Chapter 7 - PLAN B
Diane would not come inside.
She stood on the front walk holding the folder against her chest.
Emma remained behind the storm door.
“What is Plan B?”
Diane looked older than she had a week earlier.
“Your father made contingencies.”
“For what?”
“The bank.”
“Why are you giving me this?”
“Because he’s stopped telling me things.”
Emma almost laughed.
“You helped him pressure me.”
“I helped Khloe.”
“No. You helped all of you.”
Diane’s mouth tightened.
“Do you want the folder or not?”
Emma opened the door far enough to take it.
Marcus stayed behind her.
Diane noticed him.
“I’m not here to fight.”
Marcus said, “Good.”
The spreadsheet listed three scenarios.
If the bank renewed the full line.
If the bank reduced it.
If the bank required additional owner equity.
Under the third scenario was the phrase Plan B.
Sell East Colfax property.
Reduce payroll.
Convert Robert distribution to note.
Use family bridge funds.
Emma read the last line twice.
“What family bridge funds?”
Diane looked toward the street.
“Your father thought you and Marcus might invest.”
Marcus stepped forward.
“No.”
Diane ignored him.
“You were going to inherit part of the business someday.”
“Someday isn’t now.”
“You’re making this sound sinister.”
“You had a plan for my money before asking me.”
“It was an option.”
“So was my signature, apparently.”
Diane flinched.
That was the first time Emma saw uncertainty instead of defense.
“Did Dad sign my name?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did you know something was sent to the bank?”
Diane did not answer.
“Mom.”
“He said the paperwork was handled.”
Emma stared at her.
Exactly the wording Ryan had used in another story.
Handled.
A family word for something done without consent.
Priya reviewed the folder that afternoon.
The document itself proved little beyond financial distress.
But one entry mattered.
Robert had expected a significant cash shortage three months before Khloe’s divorce expenses became severe enough to explain it.
Lena confirmed the timing.
The company had been in deeper trouble earlier than Emma knew.
Then came the second layer.
The IT provider produced an administrative log.
Robert had ordered Emma’s permissions changed twice.
Once the night after the staircase.
And once three weeks earlier.
The earlier change gave his office administrator the ability to access Emma’s electronic approval folder.
Emma looked at Priya.
“He planned to use my credentials.”
“Or wanted access to them.”
“Why?”
“That’s what we still need to establish.”
Emma thought of Robert standing in the living-room doorway.
Passive.
Dismissive.
Always letting Diane and Khloe become the emotional center.
What if passivity had been useful?
What if everyone had spent years looking at the loud women while Robert quietly decided what actually happened?
Emma called Lena.
“Don’t just review Khloe’s transactions.”
May you like
“What do you want?”
“Start with Dad.”
