Chapter 10 - Patricia’s Stamp
Patricia lived forty minutes away.
She did not answer the door.
Her car was in the driveway.
Lights on.
Susan told us not to go inside.
We waited for an officer.
While we waited, a shredding machine started somewhere in the house.
Dad heard it.
I grabbed his arm.
“No.”
“Then let police catch her doing it.”
He stopped.
Barely.
The officer arrived.
Patricia opened the door after three knocks.
She looked irritated until she saw Susan.
Then afraid.
“What is this?”
Susan said, “We’re here regarding notarized documents connected to Richard Collins.”
Patricia crossed her arms.
“I notarize a lot.”
“Did you notarize a trust transfer for Richard?”
Dad said, “I am the client.”
Patricia’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
Dad said, “Patty, Karen was drugging me.”
Patricia froze.
“What?”
Susan noticed.
“You didn’t know?”
Patricia shook her head slowly.
“No.”
“Did you notarize his signature without him present?”
Patricia looked at Dad.
Then down.
That was enough.
She whispered, “Karen said he signed at home.”
“You stamped it anyway?”
Dad laughed bitterly.
“You risked your license because my wife said urgent?”
Patricia began crying.
“What else did she say?”
Patricia looked at me.
Dad closed his eyes.
Karen had built two families inside one house.
One story for us.
Susan asked, “Where is Emily Collins’s original will?”
Patricia wiped her face.
“I don’t have it.”
“Did you request the probate file?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Karen asked me to.”
“What happened to the original?”
Patricia hesitated.
Police recovered a sealed document tube.
Inside was my mother’s original signed will.
And a second document.
A draft deed transferring the house to a company I had never heard of.
Susan searched the company name.
Her face hardened.
May you like
The registered owner was Trevor Blake.
Karen’s nineteen-year-old son.
