Chapter 3 - THE DEBT IN LUCY'S NAME
Attorney Rachel Sloan met Lucy the next morning.
Not a celebrity lawyer.
Not a miracle worker.
A legal-aid family attorney referred through the hospital advocate.
Lucy sat in Carmen’s kitchen with Emiliano asleep against her chest.
Rachel opened the envelopes.
Weston Credit Services:
past-due revolving account.
Balance:
$18,420.
Northline Capital:
personal line of credit.
Balance:
$27,800.
Metro Commercial Lending:
notice of default on a small-business loan.
Original principal:
$92,000.
Borrower:
Lucy Bennett LLC.
Lucy stared.
“There is no Lucy Bennett LLC.”
Rachel looked up.
“Bennett is your maiden name?”
“Yes.”
A business entity existed.
Registered fourteen months earlier.
Organizer:
online filing service.
Mailing address:
Lucy and Adrian’s apartment.
Industry:
residential delivery logistics.
Lucy whispered:
“I’ve never owned a business.”
Rachel asked:
“Does Adrian?”
“He drives for delivery apps sometimes.”
That was not the same thing.
Then bank records.
The business account had received the $92,000 loan.
Where did it go?
Some to:
vehicle repairs,
insurance,
commercial fuel,
warehouse deposit,
delivery equipment.
Real business expenses.
Then:
$16,000 cash withdrawals.
$11,500 transferred to Adrian personally.
$8,200 to a sports-betting platform.
$6,700 toward old credit cards in Adrian’s name.
Rachel looked at Lucy.
“This isn’t a simple theft story.”
Lucy almost laughed.
“What does that mean?”
“It means he appears to have actually tried to run a business.”
“So?”
“So he may claim he used your identity to support the household.”
Lucy stared.
“That makes it better?”
“No.”
May you like
Rachel closed the file.
“It makes his defense smarter.”
