Kendra began crying. She admitted I had never been present. Dustin had told her the money was his share, that I had already agreed, and that he would bring my signed paperwork later. She notarized my forged signature anyway. Until that moment, Dustin had never told me his girlfriend worked at our credit union—or that she was the employee processing withdrawals from our children’s account.

Ingrid immediately called the credit union’s fraud department on speaker. Dustin lunged for the withdrawal form, but Mrs. Albano planted herself in the doorway with her cane and refused to move. That night, the credit union froze the account. Investigators soon discovered the forged signature and that their own requirement for both account holders had been ignored. Within a week, most of Felix and Clara’s stolen savings were restored. Kendra lost her job and notary commission. Dustin was charged with forgery and theft, and suddenly his expensive Harbor Pointe apartment became another bill he could no longer afford.