Chapter 7: The Original Deed Was Missing
Daniel replayed his father's video three times.
Each time, the same words haunted him.
Don't trust him until you know what happened to the original deed.
Robert Cole had been his father's closest business associate for almost thirty years. He had attended Daniel's graduation, stood beside the family at his father's funeral, and personally handled the inheritance paperwork.
Daniel had trusted him without question.
Now he wondered whether that trust had been the biggest mistake of his life.
He turned toward Evelyn.
"Mom, did Dad ever tell you why he was worried about Robert?""
Evelyn sat down slowly.
"Your father discovered some unusual transactions before he died.""
"What transactions?""
"Money disappearing from one of the property accounts. He thought someone was using the business to hide expenses.""
"Did he confront Robert?""
"Once.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"What happened?""
Evelyn looked toward the window.
"They argued in the garage. Your father came inside looking terribly upset. He told me Robert had been like a brother to him, but brothers could betray each other too.""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Your father asked me not to. He said he wanted to investigate first.""
"Did he find anything?""
Evelyn nodded.
"He kept a small notebook. He called it his insurance.""
"Where is it?""
"I don't know. I haven't seen it since the day we moved here.""
Daniel stood immediately.
"Where did you keep it?""
"In the wooden cabinet in our old bedroom.""
Daniel remembered the cabinet.
It had been moved into storage when Evelyn moved into his house.
He called the storage company and arranged access.
But before leaving, he needed to deal with the more immediate danger.
He contacted a local attorney named Michelle Foster, whose firm specialized in estate disputes and property fraud.
Unlike Robert, Michelle had never represented his family.
After listening to Daniel's explanation, she agreed to meet him that afternoon.
At 11:30, Daniel arrived at her office carrying the brown folder, the USB drive, and copies of the suspicious documents.
Michelle listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she placed her pen on the desk.
"Mr. Carter, I want to separate three issues.""
Daniel nodded.
"Go ahead.""
"First, the attempted property transfer. Second, the power of attorney allegedly signed by your mother. Third, the financial transactions involving the care account.""
"Can you stop all three?""
"I can help you take immediate steps to protect the property and challenge questionable documents. But we'll need the original records and independent verification.""
Daniel handed her the USB drive.
"My father recorded a warning about Robert Cole.""
Michelle watched the video.
When it ended, she remained silent for several seconds.
"Do you have the original deed?""
"No. That's what we're trying to find.""
"Then locating it is our priority.""
Daniel explained that the original documents had been kept in Evelyn's old bedroom cabinet.
Michelle made a note.
"Has anyone else had access to that cabinet?""
"Vanessa. Patricia. Possibly Robert.""
Michelle looked up.
"Then we should establish who accessed it and when.""
Daniel's phone vibrated.
It was Ethan's school.
He had forgotten to pick up his son.
He apologized to Michelle and hurried out.
When he arrived at school, Ethan was sitting on a bench outside the main office.
His backpack was beside him.
"Hey, buddy.""
Ethan looked up.
"You're late.""
"I know. I'm sorry.""
The boy shrugged.
"Mom usually picks me up.""
Daniel sat beside him.
"Your mom and I are working through some things.""
"Are you getting divorced?""
Daniel wasn't prepared for the question.
He looked at his son.
"I don't know yet.""
Ethan picked at a loose thread on his backpack.
"Grandma says she doesn't want you to be sad.""
Daniel swallowed.
"Grandma worries about everybody.""
Ethan nodded.
"Last night, Mom told Grandma that she ruined everything.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"She said that?""
"Yeah. Grandma didn't say anything. She just went to her room.""
Daniel pulled his son into a hug.
"Listen to me. None of this is your fault. You don't have to choose sides, and you don't have to fix anything.""
Ethan nodded against his shoulder.
Then he said something unexpected.
"Dad, I think Mom has another phone.""
Daniel pulled back.
"What makes you think that?""
"I heard her talking in the laundry room. She said she needed to delete something before you found it.""
Daniel felt his stomach tighten.
"Did you see the phone?""
Ethan nodded.
"It was in her blue handbag. Not her regular phone.""
Daniel thanked him but didn't ask him to investigate further.
His son had already been dragged into enough.
That evening, Daniel returned home and found Vanessa in the kitchen.
She was chopping vegetables.
For a moment, the scene looked painfully ordinary.
"Where have you been?"" she asked.
"Meeting an attorney.""
Vanessa stopped chopping.
"Who?""
"Michelle Foster.""
Her expression changed.
"You're hiring another lawyer?""
"I'm getting independent advice.""
"Robert already handles everything.""
"Robert is part of the problem.""
Vanessa put down the knife.
"You can't just accuse people because your father left you some strange video.""
Daniel watched her carefully.
"Did you know my father suspected Robert?""
"No.""
"Did Patricia?""
Vanessa looked away.
"I don't know what my mother knows.""
Daniel nodded.
"Where's your blue handbag?""
She frowned.
"Why?""
"I need to see something.""
"You're not going through my belongings.""
"Then tell me why Ethan heard you talking about a second phone.""
Vanessa's face changed completely.
For a moment, she didn't move.
Then she picked up the knife again.
"Ethan shouldn't be listening to adult conversations.""
Daniel didn't respond.
He went upstairs and checked on Evelyn.
His mother was sitting in the living room with a blanket over her knees.
"Have you eaten?""
"Yes, sweetheart.""
"What did you have?""
"Soup. Ethan brought it to me.""
Daniel smiled.
"Good.""
Then he sat beside her.
"Mom, I need to ask you about the old cabinet.""
Evelyn's expression changed.
"The one from your father's study?""
"Yes.""
She looked down.
"I remember Vanessa taking something from it.""
"What?""
"A little black notebook.""
Daniel's pulse quickened.
"Did she say why?""
"She said she was organizing the papers.""
"When?""
"About six weeks ago.""
Daniel stood.
Six weeks.
That was before the care facility application.
Before the forged signature.
Before Patricia started visiting almost every day.
He went to the storage unit the following morning.
The cabinet was still there.
He opened every drawer.
Old photographs. Tax receipts. Medical records. His father's watch.
But no notebook.
Then he noticed a loose wooden panel at the back.
He pressed it.
It moved.
Behind it was a narrow compartment.
Inside sat a small envelope and a folded photograph.
Daniel opened the envelope.
There was a handwritten note.
Daniel, if the notebook is missing, don't confront Robert until you have copies of the original account statements. The truth is in the payments made to Westbrook Holdings.
Daniel frowned.
Westbrook Holdings was the company that managed the commercial property.
He turned over the photograph.
It showed Robert standing beside Patricia outside a bank.
The date printed on the back was two months before Daniel's wedding.
He stared at it.
His father had been investigating Patricia long before Daniel married Vanessa.
Suddenly, his phone rang.
Michelle.
"Daniel, I need you to come to my office.""
"What happened?""
"We've obtained preliminary information from the property registry.""
"And?""
"There's a problem.""
"What kind of problem?""
Michelle paused.
"The original deed was transferred out of the family trust eleven months ago.""
Daniel felt the air leave his lungs.
"That's impossible.""
"I've checked the registry.""
"Who authorized it?""
"That's what I need to show you.""
Daniel gripped the phone.
Michelle continued.
"The document carries your signature.""
He closed his eyes.
Another forged signature.
But this time, the date was eleven months earlier.
Then Michelle added:
"There's something even more concerning. The transfer was witnessed by your mother.""
Daniel stopped moving.
"Mom?""
"Yes. According to the document, Evelyn Carter personally witnessed the transaction.""
Daniel looked toward the storage unit.
His mother had been at home that day.
She had been recovering from a painful arthritis flare.
And she had never mentioned visiting a registry office.
He lowered his voice.
"Michelle, my mother didn't sign that document.""
"Then we need to prove it.""
Daniel ended the call.
When he arrived home, Vanessa was waiting in the hallway.
She was holding a suitcase.
And beside her stood Patricia.
Vanessa looked directly at him.
"Daniel, we're leaving.""
He looked at the suitcase.
"Where are you going?""
"Somewhere we can think.""
Daniel glanced at Patricia.
Then he noticed the small black notebook sticking out of her handbag.
His father's notebook.
"Before you leave," he said quietly, "put that on the table.""
Patricia's hand tightened around her bag.
Vanessa looked at her mother.
May you like
And in that single glance, Daniel understood.
They had been hiding the notebook together.
