Chapter 5: The Signature That Wasn’t Mine
Three days later, I sat across from Jocelyn in a hospital conference room.
Her attorney placed the consent form between us.
“Mrs.
Price maintains that Ms.
Bennett authorized access to her fertility records.”
“I never signed this,” I said.
Jocelyn folded her hands.
“You asked me to handle the paperwork because you were too upset.”
“I asked you to drive me home.”
“And you signed forms in the car.”
“Then tell me what car I owned.”
Her eyes flickered.
“A silver sedan.”
“My car was blue.”
Her attorney touched her sleeve.
“Jocelyn, let me answer.”
I pushed the paper back.
“The date says March eighteenth.
I was under anesthesia that afternoon.
The hospital has the record.”
“You signed before the procedure,” Jocelyn said.
“The witness line says 4:40 p.m.”
Grant sat beside his own attorney at the far end of the table.
“I didn’t witness this.”
His name appeared under mine.
Jocelyn looked at him.
“Be careful.
Your signature is there too.”
“That isn’t my signature.”
“Then perhaps your memory is as unreliable as Laurel’s.”
The hospital compliance director cleared her throat.
“Until authenticity is established, Dr.
Mercer is being placed on administrative leave for disclosing protected results in the lobby.”
Dr.
Mercer removed his glasses.
“I accept review of my conduct.
I will not accept responsibility for altered records.”
Jocelyn’s smile returned.
“Perhaps you misplaced the original file yourself.”
Evan stood.
“She threatened me.
You heard the recording.”
“An edited recording made by a man accused of diverting company funds.”
Two officers appeared through the glass wall.
One entered and looked at Evan.
“Mr.
Bellamy, we need to ask you about financial records recovered under your former login.”
Jocelyn leaned back.
“I warned you that he was dishonest.”
Evan placed his phone on the table.
“Take it.
The original recording is there.”
The officer sealed it inside an evidence bag.
“You’ll need to come with us.”
Eleanor rose.
“He came here voluntarily.”
“He is not under arrest, ma’am.
We have questions.”
Evan looked at me.
“Don’t let her make you doubt yourself.”
Jocelyn watched him leave, then slid a second envelope toward me.
“What is that?” I asked.
“A private settlement.
You withdraw your complaint, stop challenging the consent form, and receive two hundred thousand dollars.”
Grant’s chair scraped backward.
“You offered her money?”
“I am trying to end this before your family name becomes a public joke.”
I left the envelope unopened.
“And if I refuse?”
Jocelyn’s voice dropped.
“I have copies of every message you sent me during your treatments.
Every fear.
Every detail you never wanted strangers to read.”
“You kept them?”
“I keep what protects me.”
She pushed the envelope closer.
“Take the money, Laurel.
You lost your marriage years ago.
Don’t lose your dignity now.”
I stood and placed both palms on the table.
“My dignity was never yours to give me.”
Her attorney gathered his files.
“This meeting is over.”
“No,” Grant said.
“It ends when she tells us where the missing company money went.”
Jocelyn’s smile vanished.
“You signed the quarterly statements, Grant.
If I fall, you fall with me.”
Grant’s attorney whispered urgently, but Grant kept his eyes on her.
“I’ll answer for what I signed.”
“You won’t survive the answer.”
She lifted the baby carrier and walked toward the door.
I picked up the forged form.
“Jocelyn.”
She looked back.
“You made one mistake.”
“Which one?”
I pointed to the witness time.
“At 4:40 that afternoon, Grant wasn’t at the hospital.”
“So?”
“He was speaking at a conference in Toronto.
The entire event was broadcast live.”
Her attorney stopped walking.
Jocelyn tightened her grip on the carrier.
Then the compliance director turned over the final page.
“There’s something else,” she said.
“The form was uploaded yesterday morning.”
May you like
I looked at the hospital seal beside my false signature.
The timestamp showed it had been created after Jocelyn learned the original records had been found.
