Chapter 7 - The Condominium Plan
Rachel subpoenaed the records connected to Westlake Senior Consulting.
The condominium purchase agreement revealed more than Lena expected.
Diane was listed as buyer.
Eric was listed as financial sponsor.
The source-of-funds statement claimed the money came from Eric’s personal savings.
It did not.
The funds came from Lena’s payroll deposits.
Eric had also submitted a letter stating Lena approved the arrangement as a family gift.
Her signature appeared at the bottom.
It was forged.
The forgery was crude.
Eric had copied her signature from an old tax return.
When confronted during a recorded interview, he claimed Lena verbally agreed.
She had not.
Diane claimed she believed the money belonged to Eric.
Then investigators showed her text messages.
Diane had written:
Take it in smaller amounts so Lena doesn’t notice.
Another message said:
Once I’m in the condo, you can pressure her to refinance the house.
They had planned more than a down payment.
Eric intended to refinance Lena’s property by falsely presenting himself as an owner.
The loan application was nearly complete.
A mortgage broker had requested proof of title.
That was why Eric searched the kitchen drawer.
He needed the deed.
The cream folder had protected more than Lena’s ownership.
It had stopped Eric from using the house as collateral.
Rachel looked at Lena.
“If you had left the folder there, he might have copied enough information to continue.”
Lena remembered removing it after Diane threw the coffee.
At the time, the decision felt instinctive.
Now it looked like the most important choice she made that night.
Police expanded the case to include attempted fraud and forgery.
Eric’s employer placed him on leave.
The condominium contract collapsed.
Diane lost the deposit, most of which had been charged through Lena’s card.
She called Lena from an unknown number.
“You ruined my future.”
Lena replied quietly:
May you like
“You tried to buy your future with my money.”
Then she ended the call.
