When I discovered my grandson Timmy hadn’t been getting the $300 I sent him each month, I knew something was wrong. My suspicion quickly turned to my daughter-in-law, Susan. Determined to find out the truth, I hatched a clever plan to catch her red-handed.
For months, I had been sending $300 to Susan, who was supposed to pass it on to Timmy. We agreed that she wouldn’t tell him where the money came from; I didn’t want him to think I was trying to buy his affection. The money was meant to teach him about managing finances, not to spoil him.
Susan and my son were doing well enough financially, but I wanted Timmy to have a bit of pocket money to learn how to manage it. Everything seemed fine—until one day, Timmy called me asking for money.
“Grandma, can you send me some money? I really want to buy this toy I’ve been dreaming about,” he said, his voice full of excitement.
I was confused. “But Timmy, didn’t your mom give you pocket money last week?”
“No,” he replied, sounding disappointed. “I’ve been asking for pocket money, but she says I’m too young.”
I was shocked. I could feel my blood boiling. Something was definitely wrong. I decided to dig deeper.
“But what about the toys you already have?” I asked. “Where did you get the money for those?”
“Dad sometimes gives me money for chores, but it’s not enough to buy the toy I want. Mom says I shouldn’t ask you for money, but please, Grandma, just this once?”
His words hit me hard. I had tried to give Susan the benefit of the doubt, but now I couldn’t ignore the growing suspicion. Had she been keeping the money for herself all along?
I felt a surge of anger and knew I had to get to the bottom of this. So, I came up with a plan to catch Susan in the act.
The next day, I called Susan. “Hey Susan, it’s been a while since we’ve had some girl time. How about a shopping trip?” I said, trying to sound casual, even though I was furious inside.
Susan agreed eagerly, completely unaware of my suspicions. We met up and went to an antique store owned by my friend Helen. Susan didn’t know I had already set everything up with Helen.
When we arrived, Helen greeted us warmly. “Welcome! Anything catch your eye?” she asked, playing her role perfectly.
I made small talk and casually asked to see some jewelry. Helen showed us a beautiful necklace, and Susan’s eyes lit up.
“Oh, it’s stunning!” she exclaimed. “How much?”
“Five hundred dollars,” Helen replied with a smile.
Susan’s face fell. I watched her closely, seeing her think about how she might get the money. This was the moment I had been waiting for.
As we left the store, I mentioned Timmy. “You know, Susan, I’ve been thinking about sending Timmy an extra $500 so he can buy that toy he really wants.”
Susan’s eyes widened with excitement. “That’s so generous of you, Mary!” she gushed.
Later that evening, I prepared an envelope with fake money—play money from an old board game. I sealed it with a note that read, “For Timmy, love Grandma,” and waited.
The next day, Susan went straight to the antique store. Helen called me as soon as she arrived. “She’s here,” Helen whispered. “She’s asking to see the necklace again.”
Perfect. I hurried to the store, my heart racing with anticipation.
When I arrived, I saw Susan at the counter, handing Helen the envelope. Helen took one look at the money and her face darkened.
“This is fake money,” Helen said, holding up one of the counterfeit bills.
Susan’s face went pale. “What? No! That’s impossible!” she stammered.
Helen stood firm. “This is clearly fake. I’ll have to call the police.”
At that moment, I stepped forward. “Susan, what’s going on?”
“Mary, please help me!” she cried, her voice frantic. “She says the money is fake!”
I looked her straight in the eye. “That’s because it is, Susan.”
The shock on her face was clear. “You’ve been stealing the money I sent for Timmy, haven’t you?”
Susan broke down, falling to her knees. “I’m so sorry, Mary. I didn’t mean for it to go this far. I was just so tempted.”
I stayed calm but firm. “From now on, I’ll be giving Timmy the money directly. You’ve lost my trust, Susan.”
She nodded, still sobbing. Helen, understanding the seriousness of the situation, decided not to call the police, but the lesson was clear.
And that’s how I exposed my daughter-in-law’s deception. It wasn’t easy, but sometimes tough love is necessary to set things right.