privilege is over.""
She screamed something I couldn't understand and hung up.
Eleanor immediately wrote down the time and details of the call.
"Good. Keep the original recording if your phone saved it, and preserve the call information.""
I nodded.
Raymond looked at me.
"There's something else.""
I turned.
He hesitated.
"Spencer has been telling people at work that he's the primary owner of your house.""
My mouth went dry.
"Why?""
"Because he wanted to impress his new boss. He told them he was planning to use the property as collateral for a business expansion.""
Eleanor's expression hardened.
"Did he submit any documentation?""
"I don't know.""
"Can you find out?""
Raymond nodded.
"I'll try.""
As he prepared to leave, he stopped beside the door.
"Opal, I need to tell you something about Martin.""
I looked up.
"What?""
"He wasn't just Spencer's attorney.""
"What do you mean?""
Raymond swallowed.
"He helped set up Mercer Strategic Holdings.""
I stared at him.
"Martin helped create the company?""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me this earlier?""
"Because I didn't know until yesterday.""
He placed another paper on the table.
It was a corporate registration document.
Martin Hale's law firm was listed as the registered agent.
But the final line was what made my blood run cold.
The company had been established eleven months before my wedding.
And its original operating agreement named three members.
Spencer Mercer.
Vanessa Mercer.
May you like
And a third person.
*Martin Hale.*
