Chapter 2 - The Signature
Adrian did not shout.
That frightened Celine more than shouting would have.
He placed the documents on Eleanor’s bedside table one by one.
“Mom, tell me exactly where these came from.”
“Adrian—” Celine began.
He raised one hand.
“I wasn’t speaking to you.”
Celine’s face tightened.
Eleanor adjusted herself against the pillows.
“The bank called me yesterday.”
“Why?”
“They wanted to verify a transfer.”
Adrian looked again at the figure.
“One hundred seventy-five thousand dollars?”
“Yes.”
“You told them you hadn’t requested it?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“They froze it.”
Adrian exhaled.
At least the money had not moved.
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“I tried.”
His stomach tightened.
“My phone?”
“Your office.”
Adrian reached for his mother’s bedside phone.
“You called me?”
“Three times.”
“I never got a message.”
Eleanor looked at Celine.
Adrian followed her gaze.
Celine folded her arms.
“I don’t manage your office phone.”
“No,” Eleanor said. “But you told me Adrian was traveling until Friday.”
Adrian turned sharply.
“I came home from Boston yesterday.”
“That’s what I thought.”
Celine’s voice rose.
“I got the dates wrong.”
Sophie spoke from the doorway.
“You told Grandma Dad was in Chicago.”
Everyone turned.
Celine glared at her.
“Sophie, take Noah upstairs.”
“No.”
Adrian looked at his daughter.
“You can take Noah to the living room.”
Sophie hesitated.
Noah clutched her hand.
“I want Dad.”
Adrian crouched in front of him.
“I’m right here.”
“Are you mad?”
“Yes.”
Noah’s eyes dropped.
“Not at you.”
Adrian touched his shoulder.
“Go with Sophie for five minutes. I’ll make you something to eat.”
Noah glanced toward Celine.
Adrian noticed.
Something cold moved through him.
“Go ahead.”
Sophie led Noah away.
Adrian waited until their footsteps disappeared.
Then he closed Eleanor’s door.
“Now.”
He pointed at the document.
“Explain.”
Celine swallowed.
“Eleanor asked me to help with her finances.”
Eleanor laughed softly.
“I asked you to mail my insurance forms.”
“You were overwhelmed.”
“I had surgery, Celine. I did not lose my mind.”
“You kept forgetting passwords.”
“That is not permission to become my attorney-in-fact.”
Adrian picked up the power of attorney.
“Where was this notarized?”
Celine didn’t answer.
The notary stamp belonged to someone named Paula Jennings.
Adrian took a photograph of the page.
“When did my mother sign this?”
Celine’s voice became defensive.
“Several weeks ago.”
“I didn’t,” Eleanor said.
Celine turned toward her.
“You did. We sat right there.”
“No.”
“You don’t remember.”
“Stop.”
Adrian’s voice cut across them.
He looked at his mother.
“Did you ever tell Celine she could move your money?”
“No.”
“Did you ever sign any document giving her financial authority?”
“No.”
“Did you know about CJM Property Holdings?”
“No.”
Adrian looked at Celine.
“What is it?”
“A company.”
“I gathered that.”
“It’s an investment vehicle.”
“Whose?”
“Mine.”
The answer struck harder than he expected.
“Yours?”
“Yes.”
“You tried to transfer one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars of my mother’s money into your company?”
“I was moving it temporarily.”
“Why?”
“Because Eleanor’s portfolio is badly managed.”
Eleanor stared at her.
Celine continued.
“The market has been unstable. She has too much sitting in accounts that aren’t producing what they should.”
Adrian almost laughed.
“You’re a real-estate consultant.”
“I understand investments.”
“You understand my mother told you no?”
“She didn’t.”
“She’s telling you now.”
Celine’s jaw tightened.
“She is telling me now because Sophie has spent all week filling her head with suspicion.”
Adrian stared at her.
“My twelve-year-old daughter forged a power of attorney?”
“That isn’t what I said.”
“Then stop trying to drag Sophie into this.”
Eleanor reached for another paper inside the envelope.
“There is more.”
Adrian took it.
It was a letter from Eleanor’s attorney, Margaret Hale.
Dear Eleanor, pursuant to our conversation, I have confirmed that my office did not prepare or review the enclosed power of attorney. Your most recent valid estate planning documents appoint Adrian Mercer as your primary agent and Margaret Hale as alternate agent.
Adrian looked up.
“I’m already her power of attorney?”
“Only if I become unable to act for myself,” Eleanor said. “The document has never been activated.”
Adrian looked again at Celine’s version.
This one gave Celine immediate authority.
No incapacity requirement.
No second agent.
No limitation on gifts or transfers.
His stomach turned.
Celine stepped closer.
“Adrian, I can explain all of it.”
“You have had several minutes.”
“I was trying to protect this family.”
“By moving my mother’s money into your company?”
“We have obligations you don’t understand.”
“Then explain them.”
Celine glanced toward Eleanor.
“Not in front of her.”
Eleanor smiled without humor.
“My money can be discussed in front of me.”
Celine closed her eyes.
When she opened them, her anger had returned.
“This is exactly what your family does.”
Adrian frowned.
“What?”
“You make me an outsider until you need someone to clean up everything.”
“Clean up what?”
“Our life.”
“Our life is fine.”
Celine looked at him with something almost like pity.
“No, Adrian.”
She shook her head.
“You just don’t know it isn’t.”
The sentence landed strangely.
Adrian stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
Celine looked toward the door.
Then back at him.
“Nothing.”
He recognized fear again.
Different fear this time.
Not fear of the forged document.
Something else.
Adrian picked up his phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“My attorney.”
“Adrian.”
“And the bank.”
Her face changed.
“You don’t need to turn this into a criminal matter.”
He stopped.
“I didn’t say police.”
Celine realized her mistake.
Eleanor saw it too.
Adrian’s voice became very quiet.
“Why did you?”
Celine took a step backward.
No one spoke.
From the hallway came Noah’s small voice.
“Dad?”
Adrian opened the door.
His son stood there holding the empty blue lunchbox.
Sophie was behind him.
Noah lifted it.
“Can I have food now?”
Adrian looked at his child.
Then at his mother.
Then at his wife.
Money could wait five minutes.
Evidence could wait five minutes.
His son had already waited long enough.
He walked into the kitchen and began making Noah a new lunch.
Celine remained behind.
For the first time in their marriage, Adrian did not ask her to join them.
And while he spread peanut butter across bread, Sophie quietly came beside him.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“There’s something else you need to know about Grandma.”
Adrian stopped moving.
Sophie looked toward the hallway to make sure Celine wasn’t there.
May you like
“She didn’t fall by accident last week either.”
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