Chương 7
There was something almost comforting about Richard’s defensiveness because it was familiar.
He had used the same tone when she was sixteen and discovered he had borrowed money from the envelope where she kept cash from her grocery-store job.
He had returned every dollar two weeks later and acted offended that she had counted.
At the time, Caroline had made Maya apologize for calling him a thief.
The memory arrived so cleanly that Maya could see her mother standing at the sink with yellow dishwashing gloves rolled to her wrists.
Then another piece of it came back.
Caroline had waited until Richard left the kitchen before slipping forty dollars into Maya’s hand.
“Keep your money somewhere else,” she had whispered.
Maya had thought her mother meant teenagers should not leave cash lying around.
Now she wondered how many warnings had been disguised as household advice.
Caleb said, “I need everyone to stop moving money.”
Evan glanced at Richard.
“Great news, Dad, we’re finally qualified for that.”
Richard ignored him.
Caleb continued, “Do not transfer anything, withdraw anything, or pay anything else from that account.”
“What about the money already spent?” Maya asked.
“That’s a problem.”
“How much of a problem?”
“I’m not going to answer that casually at ten fifteen on a Friday night.”
“That sounds like lawyer for very.”
“I’m not your lawyer.”
“Even better.”
A tired sound escaped him, almost a laugh.
“I can tell you that Northline believes the deposit went to escrow.”
Eleanor said, “Then somebody gave them false instructions.”
“Yes.”
“And Harlan says it wasn’t him.”
“Yes.”
Richard paced three steps, reached the furnace, and turned.
“Maybe someone in his office made a mistake.”
“Possibly.”
Caleb did not sound convinced.
Maya looked at the business card.
The corners were softened from handling.
“How long have you known Harlan was involved?”
“Since Wednesday.”
“And you called him?”
“Twice.”
“What did he say?”
“The first time, he said he was acting under authority granted by an amendment to the trust.”
Eleanor’s head snapped up.
“What amendment?”
“That was my question.”
Caleb paused.
“He sent me one.”
Richard stopped pacing.
Maya saw it.
Not surprise exactly.
Recognition.
She lowered the phone a few inches.
“You’ve seen it.”
“No.”
“You just made a face.”
“I did not make a face.”
Evan stared at him.
“That might be the most Dad sentence ever spoken.”
Maya brought the phone back to her ear.
“Caleb, what amendment?”
“It’s dated eight months before your mother died.”
Maya sat down on the workbench stool.
The metal legs squeaked against the concrete.
“What does it say?”
“It removes the restriction on Richard’s ability to sell or encumber his interest and appoints Harlan as successor trustee.”
Eleanor crossed the basement and took the phone from Maya’s hand.
“Caroline never signed that.”
“Mrs. Bennett—”
“Eleanor.”
“Eleanor, I have a copy in front of me.”
“I don’t care if you have it framed above your fireplace.”
Her voice had become remarkably calm.
“My daughter did not sign it.”
Richard said, “You can’t know that.”
Eleanor turned on him.
“I was there.”
The basement went quiet.
Maya stood.
“Where?”
Eleanor still held the phone.
“The hospital.”
Richard’s face lost what little color remained.
Eleanor spoke into the phone again.
“What date?”
Caleb told her.
She closed her eyes.
“That was the Thursday after her second surgery.”
Maya knew the week.
She had been a sophomore in college, taking an organic chemistry exam she later failed because she kept checking her phone under the desk.
Caroline had insisted Maya not come home.
There had been plenty of time, she said.
There had always been plenty of time until there wasn’t.
Eleanor handed the phone back.
“Caroline couldn’t sign her name that Thursday.”
Richard whispered, “Ellie.”
“She could barely hold a spoon.”
“You don’t know what time it was signed.”
“I slept in the chair beside her bed.”
“Harlan could have come while you were gone.”
“I went downstairs for coffee once.”
“Then you weren’t there every minute.”
Eleanor stared at him.
It was a small opening, barely an argument at all, but Richard had taken it.
Maya watched her grandmother understand that.
Something in Eleanor’s face hardened, then disappeared.
Caleb said, “The amendment is notarized.”
“By whom?” Maya asked.
“Someone named Sheila Moreno.”
Richard sat down again.
Evan took out his phone.
“What are you doing?” Maya asked.
“Looking her up.”
“Don’t call anybody.”
“I’m not eighty.”
Eleanor said, “Thank you.”
“I meant him.”
“Still rude.”
Evan searched while Maya listened to Caleb describe what he needed Monday morning.
Copies of every letter from Northline.
The original trust documents.
The checkbook.
Any communication from Harlan.
Richard’s phone and email records if he would provide them voluntarily.
At that, Richard laughed once.
“You want my phone.”
“I want to establish who sent what to whom.”
“I’m not handing over my phone.”
Caleb did not argue.
“That’s your choice.”
The lack of pressure seemed to make Richard more suspicious.
Maya said, “Can I see the amendment tonight?”
“I can email you the copy Harlan sent me.”
“Do it.”
“Maya.”
Richard’s voice carried a warning now.
She turned.
“What?”
“You don’t know what you’re looking at.”
“That has been working out wonderfully for everyone who does.”
His jaw tightened.
Caleb asked for her email address.
She gave it to him.
A notification appeared before the call ended.
Caleb said he would meet her at his office at nine Monday morning.
He also recommended that she speak with independent counsel before agreeing to anything concerning the sale.
When Maya asked whether Northline could take the house, he paused long enough to frighten her more than an immediate answer would have.
“They have a signed purchase agreement and seventy-five thousand dollars missing from the escrow destination specified in that agreement.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning nobody should assume this ends neatly.”
After they hung up, Evan said, “Found Sheila.”
He held up his phone.
“She was a notary.”
“Was?” Maya asked.
May you like
“Her commission expired three years ago.”
“That doesn’t matter if it was valid when she notarized the document,” Richard said.
