Chapter 5 - The Filing

Martin came upstairs with building security.

That alone made Ryan furious.

“This is a family dinner,” he said.

Martin removed his coat calmly. “Then your family picked an unusual night to file fraudulent corporate documents.”

Grant’s face reddened. “Careful.”

Martin looked at him. “Mr. Hart, I am being careful.”

I handed Martin the documents from the safe.

He read the first page, then the second, then looked at me.

“Did you sign these?”

“No.”

“Did you authorize Ryan to sign for you?”

“No.”

“Did you approve a transfer of Mercer Heights Holdings?”

“No.”

Martin nodded once. “Good.”

Ryan laughed. “Good? She’s six months pregnant and emotional. She doesn’t remember half the documents she signs.”

Martin’s eyes went flat. “That was a bad sentence to say in front of witnesses.”

Diane whispered, “Ryan, stop.”

Martin pulled a tablet from his bag.

“Claire, at 4:17 this afternoon, someone submitted an amendment to the Colorado Secretary of State listing Ryan Mercer and Grant Hart as managers of Mercer Heights Holdings.”

My heart pounded.

“At 4:22, a lender recorded a UCC filing against the LLC.”

“What lender?”

“Hart Development Capital.”

Grant’s company.

Of course.

Martin continued. “It appears they were attempting to create debt against the property, possibly to support a larger private loan.”

I looked at Ryan. “How much?”

He said nothing.

Martin answered for him. “Six point eight million dollars.”

Diane sat down hard.

Brooke whispered, “Oh my God.”

Grant pointed at Martin. “You have no idea how business works.”

“I know exactly how fraud works.”

Ryan stepped toward him. “Get out.”

Martin did not move.

The building security officer did.

“Sir,” he said to Ryan, “Ms. Mercer is the registered resident and owner representative. You’ll need to step back.”

Ryan’s face cracked.

Owner representative.

The title landed harder than a slap.

Martin leaned toward me. “There’s more.”

“How much more?”

He hesitated.

That frightened me.

“The filing included a notarized affidavit stating you were medically incompetent to manage your affairs.”

The room blurred for half a second.

Then Martin added, “And the notary is someone you know.”

He turned the screen toward me.

The name made my stomach drop.

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BROOKE HART.

The House He Thought Was His