Chapter 7 - THE POWER OF ATTORNEY
I called Rachel from the hospital parking lot.
Maya stood beside me, listening with my permission.
Rachel answered on the first ring.
"I didn't know he was married at first," she said.
"At first?"
"He told me he was separated. Then I found your Christmas photo online last night. His sister posted it before everything happened."
My stomach turned.
"Why did you photograph that folder?"
"Because Daniel told me his dad was losing his mind and he needed control of his accounts. He said the power of attorney would solve everything."
Maya mouthed, Ask when.
"When did you take the picture?"
"Three months ago."
Three months.
Robert had never given Daniel power of attorney.
Rachel continued. "He also had papers with your signature on them. I thought they were divorce papers."
I stopped walking.
"My signature?"
"I can send the picture."
It came through seconds later.
I zoomed in.
The signature looked like mine.
It wasn't.
The page was a spousal consent form tied to a loan application.
Maya swore under her breath.
"Daniel forged you," she said.
I felt strangely calm. Maybe there was a limit to shock, and I had crossed it.
Rachel started crying on the phone.
"I gave him twenty thousand dollars for the Tampa place. He said we'd move there after his divorce was final."
"There was no divorce."
"I know that now."
I should have hated her. Part of me wanted to. But the man who had betrayed me had betrayed her too.
"Save everything," Maya told her. "Texts, emails, photos, bank transfers. Don't warn him."
Rachel agreed.
When I ended the call, Robert looked ten years older.
"My son forged documents," he said.
Maya's phone rang.
She listened for less than a minute.
Then she looked at me.
"The dining-room footage has more than the assault."
"What?"
"Last week, Margaret and Daniel sat at that same table. They discussed forcing Robert to sign a new will."
Robert went white.
May you like
Maya held up her phone.
"And they discussed what would happen if he refused."
