Chapter 7 - The Signature
Claire denied forging Daniel’s signature.
Grant did too.
Then Emma pulled metadata from the approval file.
Created on Claire’s laptop.
Uploaded from the apartment’s home network.
At 1:14 a.m.
Daniel had been in Denver.
Claire had been home.
Her attorney told her to stop talking.
That silence said enough.
Police were called.
Not for a dramatic arrest.
For documentation.
The venue became a strange mixture of wedding reception and evidence preservation.
Guests left in quiet groups.
Some hugged Margaret.
Some avoided everyone.
Daniel stood in the empty ballroom looking at untouched cake.
His marriage was less than three hours old.
His father came beside him.
“You don’t have to decide everything tonight.”
Daniel stared at the dance floor.
“I already married her.”
“Yes.”
“I signed the license.”
“Yes.”
“Can I undo it?”
Robert looked at him.
“That’s a legal question.”
Daniel almost smiled.
Then Margaret approached.
She had showered and changed into hotel pajamas under a borrowed coat.
Daniel looked at her muddy dress folded over one arm.
“I believed her.”
Margaret nodded.
“I know.”
“I should have called you.”
“Yes.”
The answer hurt more because she did not soften it.
“I’m sorry.”
“Later.”
Understand first.
Then apologize.
The police asked Claire to surrender the wedding-planning tablet and her laptop.
Grant refused to hand over his phone without a warrant.
His attorney arrived within an hour.
Then one of the venue employees approached Daniel.
“I think you should see this.”
Security footage.
From Friday afternoon.
Claire in the hotel lobby.
Handing an envelope to a man Daniel recognized from Margaret’s description.
The footage had no audio.
But the envelope was visible.
So was Margaret’s phone in Claire’s hand fifteen minutes later.
Daniel watched Claire place it inside her bridal suite safe.
Then he looked toward the room where she sat with her lawyer.
May you like
She had lied five minutes ago.
She knew exactly where his mother’s phone had been.
