Chapter 4 - A Signature I Never Wrote
The clock over the mantel ticked three times.
“Signed what over?” I asked.
Daniel's eyes stayed fixed on the silverware. Vanessa answered for him. “Her controlling interest. Daniel said you wanted to retire.”
I rose so quickly my chair scraped the wood floor.
“I have never transferred my ownership of Hartwell Holdings. I have never agreed to pledge its property.”
Richard shut his folder. “Daniel, you told my counsel the assignment was executed last month.”
“It was,” Daniel said, almost inaudibly.
“Then it has someone's signature on it,” I replied. “Not mine.”
Celia put her napkin down. “Richard, we should stop here.”
But Richard reached into the folder and passed me a photocopy. Across the bottom of a document labeled ASSIGNMENT OF MEMBERSHIP INTERESTS was a looping signature resembling mine. The letter E leaned backward, a habit I had abandoned after arthritis stiffened my fingers. Whoever copied it had used an old bank card or one of Thomas's anniversary letters.
A notary seal appeared beside it. The date was October second, a Thursday when I had spent eight hours volunteering at the county food pantry.
“Who notarized this?” I asked.
“An independent professional,” Vanessa said.
“You know her name?”
“Why are you interrogating me?”
Richard extended his hand for the paper. I held it a second longer, taking a clear picture with my phone before giving it back.
“I'm telling you plainly,” I said. “That signature is not mine. Any investment relying on it is unsafe.”
Vanessa laughed too loudly. “She gets confused about business things. It's been happening since Thomas died.”
Instead he stared into his water glass.
Richard stood. “No money moves until this is resolved.”
Vanessa slammed her palm on the table. “Daddy, you're believing her?”
Then her phone buzzed. She glanced down and abruptly turned it over, but the screen reflected in her wineglass.
May you like
It was a message from a contact saved as NOTARY JUNE.
The original journal is missing.
