He turns his computer monitor so I can see a copy of the check. “See here, this is where the buyer’s name should appear, but it’s not there.”
“But it should be?”
“Typically, yes. Due to money-laundering laws here in the US, it’s not really possible to get a totally anonymous cashier’s check.”
“Then how did this one get by?”
“I’ve only heard of a few cases like this. While the buyer’s name might not be printedonthe check, it will still be securely attached to the record.”
“So pull up the record.”
He shakes his head. “I can’t do that. It’s not from one of our banks. In fact, it might take a court subpoena to access that kind of information.”
“Shit, really?” I pinch the bridge of my nose.
“Let me get this straight, Carter. You’reupsetthat the loan has been satisfied?”
“Hell yes I am. I guarantee this wasn’t done out of the kindness of someone’s heart. Everyone has an ulterior motive. Hell, it’s probably Tucker McQuaid. Maybe he wanted to add to his massive portfolio, though I’m not sure why. Anyone who knows us knows business isn’t what it used to be.”
“I doubt it was Tucker. He banks with us.”
“John, I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. How could someone even know all the personal information to pay off the loan? Wouldn’t they need to get the details from me or my siblings?”
“Loans are easy enough to find online if you know how to search for them. See here…” He turns the screen back around. “Your loan number is notated right there.”
I sit back in the chair, stunned beyond belief.
“Listen, Carter. I can call the originating bank and see if they’d be willing to share information. But no guarantees. It’s a large institution, not a small one like we are. In my experience, those are far less likely to do banker-to-banker favors.”
“Yeah. I guess thanks for trying.”
“Another thing. If the money didn’t come from you or your siblings, it’ll be considered a gift. You’ll want to go over this with your CPA because there will be tax implications. Either way, the place is yours free and clear. As soon as the satisfaction is officially recorded, you’ll be mailed a payoff letter closing the loan.”
“Free and clear. Right.” I scoff. “It just means we’re now indebted to some anonymous person who will surely want something from us in the future.”
John’s intercom beeps and a woman’s voice says, “John, your three o’clock is here.”
He turns to me. “I’ll update you with anything I find out. But like I said, don’t get your hopes up. If you really want to know, you may need to hire an attorney.” He stands and holds out his hand.
I shake it, not wanting to leave without answers, but it seems I’ve no choice in the matter.
Walking back across the street to the shop, I cycle through all the possibilities. Why now? This week?
When it dawns on me, I storm the last fifty feet into the service bay and snap at Lincoln and Dax, “Family meeting. Right fucking now.”
They follow me into the small break room near the front counter. I text Mia, who’s on towing duty, to see where she is. She texts back that she’s five minutes out. I ask her to swing by the Andersons’ and get Christian.
“What’s this all about?” Dax asks.
Seething, I say, “I’ll tell you as soon as Mia gets here. Ten minutes.”
Dax turns to leave. “Call me when she gets here.”
“Sit the fuck down.” I point to one of the chairs. “Stay,” I say as if speaking to a couple of dogs. I go out into the warehouse and ask Jack to man the counter for a half hour.
On my way back in, I stop at the coffee machine in the reception area and pour myself a cup, gathering my thoughts and taking a few deep breaths so I don’t physically harm anyone.
“Does this have something to do with Kenna or that psycho-dude who showed up last week?” Lincoln asks when I step back in the break room.
