Chapter 15 - One More Forgery
Forensic review took less than a day to find the problem.
Lukas's signature had been lifted from a prior company authorization and inserted digitally.
So had mine on the guardianship agreement.
Ingrid had not only used us.
She had been building a legal trail that made everyone else look responsible.
Lukas sat in Nina's conference room with his face in his hands.
"I thought I was helping secure the trust," he said.
"You were," I answered. "You just weren't the only one being used."
He looked at me.
"Does that matter to you?"
"Not enough to save our marriage."
He closed his eyes.
Sophia arrived with Jonas.
The room became very quiet.
Lukas could barely look at her.
"I'm sorry."
Sophia did not soften.
"You told me your wife agreed to share you."
"I know."
"You told me this baby was yours."
"I wanted to believe it."
"No. You needed to believe it."
That was sharper because it was true.
Detective Ruiz entered ten minutes later.
She had news.
Peter Voller had been found at O'Hare trying to board a flight to Frankfurt.
He was carrying two phones and a portable drive.
"Did he talk?" Nina asked.
"Not yet."
Ruiz placed a printed message on the table.
It had been recovered from one phone.
From Ingrid to Peter, sent the night of our Sunday dinner:
EVELYN IS STILL USEFUL. DO NOT LET LUKAS TELL HER UNTIL AFTER DELIVERY.
Below it was Peter's reply.
AND IF SOPHIA CHANGES HER MIND?
May you like
Ingrid answered with three words.
USE ST. BRIGID.
