Chapter 6 - The Signature
The next morning, I placed every document on my dining table.
Bank records.
Trust documents.
Diane's letter.
The alleged power of attorney.
Jared's signature forms.
Lauren's business records.
Daniel's spreadsheets.
I studied the signatures.
My career had taught me something important.
A forged signature wasn't always obvious.
Sometimes the person forging it knew the victim too well.
They knew how they signed their name.
They knew which letters they exaggerated.
They knew where the pen paused.
But they couldn't reproduce hesitation.
I picked up a magnifying glass.
Jared watched me.
"What are you looking for?"
"The pressure points."
"What?"
"Where the pen touched the paper."
I compared my genuine signature with the power of attorney.
Within minutes, I knew.
"This isn't mine."
Jared exhaled.
"How sure are you?"
"Completely."
The front door opened.
Lauren walked in.
She looked exhausted.
"I came to talk."
I didn't look up.
"Good."
She approached the table.
"What are all these?"
I pushed the power of attorney toward her.
"Explain this."
She looked at it.
Then looked at me.
"I don't know."
"You witnessed this."
"No."
"Your signature is here."
She stepped backward.
"I don't remember."
I laughed quietly.
"You don't remember witnessing a document transferring $1.2 million?"
"I didn't know what it was."
"That's convenient."
Jared stood.
"Lauren."
She looked at him.
"I swear I didn't steal your father's money."
I pointed toward the documents.
"Then explain the transfers."
"I was trying to protect the family."
"From what?"
"From financial collapse."
"Whose?"
"Yours."
I stared at her.
"You thought I was financially irresponsible?"
"No."
"Then why?"
She began crying.
"Because Jared was going to lose everything."
Jared froze.
"What?"
"Your company was in trouble."
"That was five years ago."
"I know."
"You said we were fine."
"We weren't."
"How much did you take?"
Lauren didn't answer.
Jared's voice broke.
"How much?"
She whispered:
"Four hundred thousand."
I looked at her.
"From my father's money?"
"Some."
"How much?"
"Two hundred."
"Two hundred thousand?"
"I intended to return it."
"When?"
"When the company recovered."
Jared stared at her.
"My company recovered three years ago."
"I know."
"Then why didn't you return it?"
She looked at him.
"Because by then I had other problems."
"What problems?"
Lauren wiped her eyes.
"Debts."
"Whose debts?"
She didn't answer.
I stood.
"Lauren."
She looked at me.
"Who was threatening you?"
Her face changed.
That reaction told me there was another person involved.
"Who?"
"No."
"Who?"
"I can't."
"Then we'll find out ourselves."
She shook her head.
"You don't understand."
"I understand more than you think."
I pointed at the power of attorney.
"This isn't just theft."
Her eyes filled with fear.
"What is it?"
"Forgery."
She whispered:
"Please don't call the police."
Jared stared at her.
"Why?"
"Because if they investigate me, they'll investigate him."
"Who?"
She looked toward the window.
Then she whispered a name.
"Victor."
I frowned.
"Victor who?"
She shook her head.
"I can't tell you."
"Then he will tell us."
Jared reached for his phone.
Lauren grabbed his wrist.
"No."
"Let go."
"Jared, please."
He pulled away.
"Who is Victor?"
Lauren began sobbing.
"He owns the debt."
"What debt?"
"Everything."
Then her phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
She looked at it.
Her face went white.
I saw only three words.
YOU HAVE UNTIL FRIDAY.
Lauren whispered:
"They know."
I asked:
"Who?"
May you like
She looked at me.
"Everyone."
