Chapter 5 - Why Marta Came
After Thomas admitted he told her “we bought it,” I kept him on speaker.
Marta stared at the phone.
“Thomas,” she said. “Tell her to leave.”
He did not answer immediately.
Then he said, “Mom, go home.”
Her face changed.
“What?”
“Just leave.”
“You said she had no right to keep the apartment.”
I looked at the phone.
Thomas went silent again.
Marta continued before he could stop her.
“You said the papers would be signed today.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What papers?”
Marta realized too late that she had said too much.
Thomas spoke quickly.
“Sophie, don’t listen to her.”
“What papers?”
“They’re refinance documents.”
“For property you don’t own?”
“It’s more complicated.”
“No. Fraud is usually simple.”
Marta lifted the towel as though she might slam it onto the counter again.
“My son has paid for this home for years.”
“He pays the internet bill.”
“He paid the mortgage.”
“No.”
“He showed me statements.”
That was new.
Thomas had shown her forged statements.
I looked toward the folder.
Marta followed my eyes.
“What is in there?”
“Proof.”
She stepped toward it.
I moved between her and the hallway.
For the first time since entering, she hesitated.
I told Thomas to come home.
He said he was at work.
I checked our shared location app.
His phone showed a parking garage three blocks away.
May you like
He had been close enough to intervene the entire time.
He had sent his mother instead.
