Chapter 9 - Six Days Before Robert Died
The final week of Robert Weller’s life had always existed in Emily’s memory as a blur of morphine, whispered conversations and hospital light.
Now she reconstructed it hour by hour.
Six days before Robert died, Daniel accessed safe-deposit box 417.
Five days before Robert died, Robert asked Emily whether she trusted Daniel.
Emily had answered, “Of course.”
Four days before Robert died, Robert moved home from the hospital.
Three days before Robert died, he asked Ben Holloway to repair the dog fence.
Ben remembered something else.
“He made me leave the steel post open.”
Emily stared.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought he was hiding cash.”
“Did you see him put anything inside?”
“No.”
Two days before Robert died, Daniel took Emily and Sophie to dinner.
Emily remembered being surprised by his kindness.
Now she wondered whether Daniel had been keeping her away from Ashwood while Vanessa searched it.
The day before Robert died, he gave Sophie Max’s metal dog bowl.
Not the dog.
The bowl.
Emily had forgotten.
Sophie had been five.
Robert had placed it in her hands and said, “When Max makes noise, pay attention.”
At the time everyone had laughed.
Now Emily sat in Robert’s office staring at the dented bowl.
Her father had been trying to leave clues while too weak to explain them.
Mara arrived with more information.
“Daniel’s access to 417 was technically authorized.”
“How?”
“Joint holder.”
Emily frowned.
“With Dad?”
“No.”
Mara turned her laptop.
The account card listed:
Robert Weller.
Emily Weller Carter.
Daniel Carter.
Emily stared.
“I never signed that.”
“I suspected.”
“Another forgery?”
“Maybe.”
“Why would Dad put Daniel on the box?”
“He wouldn’t.”
Mara enlarged the scanned card.
The date Daniel’s name had been added was two months after Robert entered hospice.
The employee authorization initials belonged to Vanessa Vale.
Emily whispered, “She gave him access.”
“Yes.”
The scheme was becoming painfully elegant.
Forge Emily’s mortgage.
Move the money.
Add Daniel to Robert’s safe-deposit box.
Remove whatever evidence Robert stored there.
Keep servicing the loan until land values rose.
Then default.
Foreclose.
Deliver Ashwood to Westbridge.
Emily asked, “Why didn’t they find the recorder?”
“Because Robert didn’t trust the box.”
Sophie entered.
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“There’s a man outside.”
Emily stood immediately.
A gray sedan waited near the barn.
A man in his fifties stepped out.
“I’m Seth Palmer.”
Emily’s heart slammed against her ribs.
The missing notary.
Mara moved beside her.
“You should have called.”
“I did.”
Neither woman had received anything.
Seth looked toward the road repeatedly.
“My attorney told me not to come.”
“Why did you?”
“Because Daniel called me last night.”
Emily stiffened.
“What did he say?”
“He said if anyone asked about March fourteenth, I should remember that you appeared personally before me.”
Emily stepped closer.
“And did I?”
Seth looked at her.
“No.”
The word hung between them.
Mara immediately took out her phone.
“Are you willing to speak with investigators?”
Seth recoiled.
“I’m willing to tell you what happened.”
“That isn’t enough.”
“I know.”
He rubbed his face.
“Vanessa brought the documents to my office after hours.”
“Did she sign Emily’s name?”
“I didn’t watch.”
Emily’s voice rose.
“You notarized a signature you didn’t watch?”
“Yes.”
“Using my expired license.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Seth looked ashamed.
“Twenty thousand dollars.”
Emily laughed bitterly.
“That’s what my farm cost you?”
“No.”
Seth looked at her.
“That’s what my integrity cost.”
Mara asked, “Who paid you?”
“DCP Holdings.”
Daniel.
“Do you have records?”
“I kept the deposit.”
“Anything else?”
Seth nodded slowly.
“My notary journal.”
Emily thought of Robert’s envelope.
“Where is it?”
“I gave the original to Daniel.”
Mara’s expression sharpened.
“You’re telling us you surrendered a required notary record?”
“He threatened to report other things I’d done.”
“What other things?”
Seth looked down.
“Improper notarizations.”
Mara exhaled.
“So he owned you.”
“Yes.”
Emily said, “Then how did Dad get a copy?”
Seth looked surprised.
“Robert visited me.”
“When?”
“About a month before he died.”
“What did you tell him?”
“The same thing.”
“Why didn’t he go to police?”
“He said he needed evidence Daniel couldn’t explain away.”
Seth reached into his coat.
He removed an old phone.
“I lied about giving Daniel everything.”
Mara stared.
Seth continued.
“My office security system automatically saved short motion clips.”
Emily’s heart began pounding.
“I copied one.”
He unlocked the phone.
A grainy image appeared.
Vanessa stood in Seth’s office.
Papers lay on the desk.
She was holding a pen.
The timestamp read March 14.
Seth turned up the audio.
Vanessa’s voice came through clearly.
“Daniel says make sure the signature matches the tax return.”
Emily stopped breathing.
Then Daniel’s voice came from off camera.
“If Robert ever sees this, we deny everything.”
Seth looked at Emily.
“This is the only copy I know exists.”
A vehicle accelerated on the road.
Seth spun around.
A black SUV passed Ashwood.
Daniel’s SUV.
Seth went white.
“He followed me.”
Emily looked toward the disappearing vehicle.
Daniel no longer needed to wonder how much evidence she had.
He knew Seth had chosen a side.
And for the first time, Daniel Carter had more to lose than Ashwood Farm.
May you like
He could lose his freedom.
---
