Chapter 6: The Woman Behind the Deal
Calvin ended the call.
Nobody spoke.
I looked at him.
"Who is Denise Walker?""
He put his phone into his pocket.
"Nobody important.""
Daphne laughed.
"Don't insult her. She's the only reason this deal was going to work.""
Calvin turned sharply.
"Shut up!""
But it was too late.
I had heard enough.
"Your sister was involved in this?""
Daphne crossed her arms.
"She was helping us arrange the sale.""
"Of my house?""
"Of the property.""
I stared at her.
"Don't call my home a property as if nobody ever lived here.""
For a moment, Daphne looked uncomfortable.
Then she lifted her chin.
"You have to understand something, Gloria. This house is too much for one woman your age.""
The words struck harder than I expected.
"My age?""
"You're sixty-six. The stairs are becoming difficult. The maintenance costs money. Calvin thought it would be better if you moved somewhere smaller.""
I looked at my son.
"Is that what you told her?""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Mom, we were thinking about your future.""
"My future?""
"Yes. You could live in a nice retirement community. Somewhere with people your age.""
I felt my fingers tighten around the railing.
"Your father built this house for me.""
Calvin sighed.
"That was twenty years ago.""
"And I intend to live here for as long as I choose.""
Daphne gave a small shrug.
"Then perhaps you should have signed the papers when we asked.""
Leon stepped forward.
"She was never asked.""
Daphne turned toward him.
"Nobody invited you into this conversation.""
Leon looked at her.
"You made me part of it when you used my identity to secure financing.""
Calvin's phone vibrated again.
He pulled it out.
Another call from Denise.
This time, I reached for the phone.
"Put it on speaker.""
He hesitated.
"Mom, don't.""
I held out my hand.
"Now.""
He reluctantly answered.
"Denise, you're on speaker.""
A woman's voice filled the hallway.
"Calvin, where is Daphne?""
"I'm here," Daphne answered.
"Thank God. What happened?""
"The transaction was frozen," Calvin said.
Denise exhaled sharply.
"Because somebody submitted a report showing that Leon is alive.""
Leon leaned toward the phone.
"Hello, Denise.""
The line went silent.
Then Denise spoke.
"You.""
"Me.""
"How did you find the documents?""
Leon answered calmly.
"I followed the money.""
Denise laughed nervously.
"You don't know what you're talking about.""
"I know about the company. I know about the loan application. And I know your name appears on the proposed purchase agreement.""
Daphne snatched the phone from Calvin.
"Denise, stop talking.""
Her sister ignored her.
"Listen to me, Daphne. The bank has asked for verification of the original property authorization. They also want the source documents supporting Leon's death.""
Leon smiled without humor.
"Good.""
Denise's voice became angry.
"You have no idea how much money is involved!""
I stepped closer to the phone.
"How much of my money?""
Silence.
"Who is this?"" Denise asked.
"I'm Gloria Harris. The owner of the house you planned to sell.""
A nervous breath came through the speaker.
"Ms. Harris, there has been a misunderstanding.""
I looked at Calvin.
Then at Daphne.
"Was it also a misunderstanding when my signature was forged?""
Denise didn't answer.
"Was it a misunderstanding when your sister came into my home and examined my rooms?""
Still nothing.
I continued.
"Or when you planned to sell the house six weeks from now?""
Denise finally spoke.
"Calvin told us you had agreed to everything.""
I looked at my son.
His eyes were fixed on the carpet.
"That's a lie," I said.
Denise exhaled.
"Then you need to speak to Calvin. He was the person who assured us the authorization was legitimate.""
Calvin grabbed the phone.
"Denise, stop!""
She continued.
"And he was also the one who promised that the original documents would be delivered before closing.""
I stared at him.
"What original documents?""
Calvin ended the call.
I couldn't believe what I had just heard.
"Calvin!""
He looked at me.
"She was panicking.""
"She said you promised to deliver original documents.""
"That's business.""
"What documents?""
He didn't answer.
Leon walked back toward the stairs.
"I think I know.""
He returned a minute later carrying a thin folder he had left beside the entrance.
Inside was a photocopy of a document with a familiar heading.
*Affidavit of Property Ownership and Beneficial Consent.*
Leon placed it on the desk.
"This was submitted to the lender. It states that Gloria Harris authorized the use of her home as collateral.""
I examined the page.
There was my name.
My date of birth.
My address.
And another signature that looked almost like mine.
But this time, beneath the signature, there was a handwritten statement.
I confirm that I have no objection to the transfer and that I have voluntarily relinquished all future claims to the property.
My knees nearly gave way.
I gripped the edge of the desk.
"I never signed this.""
Leon nodded.
"I know.""
Calvin stepped forward.
"Mom, the document wasn't supposed to be used yet.""
I turned toward him.
"Why does it say I relinquished my rights?""
He swallowed.
"It was a draft.""
"A draft?""
Daphne looked at him.
"You said the lawyer approved it.""
Calvin glared at her.
"You told me it was standard language!""
Leon picked up the paper.
"Standard language doesn't make a forged affidavit legal.""
I looked at the final paragraph.
A witness's name appeared at the bottom.
Marcus Reed.
The notary.
And beside it was a date.
Three weeks earlier.
I looked at Calvin.
"Where was I three weeks ago?""
He stared at me.
I answered my own question.
"At the hospital.""
Bernice appeared in the doorway.
"That's right. You were having your routine heart examination.""
I nodded slowly.
"Calvin drove me there.""
My son closed his eyes.
The realization came slowly, painfully.
He had driven me to the hospital.
He had waited with me.
He had held my purse while I checked in.
And while I was being examined, someone had apparently used my personal information to prepare documents claiming I had voluntarily surrendered my home.
I turned toward him.
"You knew.""
His face crumpled.
"Mom, I was trying to fix everything.""
"By taking my house?""
"I didn't know it would go this far!""
I stepped closer.
"At what point did you think it was acceptable?""
He began crying.
Not loudly.
Just enough for tears to gather beneath his eyes.
"Mom, I owe people money.""
I stared at him.
"How much?""
He looked at the floor.
"Almost three hundred thousand dollars.""
The number seemed to echo through the room.
Daphne immediately pointed at him.
"Don't put that on me!""
Calvin turned.
"You were the one who introduced me to the lenders!""
"You agreed to the deal!""
"You said your sister had everything arranged!""
Leon raised his hand.
"Both of you need to understand something. The documents have already been submitted to the lender. The property authorization is under investigation.""
Calvin looked at him.
"What do you mean?""
Leon pulled out his phone.
"I sent copies to the bank's fraud department before I came here. I also contacted the investigator handling my original identity-theft complaint.""
Daphne went pale.
"You called the police?""
"I contacted the investigator. Whether charges follow is no longer my decision.""
Calvin stepped toward him.
"You had no right!""
Leon held his ground.
"You used my identity to obtain financing. You don't get to decide what I do about that.""
I looked at the documents scattered across the desk.
My son had risked my home.
Daphne had built a new life on a lie.
And Leon had spent years trying to recover the truth.
But something still didn't make sense.
I turned toward Leon.
"Why did you come to me first?""
He looked at me for a long moment.
"Because I discovered something about Daphne's previous marriage that she never told anyone.""
Daphne shook her head.
"Leon, don't.""
He reached into his folder.
Then he placed a photograph on the desk.
It showed a woman standing beside a hospital bed.
The woman was Daphne.
But the patient wasn't Leon.
It was another man.
Leon looked at me.
"Gloria, there's a reason Daphne needed everyone to believe I was dead.""
He turned the photograph over.
On the back was a handwritten name.
*ROBERT HARRIS.*
My late husband's name.
My breath stopped.
"Where did you get this?""
Leon lowered his voice.
"Your husband contacted me shortly before he died.""
Calvin stared at the photograph.
Daphne backed toward the doorway.
May you like
And Leon spoke the words that made the entire room go cold.
"Your husband knew Daphne long before she met Calvin.""
