Chapter 8: The Signature Nobody Could Explain
Robert put the call on speaker.
“Claire, I need you to explain exactly what you're talking about.””
Her voice sounded tired.
“I've been trying to get this family to listen for months.””
Patricia moved toward the phone.
“Claire, don't do this.””
Robert raised one hand.
“Let her speak.””
Claire continued.
“Your mother left two documents with me. The first was the letter you just found. The second was the original trust agreement.””
Robert glanced at the folded letter on the table.
“Why didn't you give me both?””
“Because Patricia asked me to wait.””
Robert turned toward his wife.
“Why?””
Patricia didn't answer.
Claire continued.
“Your mother specifically instructed me not to release the agreement until Lily was old enough to understand what it meant. But when I learned that money had been withdrawn, I became concerned.””
Megan stepped closer to the phone.
“What does the signature have to do with this?””
Claire sighed.
“Someone submitted a request to change the account's authorized management.””
Robert frowned.
“Who?””
“I don't know who physically submitted it. But the document contained a signature claiming to be yours.””
Robert's face went pale.
“My signature?””
“Yes.””
Ethan looked at his father.
“Did you sign anything?””
Robert shook his head.
“No.””
Claire continued.
“The bank flagged the request because the signature didn't match the original paperwork. The change was never approved.””
Patricia suddenly spoke.
“That was a misunderstanding.””
Robert turned.
“What misunderstanding?””
“I was only trying to get permission to manage the money.””
“You forged my signature?””
“I didn't forge anything!””
Claire's voice interrupted.
“Patricia, the bank has a copy of the document.””
Patricia closed her eyes.
Robert looked at her.
“Did you sign my name?””
“I was going to explain.””
“That's not an answer.””
Patricia began crying again.
“I thought you would refuse.””
Robert stepped backward.
“So you signed my name?””
“I didn't think it would matter.””
Megan stared at her.
“Mom, it was a legal document.””
“I was trying to help Lily!””
Ethan shook his head.
“You were trying to get control.””
Patricia turned toward him.
“You have no idea what I was dealing with!””
Ethan answered quietly.
“Then why didn't you ask for help?””
She had no answer.
Claire continued.
“There's another issue. The bank's records show that several withdrawals were made before the attempted management change.””
Robert sat down.
“How much?””
“I don't have the exact total in front of me, but the amount is significant.””
Robert rubbed his face.
“Can you bring the original agreement tomorrow?””
“Yes. I'll also bring the bank correspondence I received.””
Patricia immediately objected.
“No! You can't bring private financial documents into this house.””
Claire paused.
“They concern Lily's inheritance.””
“They concern my family!””
“Then perhaps your family should know what happened.””
Patricia reached for the phone.
Robert moved it out of her reach.
“Tomorrow morning, Claire.””
“I'll be there at ten.””
The call ended.
Nobody spoke.
Then Megan asked the question that had been troubling her.
“Dad, if the bank rejected the signature, how did Mom manage to withdraw the money?””
Robert looked at Patricia.
“That's what we're going to find out.””
Patricia sank onto the sofa.
“Some of the money was already available through an account connected to the household.””
Robert frowned.
“What account?””
“The one your mother established before she died.””
Megan looked confused.
“Grandma had a separate account?””
Robert nodded slowly.
“She established a savings arrangement for Lily. I remember signing the original paperwork.””
Ethan looked at him.
“Then how could Mom access it?””
Robert closed his eyes.
“I don't know.””
Patricia spoke quietly.
“Your mother added me as a contact person for administrative matters.””
Robert turned.
“Administrative matters aren't permission to withdraw money.””
“I know that now.””
Ethan stared at her.
“Did you ever intend to tell us?””
Patricia looked at him.
“I was going to put it back.””
“When?””
“When things got better.””
Ethan shook his head.
“You keep saying that like it makes everything okay.””
Lily had remained silent near the staircase.
Megan finally noticed her.
“Lily, did Mom tell you about the money before or after the bracelet disappeared?””
Lily hesitated.
“Before.””
“Did she tell you where the money was going?””
Lily shook her head.
“She said it was being used for the house.””
Robert looked at her.
“Did she ask you to sign anything?””
Lily's eyes moved toward Patricia.
“Lily?”” Robert asked.
She nodded slowly.
“Mom gave me a paper.””
Patricia immediately stood.
“That's enough.””
Robert turned sharply.
“What paper?””
Lily began crying.
“She said it was just permission to help with the account.””
Megan approached her.
“Did you sign it?””
Lily nodded.
Ethan looked stunned.
“How old were you?””
“Seventeen.””
Robert sat back.
“Patricia, you had our daughter sign financial paperwork?””
“I explained it to her.””
“What did you explain?””
“That it was temporary.””
Lily wiped her face.
“She said Grandma wanted us to keep everything in the family.””
Robert shook his head.
“That's not what the letter says.””
Patricia raised her voice.
“You're all treating me like I stole from strangers!””
Megan answered.
“Because you're avoiding the actual questions.””
Robert took a long breath.
“Tomorrow, we're going to see the attorney.””
Patricia looked at him.
“You're going to involve lawyers?””
“Yes.””
“After everything I've done for this family?””
Robert stared at her.
“Everything you've done doesn't give you permission to take someone else's money.””
Patricia stood and walked toward the hallway.
“I need some air.””
Nobody stopped her.
A few seconds later, the front door closed.
Lily sat down and covered her face.
Ethan remained standing.
He looked at the spot where their mother had been.
Then he turned to Megan.
“Why didn't you show Dad the recordings earlier?””
Megan looked at him.
“I was afraid nobody would believe me either.””
Ethan nodded slowly.
“I understand.””
Robert approached them.
“I owe both of you an apology.””
Ethan didn't respond.
Robert continued.
“I should have questioned the accusations. I should have asked for evidence before deciding anything.””
Ethan finally looked at him.
“I didn't need you to choose me over Lily. I needed you to hear me.””
Robert's eyes filled.
“I know.””
Lily quietly approached.
“Ethan?””
He turned.
She looked smaller than she had earlier.
“I know saying sorry doesn't fix anything.””
He remained silent.
“I shouldn't have accused you.””
“No. You shouldn't have.””
“I was scared Mom would lose the house.””
Ethan looked at her.
“And you thought I should lose everything instead?””
Lily lowered her head.
“I didn't think.””
“That was the problem.””
He walked toward the kitchen.
Lily didn't follow.
Megan sat beside her.
For several minutes, neither spoke.
Then Lily whispered:
“Do you think Dad will send Mom away?””
Megan looked toward the front door.
“I don't know.””
“Do you think she'll forgive me?””
Megan turned toward her.
“That's not the question you should be asking.””
Lily frowned.
“What should I ask?””
“Whether you're ready to tell the truth, even when it makes things harder for you.””
Lily looked down.
Her phone vibrated.
She glanced at the screen.
A message had arrived from Claire.
It contained a photograph of a document.
Lily opened it.
Her face immediately changed.
“Megan?””
“What?””
Lily handed her the phone.
The photograph showed a page from the original trust agreement.
At the bottom were two signatures.
Robert Hayes.
And Patricia Hayes.
But beneath Patricia's signature was a handwritten note.
Beneficiary's consent required before any change in distribution.
Megan looked at Lily.
“You signed something, didn't you?””
Lily nodded.
“But Mom told me it was a different paper.””
Megan read the document again.
Then she noticed something.
The date.
It was dated three months before Grandma died.
Megan looked toward Robert.
“Dad?””
He approached.
“What is it?””
She showed him the screen.
Robert read the document.
Then he looked at Lily.
“Where did you get this?””
“Claire sent it.””
Robert's eyes narrowed.
“No. I mean the paper you signed for your mother.””
Lily swallowed.
“It's in Mom's bedroom.””
Robert stared at her.
“Are you sure?””
She nodded.
“It's inside the blue folder in her wardrobe.””
Megan stood.
“Then we need to find it.””
Robert shook his head.
“Not without knowing exactly what we're looking for.””
He picked up the phone and called Claire again.
But before the call connected, a message appeared.
It was from Patricia.
Do not let Lily open the blue folder. There is something inside that she doesn't know about.
Robert read it twice.
May you like
Then another message arrived.
If she sees the last page, she'll understand why I had no choice.
