Chapter 6 - The Doctor Who Signed Against Me
Dr. Cole refused to see me.
So Nina subpoenaed the basis of his affidavit.
By afternoon, his attorney called.
“He’s willing to correct the record.”
“Correct?” I said. “He told a court I’m unstable.”
Nina raised a finger, keeping me quiet.
The attorney continued.
“Dr. Cole relied on information supplied by a family representative.”
“What family representative?”
A pause.
“Victoria Vance.”
I walked out before I said something useless.
In the hallway, my phone vibrated.
ELISE.
I almost ignored it.
Then I answered.
“Madeline?”
Her voice shook.
“What do you want?”
“I think Ryan lied to me.”
“You’ll need to be more specific.”
She started crying.
“I thought you knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That the divorce was already final.”
I leaned against the wall.
“He told you we were divorced?”
“Since March.”
It was December.
She swallowed.
“He said you lived separately and only stayed connected because of business.”
I closed my eyes.
“Why are you calling now?”
“Because Victoria just asked me to sign something about the baby.”
“What?”
“A paternity acknowledgment and a trust consent.”
My eyes opened.
“Do not sign it.”
“Why?”
“Send me a photo.”
A minute later, the document arrived.
Samuel read it first.
Then handed the phone back.
The form did not simply acknowledge Ryan as father.
It assigned any inheritance rights belonging to Elise’s child to a Vance family holding company until age twenty-five.
Nina whispered, “They’re building a substitute heir.”
I looked at the signature line.
Elise’s name was there.
Ryan’s was there.
And the witness line carried a name that made Samuel stand up.
Caleb Mercer.
“Who is he?”
Samuel’s face had gone pale.
“The accountant your father planned to testify against eleven years ago.”
I stared at him.
“You told me Dad died in a car accident.”
“He did.”
“Then why does this feel like you’re about to tell me that wasn’t the whole story?”
May you like
Samuel did not answer.
That was answer enough.
