It Was 2 A.m. My Son Knocked On The Door And Cried: “Dad, My Wife Took All My Money And Ran Off With Her Lover…” I Calmly Let Him Into The House And Made A Call: “Start The Plan… Now!” – Part 3

My son looked at me with a mixture of shock and admiration. Is that legal? Absolutely not. I shrugged. But it’s effective. And now is not the time to worry about legalities. They stole your money, Noel. Everything you had? He paused, then nodded as if making a decision. What now? What’s the plan? I returned to my seat and leaned forward, looking my son straight in the eye.

We’re going to Las Vegas today. right now. I paused. And we’re getting your money back. Every last scent. How? His voice was doubtful. They won’t just give it back. No, they won’t. I agreed. But we have something they don’t. What? I smiled coldly and confidently. Leverage, son. Very serious leverage.

We left Palm Desert in my old Cadillac an hour after our conversation. Noel wanted to take his car, but I insisted on mine. First, my Cadillac, though old, was more reliable than his Japanese compact. Second, I wanted to drive myself. Controlling the situation starts with controlling the vehicle. And third, there were things in the trunk of my car that might come in handy.

The desert stretched out endlessly outside the window, ruthless and beautiful at the same time. Noel sat staring into space, lost in his thoughts. I didn’t disturb him. Everyone has their own way of coming to terms with betrayal and he needed to go through it on his own. Finally, when we got on the highway, I broke the silence. Call your boss.

Tell him you’re taking a few days off. Family circumstances. No flinched as if awakening from a trance. Do you think it will take that long? Better to have a buffer than to have to explain why you disappeared without warning, I replied, keeping my eyes on the road. And turn off your regular phone. Use this one.

I handed him a simple push button phone. One of those old models that are difficult to track and last longer than modern smartphones. Why? He asked, turning the phone over in his hands, puzzled. Because your smartphone can be tracked. And right now, we need to be ghosts. Noel snorted. You sound like a character in a spy movie, Dad.

I sound like a man who has spent 40 years in business and knows that sometimes you have to act outside the textbook. I replied, “Call him. He obeyed. The conversation with his boss was short and awkward. Noel had never been good at lying, but in this case, his confusion and dejection worked in our favor. He really sounded like a man facing a family crisis.

After the call, Noel turned off his smartphone and put it in the glove compartment. Then he turned to me. Now, tell me more about the plan. What exactly are we going to do? I took my eyes off the road for a moment to look at him. In my son’s eyes, I saw determination mixed with uncertainty.

He was ready to follow me, but he didn’t understand where we were going. Typical Noel. He always needed a map and directions. First, we’ll meet with Lenny in Las Vegas. He’ll give us the latest information on Payton and Kincaid’s whereabouts, as well as some documents. I paused. Then, we’ll find them and conduct negotiations. Negotiations? Noel’s voice was doubtful.

What can we offer them? They’ve already taken all my money. Not everything in this world is measured in money, son. I allowed myself a subtle smile. Sometimes people need freedom or a clean reputation or no problems with the law. Are you going to blackmail them? Now there was surprise mixed with disapproval in his voice.

I prefer the term leverage. I corrected him. And yes, we use everything we have. Cancade is a crook with a criminal past. One call to the police and his new life will be over. And Payton, well, she’s an accomplice in the theft of a large sum of money. That’s also a crime. Noel fell silent, pondering my words.

I knew what he was thinking. All his life, he had tried to do the right thing, to play by the rules, and now his father was asking him to act outside the law. “It’s illegal,” he finally said. “So was what they did to you,” I countered. Sometimes you have to choose between legality and justice. Noel fell silent again.

I didn’t press him. Everyone has to decide for themselves where their moral boundaries lie. Half an hour later, my phone rang. It was Lenny. I put it on speaker. Irwin. Lenny’s voice sounded tense. There’s been a change of plan. The Loveirds have decided not to wait until tomorrow. They’re leaving the motel in an hour.

Looks like they booked an earlier flight. I gripped the steering wheel tighter. Where are they headed? Las Vegas airport. Flight at 5:30 p.m. to Miami. Then onto the Cayman’s. I looked at my watch. 11:00 a.m. We had less time than I had expected. We won’t make it, I said. Meet us at the motel. We’ll intercept them before they leave.

It’s risky, Lenny replied. This is a public place. There are witnesses. We’ll think of something, I said. We’ll be there in 2 hours. Keep your eyes on them. I hung up and looked at Noel. Plans have changed. We’ll have to move faster. He nodded and I noticed how his face had changed. Determination had replaced doubt.

Maybe there was more of me and him than I thought. I pressed the gas pedal and the Cadillac surged forward, cutting through the desert air. A confrontation awaited us, and I wanted to be fully prepared for it. On the way, I told Noel more about what Lenny had learned during his surveillance. Payton and Kincaid had been seeing each other for 14 months, much longer than Noel had thought.

Their romance began at the clinic where Payton worked. Kincaid, as a financial adviser, often visited the clinic to advise some of the doctors on investment matters. At some point, he began to pay special attention to the administrator, Payton. A classic scheme for seducing a married woman, I explained as we sped down the highway.

Noel listened with a stony face, and she fell for it easily. I shrugged. According to Lenny’s observations, she was more than ready. Kincaid simply gave her what she was missing. Thrill, a sense of risk, and of course, the attention of a man who seemed to her to be a successful financeier. I gave her everything she wanted, Noel said hollowy.

Except the adrenaline rush of the forbidden, I remarked. Some women need that more than stability and honesty. About 6 months into the affair, Kincaid started mentioning opportunities abroad, places where money could be invested with greater returns and lower taxes. The hints became more and more transparent until he finally offered Payton a new life, escape, money, an exotic island.

And she agreed so easily,” Noah asked. “Just to leave everything?” “Leave me?” “Not right away?” I shook my head. Lenny intercepted several of their messages. She hesitated for almost a month. She talked about feeling guilty, but Kincaid was persistent, and in the end, she agreed. Noel smiled bitterly. “How generous of her, a whole month of hesitation.

What about the money?” Noel asked after a pause. How did they manage to empty the account so quickly? It was a planned operation, I explained. Over the past 2 months, Payton gradually gained access to all your accounts. Remember you mentioned that the bank called about changing your password? Noel nodded. She said it was her, that she had accidentally tried to log into the app and forgotten her password.

And you believed her, he said, not as a question, but as a statement of fact. Of course, I believed her. She’s my wife. was my wife,” he grimaced. So, she methodically collected all the necessary data, and yesterday, while you were at work, she made a series of transfers, some to cryptocurrency wallets, some to accounts of shell companies in the Cayman Islands, accounts that King Cade had set up. “And they can’t be traced.

” Noel’s voice was filled with despair. “It’s difficult, but not impossible,” I smiled. “Especially when you have a friend like Lenny, who used to work in financial intelligence. We entered the suburbs of Las Vegas. Cheap motel, gas stations, and diners lined the road. A dreary landscape for those who couldn’t afford the glitz of the central casinos.

My phone vibrated. A message from Lenny. Sandune Motel, room 23. Still here? Hurry up. 10 minutes later, we pulled up to a shabby two-story building with a neon sign. The parking lot was half empty. a few beat up cars and one brand new Lexus that clearly stood out from the rest.

“That’s their car,” I nodded toward the Lexus rented, judging by the sticker. I parked in the far corner of the lot. Lenny approached us from the shade of the awning opposite, a stocky man in a worn leather jacket with receding hair and piercing eyes. “Irwin,” he nodded briefly to me, then turned to Noel. “You must be the son. My condolences on your situation.

Noel nodded, not knowing what to say. Lenny turned to me. They’re still packing. Kincaid came out 10 minutes ago loading suitcases into the car. Then he came back to the room. Did you talk to them? I asked. No, Lenny shook his head. But I planted a bug in their car while Kaid was in the room.

And I accidentally punctured a tire. Very discreet slow air leak. I smiled. Lenny had always been resourceful. Excellent. That means we have a little time. Noel shifted nervously from foot to foot. So what now? Are we just going to knock on the door? Exactly, I nodded. But first, let’s get ready. I opened the trunk of the Cadillac and took out a small briefcase.

Inside were three sets of documents that I had prepared with the help of Helen Waverly. A fake prenuptual agreement with Payton’s signature, a police report of fraud, documents about Kincaid’s criminal past. These are our trump card, I said, showing the documents to Noel. We’ll give them a choice. Either they return the money and we part ways amicably or these documents are sent to the appropriate authorities.

What if they don’t agree? Noel asked. They will, I said confidently. Kincaid won’t want to go back to prison. And Payton values his reputation too much to risk a scandal. I turned to Lenny. Are you with us? He shook his head. I’d rather stay here and cover your backs. If something goes wrong, I’ll be your backup plan.

Are you ready? I asked Noel. He took a deep breath and nodded. I’m ready. We headed for room 23. I could feel Noel tensing with every step. His fists were clenched, his jaw muscles twitching. I put my hand on his shoulder. Stay calm. Anger is a bad adviser in negotiations. I knocked on the door. Three confident knocks.

There was a commotion inside, then muffled voices. The door opened slightly and Pton’s face appeared in the crack. Her eyes widened in shock. Noel. Her voice trembled. Then she noticed me. Irwin, what are you doing here? We came to talk, Payton, I said calmly, about the money you took and your companion. I don’t understand what you’re talking about.

She tried to close the door, but I blocked it with my foot. I think you do, and I think we’d better discuss this inside. Without witnesses, a man appeared behind her. Tall, dark-haired, with that particular self asssurance in his posture that con artists have. What’s going on, honey? He asked, then saw us. Who’s that? That’s my husband, Pton replied quietly.

And his father Kincaid, for that was who he was, froze for a moment. Then his face took on a professionally polite expression. Look, I don’t know what Pton has told you, but this is just a business trip, he began. Stop it, Reuben. Pton interrupted him. They know. We know much more than you think, Mr. Kowalski, I added deliberately using his real surname.

Now he turned pale, too. After a moment’s hesitation, Kincaid stepped back into the room, letting us in. The room was small and shabby with a double bed covered with halfpack suitcases. On the nightstand was an open bottle of champagne and two glasses. They were celebrating their successful escape. Noel looked at Payton as if he were seeing her for the first time.

“Why?” was all he could say. Pton lowered her eyes, unable to meet his gaze. “No, I she faltered. It’s hard to explain. Try. His voice was colder than I had ever heard it. She looked up and I saw not remorse, but irritation in her eyes. You want the truth? Fine. I’m tired, no tired of predictability. Of every day being the same as the last, of your correctness, she practically spat out the last word.

You never take risks, never do anything spontaneous. Noel looked as if he had been slapped. I saw his hands clench into fists. And that’s why you stole my money. My mother’s money? His voice trembled with restrained anger. It was our money, Pton countered. I had as much right to it as you did. $300,000. Noel shook his head.

That’s not our money, Payton. That’s theft. Kincaid, who had been silently watching the exchange, decided to intervene. Look, I understand you’re upset, but what’s done is done. The money has already been transferred and there’s no way to get it back. I laughed, interrupting him. Mr. Kowalski, do you really think we came here to beg for charity? I took a folder with documents out of my jacket’s inside pocket.

Here are some interesting papers. For example, a police report of credit card fraud and a request to reopen the investigation into document forgery in Nevada. Kincaid turned even paler. We have something interesting for you, too. I turned to Payton. For example, this prenuptual agreement with your signature dated the day of your wedding.

According to it, in the event of infidelity, you are not entitled to any property. I never signed that, Payton protested. Really? I raised an eyebrow. The handwriting analysis says otherwise. Of course, you can challenge this in court, which will be very public, Payton turned pale. I knew her weak spot. She always cared about her reputation.

What do you want? she asked quietly. “It’s very simple,” I replied. “You return the money, all 300,000, and we part ways amicably. No police reports, no courts, no gossip.” Kincaid and Payton exchanged glances. I could see the options running through their minds. “What if we refuse?” Kincaid finally asked, trying to maintain what little dignity he had left.

“Then in an hour, these documents will be in the hands of the police,” I replied calmly. Noel, who had been listening silently until then, suddenly took a step forward, his face contorted with anger. You, he pointed his finger at Payton. You destroyed everything we had. 5 years. For 5 years, I believed you. Trusted you.

He turned sharply to Kaid and before anyone could react, punched him square in the jaw. Quincade flew backward, crashing into the wall, and slid to the floor, clutching his face. “No!” Payton cried, rushing to Kaid. I grabbed my son by the shoulder, pulling him back. Enough. This won’t help. Noel was breathing heavily, his eyes burning with rage.

“That bastard stole my wife, my money, my life, and he’ll pay for it,” I said firmly. “But not like this.” We sat in a cafe across the street from the Sand Dune Motel. We chose a table in the corner away from the windows. Privacy was more important than the view in this case. Kincaid and Payton sat across from us like naughty children in front of their strict parents.

Only this was no child’s misdemeanor. The theft of $300,000 was a serious offense. After the incident in the room, I insisted on a change of scenery. The motel room was too cramped, too personal for our negotiations. Besides, I didn’t want Noel to lose his temper again. In the cafe, under the gaze of strangers, all the participants in our little drama were forced to maintain a semblance of civility.

Lenny sat at the next table pretending to read the newspaper. His role was simple to observe and intervene if something went wrong. Although I didn’t expect any problems, Kincaid was too scared, and Payton valued her reputation too much to cause a scene. So, I put the folder with the documents on the table.

Let’s discuss the terms of our agreement. King Cade, still holding his jaw, which was starting to swell after Noel’s punch, tried to look business-like. I already told you that it will take time to get the money back. The funds passed through several accounts, and some of it was converted into cryptocurrency. Don’t try to fool us, Mr. Kowalski.

I deliberately used his real surname, causing him to react nervously every time. Lenny tracked all your transfers. We know exactly where the money is. all $300,000. Noel sat silently staring at his cup of coffee, which he hadn’t touched. His anger had subsided a little, but I could see him clenching his fists under the table every time he looked at Payton.

Even if you somehow track the transfers, Pton interjected. You can’t prove that the money isn’t mine. N and I were married. We had joint accounts. I smiled and opened the folder. That’s where you’re wrong, dear sister-in-law. or more accurately soon to be sister-in-law. I took the first document out of the folder.

Do you recognize your signature? Payton stared at the paper, frowning. What is this? It’s a power of attorney, I explained. You signed it 3 months ago when Noel asked you to sign some papers for the insurance company. Remember? Her face stretched in surprise. But there was something about home insurance. There was, I confirmed, on the first page, and on the second, which you didn’t bother to read, was a power of attorney giving Noel the right to act on your behalf in financial matters.

I took out the second document, and this is a statement to the bank signed by you requesting that all transfers from your accounts be frozen in case of suspicious activity. It’s dated yesterday. I never signed, Payton began, but I interrupted her. Formally, no. But according to the power of attorney, Noel had the right to sign it for you.

I paused, which he did, or rather which Helen Waverly, the lawyer acting on his behalf, did Pton turned pale. Kincaid looked as if he had swallowed something sour. That’s forgery, Pton hissed. It’s illegal. Maybe, I shrugged. But it will be difficult to prove, especially given your situation. stolen money, running away with your lover.

Who’s going to believe you didn’t sign those documents voluntarily? I looked at Noel, who finally looked up from his cup. His expression was one of surprise. He didn’t know about the power of attorney. Of course, he didn’t. I hadn’t let him in on the details of the plan, fearing that his moral principles might get in the way.

What’s more, I continued, the banks have already begun the process of revoking the transfers. The money you managed to convert into cryptocurrency is more difficult to trace, but the exchange you used to do so cooperates with the authorities in cases of financial fraud. Kincaid tensed up. Which exchange are you talking about? The one you used to convert $130,000 into bitcoins. I smiled.

Lenny is very good at his job, Mr. Kowalski. He tracked every cent Payton turned to Kincaid, her face showing confusion. Reuben, you said no one could trace these transfers and no one could. Kincaid snapped. If your damn father-in-law hadn’t hired a private investigator. I watched with satisfaction as the rift in their relationship began to widen.

That’s exactly what I was counting on. When people join forces for money, they quickly start blaming each other when the money is threatened. We’re getting off topic, I remarked. Let’s get back to our agreement. You return the money, all 300,000. In exchange, we won’t go to the police or disclose certain details of your past. Mr.