Chapter 9 - A DEAD DOCTOR'S NOTE
The forged medical note changed everything. Moreno sent it to investigators working the assault case, and Leonard asked the court to preserve the original filing. Diana's attorney said he had received it from his client and couldn't verify its source. Arthur didn't know whether to believe him.
An independent neurologist evaluated Evelyn and documented that she understood her finances, her treatment, and the legal questions in front of her. She was bruised and exhausted, not confused. Arthur let Evelyn answer without interruption.
“I made mistakes,” she told the doctor, “but forgetting my name wasn't one of them.”
Meanwhile, Malcolm reviewed the estate's access logs. A maintenance badge had opened the rear gate the night of the assault. The badge belonged to a contractor who said it had been stolen from his truck.
Arthur recognized the contractor's company name: Meridian Property Services. It shared a mailing address with Meridian Consulting Group, the company on Daniel's deposit slip.
At the hearing, Diana arrived in a high-necked cream suit and a practiced expression of concern. She avoided looking at Evelyn. Her lawyer presented the forged note, but Leonard challenged its origin and supplied the independent assessment. The judge declined emergency guardianship and set a later evidentiary hearing only if credible proof emerged.
Outside the courthouse, Diana caught Arthur near the stairs.
“You could still settle this privately,” she murmured. “Leave the papers alone. Tell them we had a misunderstanding.”
“Someone threatened Daniel. Someone tried to burn our house.”
“I didn't ask you to prove anything.” She leaned close. “I asked you to survive your family's history.”
Arthur heard a click. Moreno, several steps away, had noticed Diana's hand slip a small recorder into her purse. Diana wasn't making peace. She was trying to collect another edited sound bite.
Arthur went home to find a courier waiting with a plain envelope addressed in his father's handwriting.
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Inside was a key and a note: If Roland is back, the numbers aren't the worst thing he can take.
