Chương 12
Discovery began.
Althea sat for a deposition in a conference room with no windows. Gordon Pike asked questions for six hours. A court reporter recorded every word.
He asked how often Bill bathed.
He asked who trimmed his nails.
He asked why Althea purchased a bottle of wine with Bill’s debit card in March.
“It was cooking wine,” she said.
“The receipt says red wine.”
“I used it in stew.”
“Did Bill drink?”
“He had half a glass.”
“While taking morphine?”
“He wasn’t taking morphine in March.”
“Did a physician approve alcohol?”
“No.”
“Did you consult one?”
“No.”
He asked about every check Althea had signed.
He showed her a photograph Richard took of Bill’s shoulder sore. Enlarged on the screen, the wound looked brutal.
Gordon asked, “Would you agree this is serious?”
“Yes.”
“Would you agree a reasonable caregiver might seek hospital treatment?”
“Yes.”
“But you did not.”
“Bill refused.”
“Did he sign a refusal on that date?”
“No.”
“So we have only your word.”
“And the hospice nurse’s notes.”
“Which say she recommended monitoring for infection.”
“Yes.”
“And the wound later became infected.”
“Yes.”
“Yet you continued to keep him at home.”
“He continued to choose home.”
“You made the decisions.”
“Not all of them.”
“You controlled the medication.”
“I administered it.”
“You controlled food.”
“I cooked.”
“You controlled his telephone.”
“I charged it.”
“You controlled transportation.”
“I drove.”
“You controlled who entered the house.”
“I answered the door.”
Gordon leaned back.
“Is there any part of Bill Vale’s daily life you did not control?”
Althea looked at the photograph of the wound.
“I couldn’t control his dying.”
The room stayed quiet.
Gordon lowered his eyes to his notes. “Move to strike as nonresponsive.”
During a break, Althea locked herself in the restroom and pressed both hands against the sink.
Miriam stood outside the door.
“You can take ten minutes,” she said.
“I’m fine.”
“No one who says that through a bathroom door is fine.”
Althea opened it.
Miriam handed her a paper cup of water.
“I should have sent him to the hospital,” Althea said.
“Do you believe that?”
“I don’t know.”
“That is allowed.”
“It won’t sound good in court.”
“You are not required to become certain because uncertainty is inconvenient.”
Althea drank the water.
The restroom light flickered.
Miriam adjusted her red glasses. “Richard’s deposition is tomorrow.”
“Will you ask about the transfers?”
“Yes.”
“Will I be there?”
“You may attend.”
Althea did.
Richard wore a blue suit and answered the first hour of questions with polished patience. He described his childhood, his business, and the financial assistance Bill had given both sons. He said Bill often promised that Richard would inherit the house because Evan had received more support while living.
Miriam asked when Bill made that promise.
Richard named several occasions but no specific dates.
She asked about the power of attorney.
Richard said he believed it remained valid.
Miriam placed the revocation notice before him. His signature appeared beneath a line acknowledging receipt.
Gordon objected to the document’s foundation.
Miriam provided the certified mailing record and a copy from Richard’s business files obtained through discovery.
Richard studied his own signature.
“I signed a stack of papers Dad’s attorney sent,” he said.
“Did you read them?”
“Not all.”
“Did you continue using the power of attorney afterward?”
“I used account access Dad had authorized.”
“Did you tell the bank you were acting under power of attorney?”
“I may have used that phrase.”
“Did you tell the bank the document had been revoked?”
“I did not know.”
“You signed the acknowledgment.”
“I just explained that.”
Miriam placed the transfer records beside it.
“Did Bill agree to these transfers?”
“Yes.”
“In writing?”
“No.”
“By email?”
“No.”
“Text message?”
“He did not text.”
“Was anyone else present?”
“No.”
“Did you document the loans in your company records?”
Richard hesitated.
Gordon said, “You may answer if you know.”
“They were capital contributions.”
“From Bill personally?”
“Yes.”
“Were shares issued?”
“No.”
“Was there an investment agreement?”
“No.”
“Were the funds reported as loans, equity, revenue, or gifts?”
Richard looked at Gordon.
“Answer the question,” Miriam said.
“Temporary advances.”
“Did the company repay them?”
“Partially.”
“How much?”
“I would need the records.”
“We have the records. Four thousand dollars was transferred back to Bill.”
“There were cash repayments.”
“How much?”
“I don’t recall.”
“Any receipts?”
“No.”
Miriam opened another file.
“After the bank stopped the third transfer, did you tell Claire that your company was financially stable?”
Richard’s eyes shifted toward his daughter.
Claire sat beside Althea, her hands clasped.
“I don’t remember.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Miriam said, “Did you tell Marcy?”
Gordon objected on marital privilege grounds.
Miriam moved on.
She asked Richard about the day Bill died.
“Did you remove the pillow from beneath his head?”
“I adjusted it.”
“Did Althea ask you to stop?”
“She overreacted.”
“Did you say, ‘Let’s see what the old bastard was hiding’?”
“No.”
“Were those your words?”
“No.”
Miriam looked at Denise, who had been subpoenaed for the following day and sat near the door.
Richard followed her gaze.
His expression remained controlled, but a pulse moved at his temple.
Miriam asked, “Why did you pull the pillow away?”
“It appeared unusual.”
“How?”
“It was heavy.”
“You had not lifted it yet.”
“I saw a bulge.”
“Where?”
“I don’t remember.”
“Did you know Bill sometimes kept financial documents in his pillowcase?”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“I knew he had become paranoid.”
“Did you know he was hiding money?”
“No.”
“Did you search his bedroom in August?”
“No.”
“Did you remove a metal box from behind Margaret Vale’s portrait?”
Richard stared at her.
Gordon said, “What is the basis for that question?”
Miriam placed a photograph on the table.
It showed the wall compartment open six months before Bill’s death. The blue box was missing. A handwritten note had been taped inside.
Richard leaned toward it.
May you like
The note read: You found this once. You will not find it twice.
Althea had never seen the photograph.
