Chapter 3: The Woman Who Had His Other Key
Renee sat at the kitchen island, staring at the photograph.
The house was quiet.
Outside, the last of the guests were leaving. Cars pulled away from the driveway, and the backyard lights illuminated the abandoned plates and folding chairs.
Jada sat across from her mother.
Neither had changed out of their party clothes.
Renee enlarged the photograph.
Lionel was wearing the navy suit she had bought him for their twentieth anniversary.
Tasha stood beside him in a cream-colored dress.
Between them was a courthouse entrance.
Renee recognized the building.
It was the Franklin County Municipal Court.
"What is that?"" Jada asked.
Renee slid the phone across the counter.
Jada studied the picture.
"That's Dad.""
"I can see that.""
"Who's the woman?""
Renee took the phone back.
"Tasha.""
Jada remembered the name from the cookout.
"Is that Mason's mother?""
Renee nodded.
Jada stared at the photograph again.
"Why were they at a courthouse?""
"I don't know.""
"Mom, maybe she sent it to you.""
"Obviously.""
"No, I mean... maybe she wants you to think they got married.""
Renee looked at her daughter.
"Then why would she send a photograph without explaining it?""
Before Jada could answer, the front door opened.
Lionel walked in.
He had changed out of his cookout shirt and was carrying a bottle of water.
He stopped when he saw the phone.
"What's that?""
Renee turned the screen toward him.
"Where were you on November fourteenth?""
Lionel glanced at the photograph.
His expression barely changed.
"How did you get that?""
"That's your first question?""
"Renee, I don't have time for this.""
She laughed once.
"You had time to buy another woman's son a truck.""
"Here we go again.""
"You had time to rent an apartment.""
"Can we talk without Jada sitting here?""
Jada immediately pushed her chair back.
"No. I'm staying.""
Lionel pointed toward the stairs.
"Go to your room.""
Jada didn't move.
"She's my mother.""
"And I'm your father.""
"Then act like one.""
Lionel placed the water bottle on the counter with enough force to make the plastic crack.
"Both of you need to stop acting like I'm some stranger who walked into this house.""
Renee held up the photograph.
"November fourteenth. Explain.""
Lionel sighed.
"It was a business matter.""
"At the courthouse?""
"Paperwork.""
"What paperwork?""
"Something for Tasha.""
Renee's face tightened.
"Why were you handling legal paperwork for another woman?""
"Because she asked me.""
"Are you married to her?""
"No.""
"Did you try to marry her?""
"Of course not.""
"Then what happened that day?""
Lionel looked toward Jada.
"Can you give us some privacy?""
Jada stood.
"Fine.""
She picked up her enrollment folder.
"But before I go, I want one answer.""
Lionel looked irritated.
"What?""
"Did you use my tuition money to buy Mason that truck?""
He stared at her.
"I told you. I used money I had access to.""
"That isn't an answer.""
"Yes.""
Jada nodded slowly.
"Thank you.""
She walked upstairs.
Renee watched her disappear before turning back to Lionel.
"How much?""
"What?""
"How much money did you take?""
"Eight thousand.""
Renee closed her eyes.
The account had held $8,450.
She remembered transferring $200 into it every month. Jada had added money from her grocery store checks whenever she could.
"That was our daughter's education fund.""
"I know.""
"You knew?""
"Of course I knew.""
Renee stared at him.
"Then how could you do it?""
Lionel pulled out a chair.
"Because Mason needed help.""
Renee stood still.
"Your daughter's future was less important than his truck?""
"Don't make it sound like that.""
"How should I make it sound?""
Lionel rubbed his face.
"Tasha has been having a difficult time. Mason needed transportation. His school is far away, and I couldn't just let the kid struggle.""
Renee looked at him in disbelief.
"You couldn't let him struggle?""
"He's a good kid.""
"So is Jada.""
"I didn't say she wasn't.""
"She works twenty-five hours a week. She comes home exhausted. She has spent months preparing for school. And you looked at all that and decided she could struggle a little longer.""
Lionel didn't respond.
Renee lowered her voice.
"Did you tell Tasha where the money came from?""
"No.""
"Did she ask?""
"Why does that matter?""
"Because I want to know whether she knew you stole from your daughter to buy her son a truck.""
Lionel pushed back his chair.
"I didn't steal anything.""
Renee looked at him.
"Then show me the account.""
He went quiet.
"Tomorrow.""
"No. Now.""
"I don't have the login on me.""
"You've had a phone in your hand all evening.""
Lionel grabbed his phone.
"Fine.""
He opened his banking application.
Renee stood beside him, watching.
He showed her the checking account.
Then the savings account.
The tuition account wasn't there.
"Where is it?"" she asked.
Lionel scrolled.
"Transferred out.""
"To where?""
"Another account.""
"Whose?""
He locked the phone.
"That's enough.""
Renee stared at him.
"You just admitted taking the money, and now you won't show me where it went?""
"I'll put it back.""
"When?""
"Give me a few weeks.""
"Jada starts school in three weeks.""
"I said I'll handle it.""
Renee shook her head.
"No. You have handled enough.""
She took her own phone and opened the banking application.
Her name was on the original tuition account.
She checked the transaction history.
There it was.
A transfer for $8,000.
The recipient account ended in four digits she didn't recognize.
Renee took a screenshot.
Then she looked at the date.
Three days later, Lionel had purchased the truck.
A new notification appeared.
It was another message from the unknown number.
*You deserve to know why he was at the courthouse.*
A second photograph arrived.
This one showed a document.
Renee zoomed in.
At the top was a legal form bearing Lionel's full name.
Below it was a section concerning financial responsibility for a minor child.
Mason Carter.
Renee read the name twice.
Then she looked at her husband.
"What is this?""
Lionel snatched the phone.
"Where did you get that?""
Renee stepped back.
"Who is Mason Carter?""
He didn't answer.
"Why is your name on a document accepting financial responsibility for him?""
Lionel exhaled sharply.
"It's just paperwork.""
"Stop calling everything paperwork!""
Jada appeared at the top of the stairs.
She had heard the shouting.
Renee looked at Lionel.
"Is that boy legally your son?""
Lionel's silence answered before his mouth did.
Renee covered her lips.
Jada slowly descended the stairs.
"Mom?""
Renee looked at her daughter.
Then she looked at the man she had been married to for twenty years.
Lionel finally spoke.
"He's my son.""
Jada stopped on the last step.
The house seemed to lose all its sound.
Renee gripped the counter.
"How long?""
Lionel looked down.
"Seventeen years.""
Jada let out a breath.
"Seventeen?""
"Jada, listen—"
"You've known him for seventeen years?""
Lionel raised his hands.
"I was trying to protect everybody.""
"Protect everybody?"" Renee repeated.
She looked at the photograph again.
Then at the empty tuition account.
Then at the enrollment folder in Jada's hands.
"You didn't just take her money," she said.
"You built another life while letting us believe we were your only family.""
Lionel stepped closer.
"Renee, I can explain.""
But Renee's phone vibrated again.
This time, the message wasn't from the unknown number.
It was from Beverly.
*Please don't let Lionel delete the old family email account. That's where the original documents are.*
Renee frowned.
She typed a reply.
What documents?
Beverly's response arrived almost immediately.
*The ones proving Lionel didn't just hide Mason from you. He used your name on the paperwork.*
Renee looked up.
Lionel was watching her phone.
And when he saw Beverly's name on the screen, the color drained from his face.
"Give me that phone," he said.
Renee held it against her chest.
"Why?""
May you like
Lionel took one step toward her.
"Because you have no idea what you're about to find.""
