Chapter 11 - The Signature That Never Happened
At the courthouse, Eleanor sat with her cane between her knees. Riverton Landing's attorney insisted the trust had waived its restrictions and that construction financing would collapse if the sale were delayed.
Priya submitted the original deed and medical records confirming Eleanor had been under anesthesia when the waiver was supposedly signed. She also submitted Bernard Locke's death certificate and a later electronic vote recorded in his name.
"Are you alleging fraud?" the judge asked.
"We are alleging serious questions that cannot be resolved before this property changes hands," Priya said. "We're asking to preserve the status quo."
The judge granted a short temporary restraining order preventing any transfer or demolition. A later hearing would determine whether longer relief was warranted.
Jada breathed for the first time all morning.
Outside, Martin approached Eleanor. "You've made this an expensive spectacle."
"You sent my barns to a developer without asking me."
"It's the trust's property, not yours anymore."
"And it isn't yours either."
Martin looked past her at Jada. "Your director will never raise another dollar in this state."
"You don't get to decide that," Jada answered.
By evening, the interim board reinstated Jada's access to foundation records but left her conduct suspension in place pending review. She accepted the distinction. She had not been cleared merely because another wrong had been discovered.
Theo spent the afternoon helping inventory the barns. At the rear of the sculpture studio he found an emptied filing cabinet with one drawer jammed shut. Inside was a visitor log from the night the cameras went dark.
Two entries appeared at 5:12 p.m. One belonged to Martin. The other belonged to an outside notary, Gideon Vale.
The signature beneath Gideon's name was scrawled in blue ink.
May you like
Armand compared it to the security sign-in photograph. "That isn't Gideon," he said. "It's Claire wearing his visitor badge."
