Chapter 4: The Signature That Wasn't His
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Darnell held the sale agreement in both hands, staring at the signature that supposedly belonged to him.
Then he placed it on the counter.
"That's not my signature.""
Beverly crossed her arms.
"Of course it is.""
"No, it isn't.""
"You signed it last month.""
"I never signed anything agreeing to sell this diner.""
Beverly reached for the document, but Darnell pulled it away.
"Don't touch it.""
Her mouth fell open.
"Excuse me?""
"You heard me.""
Simone stepped closer, looking at the signature.
She had seen her father's handwriting thousands of times. He signed supplier invoices, delivery receipts, birthday cards, and the handwritten notes he left beside the coffee machine.
This signature was different.
The letters were too neat.
The final stroke of his surname was missing.
"Dad, did you ever give Mom permission to handle the sale?""
Darnell shook his head.
"I gave her permission to speak with the bank about refinancing. That's all.""
Beverly laughed sharply.
"And what exactly do you think selling the property would accomplish? You think I woke up one morning and decided to destroy everything we've built?""
Darnell's voice dropped.
"Then explain why my name is on a contract I never signed.""
Beverly picked up her purse.
"I am not having this conversation in front of customers.""
She turned toward the dining area, where two regular customers were pretending not to listen.
"Everyone needs to mind their own business.""
Simone looked at her mother.
"This is Dad's business too.""
Beverly stopped.
For a moment, her face softened into the familiar expression she used whenever she wanted someone to feel guilty.
"Simone, sweetheart. You don't understand what it takes to keep a family business alive.""
Simone didn't respond.
Beverly continued.
"Your father gets emotional. He doesn't look at the numbers. I have spent years making decisions so this family doesn't lose everything.""
Darnell shook his head.
"Then why hide the numbers from me?""
Beverly's expression hardened again.
"Because you never listen.""
Corey finally stepped away from the booth.
"Can somebody explain what's happening?""
Simone handed him the document.
"Mom is trying to sell the diner.""
Corey read the first page.
His eyebrows lifted.
"Wait. Sell it?""
"Yes," Darnell answered.
Corey looked at Beverly.
"Are we getting money from this?""
Nobody answered.
He looked down again.
"How much?""
Beverly snatched the document from his hands.
"That's not your concern.""
Corey frowned.
"I'm part of this family.""
"Then stop asking questions and start supporting your mother.""
Darnell stepped forward.
"Don't put him in the middle of this.""
Beverly gave a bitter laugh.
"You've already put everyone against me.""
She grabbed her purse and headed toward the office.
But Simone noticed something.
Her mother hadn't denied signing Darnell's name.
Not once.
"Dad," Simone whispered, "we need to keep those documents.""
Darnell nodded.
"I know.""
He went into the office and returned with a small metal filing box.
Inside were old business records, property documents, insurance papers, and several bank statements.
He began searching.
Simone helped him spread everything across the counter.
Beverly appeared in the office doorway.
"What are you doing?""
"Looking for the original property documents," Darnell said.
"There's no reason to dig through all that.""
He didn't look up.
"Then you won't mind.""
Beverly stood there, watching.
Simone found an envelope marked PROPERTY DEED.
She opened it carefully.
The deed listed both Darnell and Beverly as owners.
But something else caught her attention.
A second document was clipped behind it.
It was a letter from a bank representative, dated six weeks earlier.
The letter explained that the bank had received an inquiry about transferring ownership of the property.
Simone read the name listed as the authorized contact.
Beverly Carter.
She looked at her father.
"Dad, did you know about this?""
He shook his head.
"Not until now.""
Simone continued reading.
There was a reference number and the name of a law firm.
She photographed the pages with her phone.
Beverly immediately stepped forward.
"Put that phone away.""
Simone kept taking pictures.
"Why?""
"Those are private business documents.""
"They concern Dad's property.""
"They concern both of us.""
"Then why is Dad finding out about them today?""
Beverly's voice rose.
"Because I was handling it!""
Darnell finally looked up.
"Handling what, Beverly? Selling our home? Selling the diner? Moving money out of the business?""
Her face changed.
"Don't exaggerate.""
"How much have you transferred?""
"Enough to protect myself.""
Darnell stared at her.
"From what?""
Beverly didn't answer.
She turned and walked into the office.
A few seconds later, the door slammed.
Simone looked at her father.
"Should we call the police?""
"Not yet. First, we need to know exactly what she has done.""
He sat down heavily.
For the first time that morning, he looked older than Simone remembered.
She placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll figure it out.""
He nodded.
Then his eyes moved toward the office.
"There's something I haven't told you.""
Simone waited.
"About three months ago, Beverly asked me to sign some documents. She said they were related to the property insurance.""
"Did you?""
"I signed one page. But I don't remember seeing a sale agreement.""
Simone's stomach tightened.
"Could she have switched the pages?""
"I don't know.""
Darnell rubbed his forehead.
"I trusted her.""
Simone looked down at the documents.
She knew that sentence hurt him more than anything else.
Then Corey appeared beside them.
"I found something.""
He held out his phone.
On the screen was a photograph of a message notification.
It was from Beverly.
The message had been sent to someone saved in his contacts as Marcus.
Everything will be finalized tomorrow. Darnell still doesn't know.
Simone read it twice.
"Who's Marcus?""
Corey swallowed.
"He's Mom's business contact.""
Darnell stood.
"What business contact?""
Corey looked at his father.
Then at Simone.
"I think he's the guy who's buying the diner.""
Before either of them could ask another question, Corey's phone vibrated.
A new message appeared.
Tell your mother the buyer wants the keys tomorrow morning.
May you like
And underneath it was another sentence.
He also wants to know when the family will be out of the building.
