Chapter 4 - The Favorite DaughterBy that afternoon, my father had an attorney.
For one beautiful second, I forgot everything.
Then I saw my phone.
Seventy-eight missed calls.
Thirty-four text messages.
Nine voicemails.
And a family group chat that looked like civilization had collapsed overnight.
Daniel was already awake.
He stood by the hotel window drinking coffee.
“You’re staring at it like it owes you money.”
“It might.”
He smiled faintly.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like my family skipped my wedding for a criminal.”
“Alleged criminal.”
I glared at him.
“Architect.”
“Formerly boring architect.”
That made me laugh despite myself.
Then the phone rang.
Special Agent Lauren Pike.
I answered.
“Mrs. Mercer?”
“Emily is fine.”
“I’m sorry to contact you the morning after your wedding.”
“You’re not even in the top ten worst things that happened yesterday.”
She paused.
“I understand your reception was interrupted.”
“That’s one word for it.”
Agent Pike explained that she worked with a federal financial crimes task force investigating Preston Hale and several associates.
The investigation had been active for nearly eight months.
My husband’s company had provided documentation that helped connect several transactions.
“What does my family have to do with it?”
“Potentially nothing criminal.”
Potentially.
I hated that word immediately.
“But Mr. Hale appears to have used relatives and acquaintances to open accounts, register companies, and transfer funds.”
“My sister told me she signed paperwork.”
“Yes.”
My chest tightened.
“Is she in danger?”
“Legally?”
“Any kind.”
“We have no indication Mr. Hale is physically dangerous. But financially, your sister could face significant exposure if she knowingly participated.”
“She didn’t know.”
“I hope that’s true.”
I closed my eyes.
“What about my parents?”
Agent Pike was silent a little too long.
“Your father invested with Mr. Hale.”
I sat upright.
“How much?”
“I’m not authorized to disclose specific figures.”
“Meaning a lot.”
Another pause.
“Meaning enough that you should speak with him.”
Daniel turned from the window.
My stomach tightened.
I remembered Dad boasting at Christmas.
Preston has opened doors for us.
Madison finally found someone who understands money.
Maybe your husband could learn something from him.
I had smiled.
Daniel had changed the subject.
“Anything else?” I asked.
“Yes.”
Agent Pike’s tone changed.
“We found references to you.”
My entire body went still.
“Me?”
“Your name appears in correspondence regarding a property transfer.”
“I’ve never invested with Preston.”
“We know.”
“What property?”
“A commercial parcel in Providence.”
I looked at Daniel.
He frowned.
“Why would my name be connected to that?”
“We’re still determining that.”
Daniel held out his hand.
I put the call on speaker.
Agent Pike continued.
“There is also a digital authorization form bearing your name.”
“I never signed anything.”
“That is what we suspected.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“Can you send counsel the document?”
“We can coordinate through attorneys.”
The call ended ten minutes later.
I sat staring at the wall.
“My signature?”
Daniel crouched in front of me.
“Emily.”
“My family has copies of my signature everywhere.”
Tax forms.
Old insurance forms.
Holiday checks.
Documents from when I helped my parents refinance their house years earlier.
“That doesn’t mean they used it,” Daniel said.
But we both knew someone had.
At noon, my father appeared at our hotel.
Uninvited.
Daniel answered the door.
Dad looked like he had aged ten years overnight.
His expensive suit from Preston’s party was wrinkled.
His eyes were red.
“I need to speak to my daughter.”
Daniel stepped aside.
Dad walked in.
No apology.
No congratulations.
His first words were, “We need money.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
“The accounts are frozen.”
“Whose?”
“Ours.”
“How much did you give Preston?”
Dad rubbed his mouth.
“Two point four.”
I blinked.
“Million?”
He looked away.
My parents did not have two point four million dollars sitting around.
“How?”
“We borrowed.”
“Against what?”
“The house.”
I stood.
“You mortgaged your house?”
“He promised fifteen percent annual returns.”
Daniel closed his eyes briefly.
My father turned on him.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
“I didn’t say anything.”
“You’re thinking it.”
Daniel’s voice remained calm.
“I’m thinking you need a forensic accountant.”
“I need access to capital.”
I stared at Dad.
“You came here the morning after my wedding to ask Daniel for money.”
“Our family is facing disaster.”
“Yesterday I was apparently not important enough to qualify as family.”
Dad slammed his palm against the table.
“This is serious!”
I flinched.
Daniel stepped between us immediately.
“Do not raise your voice at her.”
Dad stared at him.
Something changed in the room.
My father was used to dominating conversations.
Daniel rarely challenged people aggressively.
But he stood there now like a locked door.
Dad lowered his voice.
“I made a mistake.”
I almost laughed.
“You skipped my wedding.”
“That is not what I meant.”
“I know.”
Dad paced.
Then he said the sentence that changed everything.
“We had to go to Preston’s party.”
“Why?”
“Because he was announcing the family partnership.”
“What family partnership?”
Dad stopped moving.
Daniel looked at him.
My father swallowed.
“Whitmore-Hale Capital.”
My maiden name was Whitmore.
“What?”
“Preston was going to launch an investment company with us.”
“Us?”
“Your mother and me.”
I stared at him.
“You don’t work in finance.”
“He needed trusted local partners.”
Daniel’s voice was cold.
“No. He needed names.”
Dad looked at him.
“And what exactly does that mean?”
“It means Preston may have been building distance between himself and the money.”
Dad’s face drained.
I remembered Agent Pike’s warning.
My family may be in significantly more trouble than they realize.
“Did you sign company documents?”
Dad didn’t answer.
“Dad.”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“A few.”
Daniel asked, “Were you listed as officers?”
“Possibly.”
“Directors?”
“Yes.”
“Bank signatories?”
Dad’s silence answered.
My heart pounded.
“Did Mom sign too?”
“Yes.”
“And Madison?”
Dad looked away.
“Everyone was going to benefit.”
Everyone.
I suddenly remembered the property document with my name.
“What did you sign for me?”
Dad’s head snapped toward me.
“Nothing.”
“You hesitated.”
“I didn’t.”
“Dad.”
His face tightened.
“I handled preliminary paperwork.”
“For what?”
“It was supposed to be a family trust.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Did you sign Emily’s name?”
Dad exploded.
“It was procedural!”
The room went silent.
I felt physically cold.
“You forged my signature.”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“What would you call it?”
“You would have signed eventually.”
“You forged my signature.”
“Preston said timing mattered!”
Daniel’s jaw clenched.
“What document?”
Dad looked defeated.
“A transfer agreement.”
“For the Providence property?”
His eyes widened.
He hadn’t expected me to know.
That was my answer.
I picked up my phone.
“What are you doing?”
“Calling Agent Pike.”
Dad lunged toward me.
“Emily, wait.”
Daniel moved between us again.
I dialed.
Dad stared at me as if I had betrayed him.
That look almost made me laugh.
“You cannot do this to your own father.”
I held the ringing phone to my ear.
“You did it to your own daughter.”
Agent Pike answered.
May you like
I looked directly at my father.
“I think I know who signed my name.”
