Chapter 17 - Two Hundred Thousand Dollars
By breakfast, the story had spread. Someone had taped a printout to the door of my old apartment. A stranger commented under a picture of Lily's school, calling her my ticket to a fortune.
I told the principal what was happening and asked her to keep Lily's information private. She called me back within ten minutes.
"We're removing the comments and contacting the families involved," she said. "Lily's classmates don't need to know anything about this."
For once, a person with authority chose to protect the child instead of the family's reputation.
Nathan wanted to issue a public statement immediately. I stopped him.
"No photos of Lily," I said. "No describing her birthday, her doctor, her school. If you want to help, don't turn her into proof you can display."
"You're right. Tell me what you're comfortable with."
We agreed on a brief statement: Grace had been assaulted; allegations of misconduct were disputed; his lawyers would cooperate with investigators; children deserved privacy. He also announced the wedding was canceled.
June hired a forensic accountant who traced the alleged payment to an account opened with a forged application and a photocopy of my old identification. The money had moved out within hours. I had never used the account or received the funds.
"Their story gives us a trail," June said. "They were trying to frighten you with the very fraud that may convict them."
At the courthouse the next morning, an emergency hearing began over preservation of the grandchild reserve. Nathan told the judge he had not signed the statements Pierce submitted and requested a voluntary, properly administered paternity test.
Then Victoria walked in wearing a cream suit and the engagement ring she refused to return.
"Your Honor," her attorney said, "my client has documents showing Miss Bennett planned to impersonate a rightful heir."
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He held up a folder stamped with the name of Lily's pediatrician.
My daughter's doctor had never heard of Victoria.
