Chapter 7: The Notary Who Refused to Lie
“What did you do at the bank?” I asked.
Mara sat down slowly.
“Rowan asked me to witness a form.
He covered most of the page.”
“When?”
“Two months ago.”
“The forged agreement?”
“I didn’t know.”
Dad held out his hand.
“Show me your messages with him.”
Mara passed him the phone.
Rowan had written: Just confirm Phoebe signed.
It’s family paperwork.
Mom will handle the rest.
“You replied, ‘Done,’” I said.
Mara covered her mouth.
“I thought I was helping him secure a business loan.”
“You helped him use my name.”
“I’ll tell the bank everything.”
“And risk being charged?”
“If that’s what it takes.”
The next morning, we met my attorney, Claire Doyle, in a private room at the bank.
A stern woman in a navy suit sat across from us.
“I’m Eleanor Price,” she said.
“My seal appears on the agreement.”
“Did you notarize my signature?” I asked.
“No.”
Claire slid the document toward her.
“Is that your seal?”
“It is a copy of it.
My physical stamp disappeared during Selina Bennett’s charity luncheon.”
Mara’s head lifted.
“I saw Rowan near your coat that day.”
The bank’s compliance director, Owen Shaw, entered with Martin Vale.
Martin looked at Selina’s empty chair.
“My client is delayed.”
The door opened.
Selina walked in with Rowan.
“I’m never delayed,” she said.
“I allow other people time to prepare.”
Claire pushed the agreement across the table.
“Ms.
Price denies notarizing it.”
Selina did not look at Eleanor.
“She’s mistaken.”
Eleanor folded her hands.
“I was in Toronto on the date printed there.”
Rowan turned to Martin.
“You said this meeting was about the account.”
“It is,” Owen said.
“The transfers were approved using Phoebe’s login and Rowan’s device.”
Rowan shrugged.
“Married couples share devices.”
“Not fingerprints,” Claire said.
She placed a forensic report beside him.
“Every transfer was authorized with Rowan’s fingerprint.
Phoebe’s password was entered afterward.”
Selina leaned toward Mara.
“Tell them Phoebe approved the loan.”
Mara lifted her chin.
“She didn’t.”
“I paid your rent for three years.”
“And reminded me until gratitude felt like a chain.”
Selina’s smile vanished.
“Without me, you’ll have nothing.”
Mara placed the recorder on the table.
“Then I’ll start with nothing.”
Rowan stood.
“This is entrapment.”
“You recorded yourself,” I said.
“You’ve turned my sister against me.”
“You used her.”
Martin snapped his case shut.
“Until authenticity is established, the recording proves nothing.”
Owen looked at the report.
“The bank will restore the remaining recoverable funds and refer the transfers for investigation.”
Selina rose.
“There will be no referral.”
“That decision isn’t yours.”
She leaned close to Owen.
“Your promotion came through Bennett Family Consulting.”
The room went still.
Claire looked at him.
“Is that true?”
Owen’s face drained.
Selina realized what she had said.
“That was not a bribe,” she said quickly.
Owen pressed the intercom.
“Security, please come to Conference Room Four.”
Rowan grabbed the recorder.
Mara caught his sleeve.
“Give it back.”
He pulled away and threw it to the floor.
The plastic case cracked beneath his shoe.
Selina smiled at me.
“There goes your proof.”
Mara bent down, picked up the broken recorder, and held it out to Claire.
“It uploads automatically,” she said.
“There are three copies.”
Rowan stared at her.
Claire’s phone rang.
She listened, then looked at me.
“Phoebe, Rowan filed his custody petition an hour ago.”
Rowan moved to the door with Selina.
“You wanted a fight,” he said.
“Now you’ll have one.”
Claire turned the phone so I could see the petition.
May you like
Attached to it was a statement signed by someone I trusted.
My former doctor.
