Chương 12 - THE OTHER WOMAN’S COPY
We met in Ruth’s office.
I refused a café.
I refused a private room.
Sierra arrived without the red dress, without jewelry, without Brett.
She placed a flash drive on the table.
Ruth didn’t plug it into her computer.
“Tell us what it contains.”
“Scans of the old ledger. Emails. The transfer draft.”
“Why now?”
Sierra looked at me.
“Because he’s saying it was all my idea.”
“You put on my grandmother’s brooch.”
“I know.”
“You walked past my son.”
“I know.”
“Then don’t start with how he hurt you.”
Her eyes dropped.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
Ruth asked about the notary.
Sierra rubbed her wrist.
“He told me the transfer was approved. That you couldn’t attend.”
“So you pretended to be me.”
“Yes.”
The word came out barely above a whisper.
“Where did you get identification?”
“Brett gave me a card.”
Ruth stopped her.
“You need independent legal counsel before making more statements.”
Sierra nodded.
“I’ve spoken to someone.”
Her attorney joined by phone.
Only then did the conversation continue.
She admitted carrying the documents.
She admitted signing a journal in my name.
She claimed Brett directed the transaction.
Whether she was minimizing her part would have to be tested against records.
Then she explained the unknown text.
“I sent it.”
“Why not tell me who you were?”
“I was scared.”
“You weren’t scared enough to stop.”
“No,” she said.
“I wasn’t.”
That was the first thing she said that sounded honest.
The ledger scans showed payments entered by hand beside Grandma’s loan.
But the last page contained a note in Brett’s writing.
Convert debt before closing.
Ruth frowned.
“Convert how?”
Sierra swallowed.
“There’s a lender.”
“What lender?”
“Brett borrowed against future sale proceeds.”
Arthur had paused the sale.
The repayment deadline hadn’t moved.
“How much?” I asked.
Sierra looked at her attorney’s name on the phone screen.
“Eight hundred thousand.”
“And when is it due?”
May you like
She finally looked at me.
“Tomorrow.”
