A folding table had been set up behind the closet doors.
On it sat a printer, a paper cutter, blank mailing labels, and copies of personal documents.
My driver’s license.
Ethan’s Social Security card.
Our marriage certificate.
A copy of the house deed.
My stomach tightened.
Denise picked up one of the loan applications with gloved hands.
“This is for a home equity line.”
Ethan entered behind us.
“What?”
The application listed him as the primary borrower.
A signature appeared at the bottom.
It looked like his.
It was not.
Another document attempted to list Margaret as an authorized occupant with a long-term financial interest in the property.
There were credit card applications in Ethan’s name.
A personal loan request.
Two forged letters claiming Ethan supported Margaret financially.
Then an officer opened the desk drawer.
Inside were three checks from an investment account belonging to Margaret’s late sister.
The signatures appeared inconsistent.
There were also letters from a bank’s fraud department.
Ethan turned toward his mother.
“What is this?”
Margaret stood in the doorway.
Her face had gone gray.
“I can explain.”
“You forged my signature?”
“I was protecting myself.”
“From what?”
“From being thrown away.”
I stared at her.
“So that is why you stayed.”
She looked at me with open hatred.
“You were going to remove me eventually.”
“You told us you were looking for an apartment.”
“I knew you wanted me gone.”
“You had eleven months to leave.”
“I deserved security.”
“You sold a condominium.”
“The money is gone.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“Where did it go?”
Margaret looked away.
That was the next truth.
She had lost most of the money through a fraudulent investment scheme introduced by a man she met online.
At first, she sent small amounts.
Then larger ones.
When the supposed investment company demanded fees to release her profits, she borrowed money.
She used credit cards.
Then she sold the condominium.
By the time she realized the returns were fake, almost everything was gone.
Rather than admit what had happened, she moved into our house and began planning how to create a financial claim against it.
She redirected mail.
Copied documents.
