Chapter 20 - The Full Accounting
Marcus listed the duplex the following Monday.
He did not tell Jordan first.
Simone did.
“The property is officially for sale.”
Jordan looked up from her conference table.
“For how much?”
“Three hundred twelve thousand.”
“Will that cover everything?”
“Depends on offers, liens, commissions, taxes.”
Alicia asked, “And the disputed funds?”
“His counsel proposes that sale proceeds first restore the remaining accounts.”
Jordan folded his arms.
“How much remains?”
Simone opened a spreadsheet.
The accounting had finally arrived.
Every withdrawal.
Every transfer.
Every supposed reimbursement.
The total improper movement from the grandfather fund was $18,725 over four years.
Jordan stared.
“But Grandpa only left ten thousand.”
“Marcus withdrew, partially restored, then withdrew again.”
“So he recycled it.”
“Yes.”
The phrase sickened him.
The 529 distribution totaled $32,841.
Of that, $14,000 had already been restored from Marcus’s brokerage liquidation.
Another $10,000 had been restored to the grandfather-related account.
Remaining shortfall, including agreed lost growth estimates and the vehicle contribution under the divorce order:
$16,300.
Jordan stared.
“He owes sixteen thousand after already putting twenty-four back?”
“Yes.”
Alicia whispered, “Jesus.”
Jordan leaned back.
Almost forty thousand dollars had moved through decisions involving his future.
Marcus had treated it like a private credit line.
Simone continued.
“His attorney also provided an explanation for each use.”
“Do I want to know?”
“You should.”
Roof repair.
Duplex repairs.
Business mortgage.
Credit card balance.
Trip deposit.
Jordan stopped.
“Trip?”
Simone looked at him.
“Jamaica.”
Keisha’s trip.
Jordan closed his eyes.
“He used my money to take her on vacation.”
“Part of a withdrawal appears to have flowed into the card used for the booking.”
Alicia’s face went rigid.
Jordan laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because every respectable explanation was collapsing.
Family expenses.
Liquidity.
Investment.
Some of the money had financed a beach resort.
Simone said, “Marcus disputes that tracing because the accounts were commingled.”
“Of course.”
“But his counsel is no longer disputing the obligation to repay.”
Jordan looked up.
“What changed?”
Simone hesitated.
“He has instructed his attorney to stop contesting the core accounting.”
Jordan blinked.
“Why?”
“You would have to ask him.”
Alicia narrowed her eyes.
“Does this avoid a hearing?”
“Possibly.”
Jordan felt unexpectedly disappointed.
He had imagined Marcus under oath.
Forced to answer.
Then he hated himself for wanting it.
Simone seemed to understand.
“Accountability does not have to be theatrical to be real.”
Jordan looked at her.
“Does everybody in my life know exactly what sentence I need to hear?”
She smiled.
“It’s billing by the hour.”
He laughed.
Then Simone grew serious.
“There is still the issue of the fabricated memorandum.”
Jordan’s smile vanished.
“His lawyer withdrew it.”
“Yes. But Alicia can ask the court for sanctions if it was used in bad faith.”
Jordan looked at his mother.
Alicia looked back.
“What do you want?” she asked.
Jordan thought.
Theodore’s signature.
The handwritten letter.
The VHS.
“I want him to admit it.”
Simone nodded.
“That can be part of settlement.”
“Publicly?”
“No.”
Jordan paused.
“Under oath?”
“If we have a hearing.”
He looked down.
What did he actually want?
Humiliation?
Truth?
Punishment?
Repair?
He could no longer tell where one ended.
His phone buzzed.
A message from Darius.
You free later?
Jordan replied:
After six.
Darius:
Need help looking at a car.
Jordan stared.
Then smiled.
What car?
Darius sent a listing.
2009 Honda Accord.
$4,900.
Jordan called him immediately.
“You got four-nine?”
“Absolutely not.”
“How much?”
“Two.”
“Your mom?”
“She’ll do one.”
“And your dad?”
“Maybe five hundred if he actually sends it.”
“So you’re short fourteen.”
“Yeah.”
Jordan thought of his own gap.
The similarity was almost cruel.
“You saving?”
“Every paycheck.”
“How long?”
“Four months.”
Jordan smiled.
“I’ll look at it with you.”
“Thanks.”
Jordan ended the call.
Alicia had heard enough to understand.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Mom.”
She smiled.
“You and Darius.”
“What about us?”
“You could’ve blamed him.”
“He didn’t do anything.”
“Exactly.”
Jordan shrugged.
“It’s not complicated.”
Alicia looked toward Simone.
“Apparently emotional maturity skips generations.”
Jordan groaned.
Simone laughed.
Then Jordan’s phone buzzed again.
This time Marcus.
I signed the accounting stipulation.
Jordan stared.
Another message.
I also told Martin the memorandum was my creation.
His breath caught.
Another.
I’m not asking you to protect me from consequences.
Jordan read the sentence twice.
Simone watched his face.
“What?”
Jordan handed her the phone.
She read it.
Then gave it back.
Jordan stared at the screen.
For months, Marcus had been constructing explanations faster than truth could catch him.
Now, for the first time, he had volunteered evidence against himself.
It did not erase anything.
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But it changed something.
The question was whether that something was enough.
