Chapter 6 - A Signature That Wasn't Hers
Becca forwarded the document before breakfast. Her name appeared beside mine on a consent form, though I had signed nothing. A property lawyer would have spotted the irregularities, but the pages were convincing enough to scare me.
"I never signed that," Becca said over speakerphone. "Neither did you. Report it."
Priya examined the file. "We need the originals, metadata, and the broker's correspondence. A forged form can't authorize a legitimate sale, but someone may be trying to create the appearance of consent."
The broker was connected to West Hart, Celia's younger brother. I'd met him twice. He wore expensive watches and talked constantly about deals that were "almost closed."
"Why would my wife do this?" I asked.
Priya gave me a tired look. "We don't know what she did yet. We know enough not to dismiss it."
My phone rang. Celia.
"You made a terrible mistake taking Wren away," she said.
"You threw a pot of soup at her."
"You weren't there."
"Rose was."
Celia laughed once. "The girl who steals from us? She hasn't told you that part?"
I felt my face go cold. "What are you talking about?"
"Check your desk. Your father's watch is missing. So is an envelope of cash. I suppose you want to take her word for that, too."
I ended the call and told Detective Park about the allegation. Rose looked sick, but she didn't hide or argue. "I've never touched his watch," she said.
That evening, Becca sent one more attachment: an invoice attached to the proposed sale. Northshore Holdings was to receive a $280,000 advisory fee at closing.
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At the bottom, under AUTHORIZED FAMILY CONTACT, was a number I recognized immediately.
My mother's private phone.
