I read it twice.
“What does this mean?”
Jake looked toward the window.
“Before my mother moved away, she and Uncle Tom had a huge argument. I was younger, so nobody told me much. I only knew that she stopped trusting him.”
“Your mother and Tom have always been close.”
“That’s what I thought, too.”
He took another paper from the envelope.
It was a photocopy of a bank transfer.
The amount was substantial, and the date matched the date on the letter.
I looked at him.
“Jake, please explain.”
He swallowed.
“My mother says Uncle Tom used money that was supposed to belong to my father to cover a business debt.”
I stared at him.
“Your father?”
Jake nodded.
“My dad died when I was eleven. He had life insurance and savings. My mother thought the money would help pay for my education and give us some stability.”
He paused.
