Chapter 4 - THE TITLE DEED
Detective Marcus Reed introduced himself calmly.
“I was told there may be evidence of assault.”
My mother immediately began crying.
“She attacked us.”
I stared at her.
“Eliza?”
Mother nodded.
“She became violent when we confronted her about the debt.”
Detective Reed looked at Eliza's shaved head.
Then her wrists.
Then her swollen face.
He didn't say anything.
He looked at me.
“Mr. Mercer, who lives here?”
“My mother and sister.”
“Does your wife?”
“No.”
“Then why was she here?”
I answered.
“My mother invited her.”
Mother quickly interrupted.
“That isn't true.”
Eliza looked at her.
“You called me.”
Mother's face tightened.
“You're lying.”
Detective Reed raised a hand.
“Let's slow down.”
Rachel handed him a folder.
“Detective, we have evidence that the alleged debt may be fraudulent.”
She gave him copies of the loan agreement and video stills.
He studied them.
“Who signed this?”
“Eliza Mercer.”
“And who witnessed it?”
“Brooke Mercer.”
Detective Reed looked at Brooke.
“Did you witness this?”
Brooke opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Mother answered.
“She did.”
Brooke looked at her mother.
“Mom…”
Detective Reed noticed.
“Ms. Mercer, I asked you.”
Brooke whispered:
“Yes.”
“Did you see Eliza sign?”
Brooke hesitated.
“No.”
The room changed.
Mother turned toward her.
“What are you doing?”
Brooke began crying.
“She didn't sign it.”
Detective Reed wrote something down.
Rachel looked at me.
“Now the deed.”
I handed her the copy.
She spread it across the table.
“This is your father's original title.”
She pointed.
“Nolan Mercer — fifty percent.”
“Brooke Mercer — twenty-five percent.”
“Diane Mercer — twenty-five percent.”
I stared.
“That isn't what my father told me.”
“No.”
Rachel flipped the page.
“Because your father added a condition.”
She pointed to a paragraph.
“If either child attempts to transfer, mortgage, or encumber their interest without the written consent of the other child, the offending interest transfers to the surviving child.”
I read it again.
Then looked at Brooke.
She understood at the same moment.
“If Brooke used her interest as collateral…”
Rachel nodded.
“She could lose it.”
My mother stepped forward.
“She didn't.”
Rachel looked at her.
“The loan agreement says she did.”
I looked at Brooke.
“That's why they needed me.”
She began shaking.
“You were supposed to sign a release.”
“And transfer my share.”
“Yes.”
“Then Brooke's debt disappears.”
She nodded.
“And my mother gets the warehouse?”
“No.”
Rachel corrected me.
“According to the documents, whoever controls Brooke's interest would control seventy-five percent.”
I looked at Mother.
“You.”
Mother said nothing.
Then Brooke whispered:
“She promised she'd save me.”
Mother snapped:
“Enough!”
Brooke screamed back.
“You said if I signed everything over, you'd pay the lenders!”
I stared at my mother.
“So you were using Brooke.”
Mother's face hardened.
“I was protecting this family.”
“You were stealing from it.”
She slapped the table.
“You don't know what your father did!”
“I know what you did.”
“No!”
She pointed at Eliza.
“She ruined everything!”
Eliza stood.
“No. You did.”
Mother lunged.
Detective Reed stepped between them.
“That's enough.”
He turned to my mother.
“Mrs. Mercer, I need you to come with me.”
Her eyes widened.
“Why?”
“For questioning.”
“I haven't done anything.”
Detective Reed glanced at Eliza.
“That's not for you to decide.”
As he escorted her away, she turned to me.
Her face had changed.
There were no tears anymore.
Only hatred.
“You're making the biggest mistake of your life.”
I watched her disappear through the doorway.
Brooke remained.
She looked broken.
I sat across from her.
“Tell me everything.”
She whispered:
“You're not going to forgive me.”
“No.”
May you like
She closed her eyes.
“Then at least let me tell you the truth.”
