Chapter 6 - THE $300,000 REQUEST
The final document was titled:
MATERNITY SECURITY & CONTINUITY RESERVE.
Amount:
$300,000.
Purpose:
Emergency medical transportation.
Postpartum security staffing.
Infant nurse contingency.
Temporary housing if primary residence unavailable.
Specialist travel.
Unplanned maternal recovery support.
All plausible categories.
Why $300,000?
No cost schedule.
No vendor quotes matching the total.
Then routing instructions.
Payment to:
Reeves Family Services LLC.
I had never heard of it.
The company existed.
Formed four months earlier.
Owner:
Dorinda Reeves, 60%.
Preston Reeves, 40%.
No employees.
No operations.
Bank account at Lakeshore Commercial.
Balance before earlier transfers:
$1,250.
Purpose on formation documents:
Family administrative and household services.
Legal.
Dormant.
Then the authorization page.
I, Camille Castellani-Reeves, authorize my father, Orlando Castellani, and/or Castellani Family Office to fund the above reserve for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum needs, to be administered by Reeves Family Services LLC.
Signature.
Mine.
Except not mine.
A digital image of my signature had been inserted.
From where?
Likely our Christmas charity donation letter.
Same flourish.
Same spacing.
I knew immediately.
I had not signed.
Below:
Witnessed by Preston Reeves.
No second witness.
No notary.
Not necessarily required for a simple private authorization.
Still false.
Dinner was scheduled that night with my father arriving at seven.
Preston planned to present the reserve as something we had discussed.
I found the folder at 5:42.
How?
Printer.
The final packet had been printed in Preston’s study.
Our shared home-office printer displayed recent jobs.
MATERNITY RESERVE FINAL.
I opened the file.
Then the drawer.
Then the supporting invoices.
By 6:05, I understood enough.
I confronted Preston.
He said:
"Give me the folder."
"No."
"Camille."
"You forged me."
"No."
"That is my signature."
"You authorized pregnancy support."
"Not this."
"Same category."
"No."
Dorinda entered the kitchen midway through.
She already knew.
"Do not upset yourself."
I almost laughed.
"You're stealing from my father."
Dorinda’s face hardened.
"We are keeping your husband’s company alive."
There.
Preston said:
"Mom."
Too late.
I took the folder.
"I’m leaving."
Dorinda blocked the island.
"We are having dinner."
"Not anymore."
"You will not humiliate Preston in front of Orlando."
May you like
"I’m calling him now."
That was when Dorinda picked up the rolling pin.
