When the records arrived, my name appeared beside a signature that looked almost right. The letters were mine, but the slant was wrong. A notary seal sat beneath it. I felt my stomach turn.
I called Camille. She told me not to accuse anyone publicly and not to alter the documents. We would ask for the original application, identification records, notary information, and disbursement history. We would also notify the lender that I disputed the authorization.
The next page showed the first draw from the credit line: eighty-six thousand dollars. The money had been transferred to an account I did not recognize.
CHAPTER 6: JESSICA’S BUSINESS
I recognized the receiving bank’s name from a check Michael had left on his desk. It belonged to a small event-planning company called Juniper & Co. The company’s public website listed Jessica as its founder. She had started it while still working with Michael.
Camille warned me that a transfer to Jessica’s company was suspicious but did not, by itself, prove theft. Michael might claim the money was a legitimate investment. We needed documents and an explanation.
