Chapter 3 - Three Days Before His Death
Daniel Mercer placed a deed on the dining table.
Emily recognized her father’s signature.
At least she thought she did.
The document transferred the house out of the Thomas Harper Residence Trust and into joint ownership between Thomas and Diane.
Dated three days before Thomas died.
Diane spoke immediately.
“There.”
Rebecca did not touch it.
“Who prepared this?”
Mercer answered.
“I did.”
“Who instructed you?”
“Thomas.”
“Where was it signed?”
“At the hospital.”
Emily stared.
Her father had spent his last week in a private oncology unit after complications from metastatic pancreatic cancer.
He had been weak.
But awake.
Emily had been away at college because Diane repeatedly told her Thomas wanted her focused on final exams.
The guilt had eaten at her ever since.
Rebecca asked, “Who witnessed the signature?”
Mercer hesitated.
“Diane.”
“That’s not an independent witness.”
“A notary was present.”
“Who?”
“Caroline Pike.”
Grant crossed his arms.
“Thomas knew what he was doing.”
Rebecca looked at Emily.
“Did you know your father planned to transfer the house?”
“No.”
Diane laughed.
“Why would he consult a nineteen-year-old?”
Rebecca ignored her.
“Did Thomas discuss his estate with you during his final month?”
Emily’s throat tightened.
“Diane said he didn’t want to talk about money.”
Diane snapped, “He was dying.”
Rebecca’s eyes sharpened.
“Yes. Which is exactly why coercion concerns matter.”
Mercer interrupted.
“No one coerced him.”
Rebecca finally picked up the deed.
“Then producing the notary journal should be easy.”
Mercer’s jaw shifted.
“I’ll request it.”
“You prepared the deed. You should already have a copy of the acknowledgment.”
“I have the acknowledgment.”
“Not the journal.”
Emily watched them.
This was not ordinary disagreement.
These lawyers did not trust each other.
Her father’s phone vibrated again.
Another recording.
Emily pressed play.
Thomas’s voice filled the dining room.
“Rebecca, if Emily is listening with you, there is one document Diane will show first. A deed dated near the end.”
Mercer went completely still.
Diane whispered, “Turn it off.”
Thomas continued.
“I did not sign a deed transferring the house to Diane in my final week.”
Emily stared at Mercer.
Her father’s recording continued.
“I signed hospital forms. I signed one authorization concerning medical billing. I signed nothing transferring real estate.”
Rebecca looked directly at Mercer.
“Daniel?”
Mercer’s face drained.
Grant moved toward the phone.
Rebecca stepped between them.
“Don’t.”
Thomas continued.
“I revoked Diane’s financial power of attorney twelve days before entering the hospital. Rebecca has the revocation.”
Rebecca opened her case.
She produced it.
Diane’s face changed.
Emily whispered, “You had Dad’s power of attorney?”
Diane snapped, “I was his wife.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Rebecca said, “Thomas revoked it after discovering documents executed without his knowledge.”
Mercer looked stunned.
“I never received this.”
Rebecca held his gaze.
“I sent it to your office by certified courier.”
“Who signed?”
Rebecca checked.
“Lydia Ames.”
Mercer closed his eyes.
His longtime paralegal.
Grant muttered, “This is getting absurd.”
Thomas’s recording continued.
“If Daniel Mercer says he didn’t know, do not decide immediately whether he is lying. Someone in his office may be helping Grant.”
Emily looked at Mercer.
For the first time, he seemed genuinely shaken.
“My father knew all this?”
Rebecca answered softly.
“He knew pieces.”
“How long?”
“About three months before he died.”
Emily’s anger surged.
“And nobody told me?”
“Thomas asked me not to until I had proof.”
“That was his mistake.”
Rebecca accepted the accusation.
“Yes.”
Emily blinked.
Rebecca’s simple answer disarmed her more than an excuse would have.
“He should have told you more.”
Diane laughed bitterly.
“Thomas told everybody only what served him.”
Emily looked at her.
“Then why were you trying to make me sign over the house?”
Diane picked up the family settlement agreement.
“Because lawsuits destroy value. Grant’s company claim could consume the estate.”
Rebecca said, “The house trust contains a spendthrift clause and is separate from ordinary probate claims, subject to exceptions. Diane knows that.”
Emily stared at her stepmother.
“So the company can’t just take the house.”
Grant answered.
“That depends on whether your father fraudulently sheltered assets.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“Which you would have to prove.”
Grant smiled.
“I intend to.”
The pressure shifted again.
Even if the deed was forged or invalid, Grant had another weapon.
He could accuse Thomas of transferring property into trust to avoid company debts.
That could drag the house into litigation for years.
Emily looked at Scout.
The dog remained beside her.
W.S. 214.
She showed Rebecca the brass key.
“What does that mean?”
Rebecca frowned.
“Where did you get it?”
“Scout’s collar.”
Mercer leaned closer.
“W.S.”
Grant’s expression changed.
Emily saw it.
“What?”
Grant recovered.
“Nothing.”
Rebecca noticed too.
Mercer said, “Westbridge Savings.”
Emily looked at him.
“It’s a bank?”
“Thomas used them years ago.”
Rebecca’s eyes moved to the key.
“Two-fourteen could be a safe-deposit box.”
Grant immediately said, “Those boxes were closed years ago.”
Emily turned.
“How do you know?”
Silence.
Rebecca smiled without warmth.
“Good question.”
Emily looked at the man who had entered her home with a key and a prepared story about her father stealing millions.
May you like
Grant knew too much about her father’s hidden bank box.
And suddenly Emily knew where she was going first thing in the morning.
