Chapter 5 - THE FAMILY MEETING
Bradley called me thirty-one times before noon.
I answered call thirty-two.
"What?"
He sounded relieved.
"Finally."
"What do you want?"
"You need to come home."
"No."
"Maddie, stop."
"No."
He exhaled hard.
"Everybody is upset."
I stared at the hotel window.
"Everybody?"
"Yes."
"That's unfortunate."
"My dad is furious."
"At me?"
"He thinks we all handled things badly."
I laughed once.
"Handled things badly?"
"You know what I mean."
"No, Bradley."
"I don't."
He lowered his voice.
"Can we please talk like married people?"
"Married people don't usually restrain each other beside swimming pools."
"I didn't restrain you."
"You told your cousins to."
"I was drunk."
"That's not a defense."
Silence.
Then he tried a different approach.
"My mom feels terrible."
I almost dropped the phone.
"Does she?"
"Yes."
"Put her on."
He hesitated.
"Why?"
"I'd love to hear her say it."
A few seconds later, Barbara's voice appeared.
"Maddie."
"Barbara."
"This has gotten out of hand."
"That's not an apology."
She sighed.
"I am sorry you were upset."
I smiled.
"Still not an apology."
"You always need to control the wording of everything."
"And you always need to avoid responsibility."
Bradley spoke somewhere near her.
"Mom."
Barbara ignored him.
"We were having fun."
"You stole six hundred thousand dollars."
Silence.
Pure silence.
I could hear someone breathing.
Then Barbara said softly.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
That was when I knew Rachel had been right.
Never reveal everything you know.
So I changed direction.
"Maybe I misunderstood."
Barbara recovered quickly.
"I'm sure you did."
"You're probably right."
Her tone softened.
"Good."
I nearly admired how quickly she took the bait.
"Come to the house, Maddie."
"Why?"
"We need to sit down like adults."
"Who is 'we'?"
"Bradley, Thomas, and me."
"No cousins?"
"No."
"No recording?"
Barbara became quiet.
Then she laughed.
"Why would anyone record a family conversation?"
I looked at the memory card on my desk.
"You're right."
I ended the call.
Rachel was sitting across from me.
Daniel had joined through video conference.
I placed the phone down.
Rachel raised an eyebrow.
"That was almost enjoyable."
"It was."
Daniel didn't smile.
He looked exhausted.
"I found more."
My stomach tightened.
"How much more?"
"Not money."
He shared his screen.
It showed a vendor list from my company.
"Three of our subcontractors also work with Bradley."
"I know."
"That's not the issue."
He highlighted three invoices.
"These were submitted to Maddie Lane Creative."
"For what?"
"Consulting."
I frowned.
"We don't use Bradley's company for consulting."
"I know."
The total was $187,000.
"Who approved these?"
"Your former controller."
"Susan?"
"Yes."
Susan had left suddenly five months earlier.
She claimed she wanted to take care of her mother.
"Did she get paid?"
Daniel nodded.
"Fifty thousand dollars from BWC Management two weeks after she resigned."
The room became very still.
Rachel leaned toward the screen.
"Send me everything."
Daniel nodded.
"I already did."
I looked at the invoices.
My anger shifted.
The pool humiliation was no longer the central event.
It was a doorway.
Every step we took through it revealed another room full of betrayal.
Rachel asked.
"What happened eighteen months ago?"
I thought.
"Bradley's business lost a major client."
"What else?"
"Barbara started talking about retirement."
"Anything with your company?"
"We closed our Series B investment."
Rachel's eyes narrowed.
"Meaning your company valuation jumped."
"Yes."
"How much?"
"From roughly twelve million to almost thirty-five million."
Nobody spoke.
The timing was too perfect.
BWC Management was created eighteen months ago.
The postnup changed shortly afterward.
Bradley's guarantee increased.
Money started moving.
Rachel leaned back.
"This may have been planned for a long time."
My stomach knotted.
A text came from Thomas.
PLEASE MEET ME ALONE.
I showed Rachel.
"No."
"He's the only one who helped me last night."
"He also stood there laughing."
"True."
Another text arrived.
I HAVE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO SEE.
Rachel stared at the screen.
"Ask what."
I typed.
WHAT?
Thomas replied.
YOUR SIGNATURE.
A photograph followed.
It was a printed bank document.
My name appeared at the bottom.
MADDISON ELAINE CARTER WEST.
Except that wasn't how I signed legal documents.
I always used Maddison E. West.
I showed Rachel.
She sat forward.
"Where did he get that?"
Thomas sent one more message.
BARBARA'S SAFE.
Rachel stood.
"Do not meet him alone."
"I'm not planning to."
"But we need that document."
I nodded.
Then Thomas sent a final message.
THE SAFE HAS OTHER THINGS.
I typed.
WHAT KIND OF THINGS?
The reply took almost a minute.
When it appeared, Rachel read it over my shoulder.
Her expression changed.
DIVORCE PAPERS DATED THREE MONTHS AGO.
I stared at the words.
May you like
Then another message arrived.
SIGNED BY BRADLEY.
