Chapter 6: The Thing Chloe Knew
I called Chloe back the next morning.
She answered on the first ring, like she had been holding the phone.
"Jessi." Her voice was raw.
"I didn't think you would call."
"I almost didn't.
Tell me why you're scared."
A long pause.
"Because I think Brandon did something that can't be fixed.
And I think I helped him without knowing it."
"What did you help him do?"
"The papers.
The ones he had you sign three years ago." She exhaled.
"He told me they were routine restructuring.
He said you knew what they were and you were fine with it.
He said the two of you had discussed it." Her voice broke slightly.
"I witnessed two of them, Jessi.
I signed as a witness.
I didn't read them.
I just signed where he pointed."
I sat very still.
"Which two?"
"I don't know.
He had a stack.
He pointed to two lines and I signed.
I thought—" She stopped.
"I thought you knew."
"I didn't know."
Silence.
"Chloe." I kept my voice even.
"I need you to come in and speak with my attorney."
"Am I in trouble?"
"That depends on what you knew and when.
If you genuinely didn't know the documents were fraudulent, you're a witness, not a participant." I paused.
"But you need to tell the truth.
All of it.
Not the version that protects Brandon."
She made a sound that was almost a laugh.
"Brandon stopped being worth protecting about six months ago.
I just didn't know how to say that to anyone."
"What happened six months ago?"
Another pause.
Longer this time.
"He told Selina she could move into the house after the divorce was finalized.
He said it like it was already decided.
Like you had already agreed." Her voice was very quiet.
"I asked him if you knew.
He said you'd figure it out eventually.
That's when I understood what kind of person my brother actually is."
She came in that afternoon.
She sat across from Grace in the conference room with her hands folded on the table, and she told us everything she remembered.
The dates.
The location.
What Brandon had said to her beforehand.
What the documents had looked like.
Which lines she had signed on.
Grace recorded the session with Chloe's consent and took twelve pages of notes.
When it was over, Chloe sat back in her chair and looked at me across the table.
"I laughed at you," she said.
"At the wedding.
When Brandon dropped your plate." She didn't look away.
"I want you to know that I know that.
And I'm sorry.
Not because I need something from you.
Just because it was wrong and I did it and I'm sorry."
I looked at her for a moment.
"I know."
"Is there anything I can do?
To make this right?"
"You already did it," Grace said, tapping her notepad.
"This is what making it right looks like."
Chloe left at four o'clock.
I walked her to the elevator.
"What happens to my mother?" she asked, waiting for the doors.
"I don't know yet.
That depends on what the investigation finds."
"She really didn't know about the money.
She's difficult and she's cruel and she treated you terribly.
But she didn't know." Chloe looked at the elevator doors.
"I don't know if that matters."
"It might," I said.
"It might not.
I'm not the one who decides that."
The elevator opened.
She stepped in, then turned back.
"He's going to try to blame you," she said.
"For all of it.
He's already telling people you manipulated Alexander Vance.
That you set the whole thing up." The doors began to close.
"I just thought you should know what's coming."
I walked back to Grace's office.
"She says he's building a counter-narrative," I told her.
Grace didn't look up from her notes.
"Of course he is." She turned a page.
"Let him build it.
We have fourteen forged documents, a forensic examiner, a cooperating creditor, and now a witness who was present at the signing." She finally looked up.
"What does he have?"
"One email taken out of context."
"Right." She capped her pen.
"He's going to need something better than that."
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered it.
"Mrs.
Sterling." A man's voice, professional and careful.
"My name is Agent Daniel Reyes.
I'm with the FBI's financial crimes unit in Phoenix.
I wonder if you might have some time to speak with me."
I looked at Grace.
She had heard it.
She was already nodding.
May you like
"Yes," I said.
"I have time."
