Chapter 10 - Rachel took more than my phone
Two weeks into the financial review, my bank called.
An old household account had unusual historical transfers.
Not current theft.
Past.
The account had once been joint in a limited sense with Rachel as authorized signer while I recovered from hip surgery eighteen months earlier.
I had meant to remove her after recovery.
I forgot.
The account usually held $25,000 to $40,000 for home expenses.
Four transfers had gone to Rachel over nine months.
$3,800.
$2,900.
$4,500.
$3,600.
Total:
$14,800.
I remembered one.
The $3,800.
Rachel said she needed emergency dental work.
The other three?
No.
I called her lawyer instead of Rachel.
Good.
Melissa responded two days later.
Rachel admitted making the transfers.
She said she intended them as temporary loans.
Had repaid $4,500 once, then transferred it out again later.
Net still owed:
$11,000? Let's calculate. Better: total unauthorized transfers $14,800, one $4,500 repaid, then separate later transfer included in the four? Let's keep clean: gross unauthorized $14,800, net outstanding $10,300 after partial repayments.
Why had I not noticed?
The account paid property insurance, landscaping, taxes, repairs.
Large fluctuations were normal.
I reviewed statements only quarterly.
Rachel had once been legitimately authorized.
She exploited access after the reason ended.
Not cybercrime brilliance.
Family access not revoked.
Again.
Ambiguity.
When we met, Rachel said:
“I was going to pay it back.”
“Did you ask?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“You would say no.”
Same sentence.
Different context.
Hearing no had become the reason not to ask.
I said:
“That is stealing.”
Melissa looked at me.
“Eleanor.”
Rachel started crying.
Maybe the legal label would be disputed depending authority on account.
Fair.
I corrected.
“You took money without my permission.”
“Yes.”
“Knowing I would likely refuse.”
“Yes.”
“Did Trent know?”
“Some.”
“How much?”
“He knew about two transfers.”
“Did he ask you to?”
“The first one.”
“And the others?”
“I did them.”
There.
May you like
Rachel had agency.
I would not turn Trent into a puppet master simply because I hated him more.
