Chapter 5: The Deed
The deed was for the house.
Not a copy.
The original.
With a transfer of ownership form attached — partially completed, waiting only for Emma's signature and a notary stamp.
Mason held it in both hands.
Emma read it over his shoulder.
She didn't speak for a long moment.
"They were going to take the house," she said finally.
It wasn't a question.
"The bank document Lily found," Mason said.
"The one with your forged signature.
That was step one." He looked at the transfer form.
"This was step two."
Brent leaned against the doorframe.
Some of the panic had drained out of his face, replaced by something that looked almost like calculation.
"You can't prove that signature was forged.
Emma signed plenty of documents while you were away.
Stress does things to people's handwriting."
"I didn't sign that," Emma said.
"You don't remember everything you signed."
"I remember that."
"Do you?" Brent's voice shifted — not louder, but sharper.
"Because I have a witness who says otherwise.
A notary who was present.
Who watched you sign it and date it yourself."
Mason set the deed down on top of the filing box.
"A notary," he said.
"That's right."
"A notary whose name is on the document."
"That's how notarization works, Mason.
You were away a long time.
Maybe you've forgotten."
Mason reached into the filing box and pulled out a second envelope.
He hadn't opened it yet.
The return address was from the same law firm as the inheritance letter.
He opened it now, unfolded the single page inside, and read it.
Then he handed it to Emma.
Emma read it.
Her hand steadied.
"This is a letter from Aunt Patricia's attorney," she said.
"Confirming that the estate transfer was contested by a third party." She looked up.
"Contested by you, Brent.
You filed a claim saying Aunt Patricia lacked capacity when she wrote the will."
"That claim was dismissed," Lily said from the back of the unit.
She was still going through the box.
"There's a court ruling in here.
Dated eight months ago.
The claim was dismissed and the original will was upheld." She paused.
"Emma was still the sole beneficiary.
The money was still hers."
"So where did it go?" Mason said.
He looked at his brother.
Brent's jaw moved.
Nothing came out.
"The transfers," Lily said.
She was holding a stack of bank statements now.
"There are eleven of them.
Between fourteen months ago and four months ago.
All from the account with Emma's forged signature.
All going to a private account." She turned the top statement around so Mason could see.
"This account number.
Do you recognize it?"
She held it out to Brent.
Brent looked at the number.
He didn't take the paper.
"That's not mine," he said.
"It has your name on it," Lily said.
Nicole made a small, strangled sound.
"Nicole." Mason looked at her directly for the first time.
"Did you know about all of this?"
Nicole opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Her eyes went to Brent.
That was answer enough.
Mason pulled out his phone.
"What are you doing?" Brent said.
The calculation in his face cracked slightly.
"Calling the police."
"Mason, wait — just wait.
We can sort this out between us.
Family doesn't need to involve—"
"You locked my wife and daughter in a kennel." Mason's voice didn't rise.
It dropped.
"You forged her signature.
You stole her inheritance.
You tried to take our home." He looked at his brother.
"You stopped being family when you did the first one."
He pressed call.
Brent took one step back toward the door.
"Don't," Mason said, without looking up from the phone.
"Gerald is right outside."
May you like
Brent stopped.
Scout, who had followed them from the car, sat down in the center of the storage unit and watched Brent with calm, unblinking eyes.
