Chapter 5: The Son Who Doubted Me
By morning, Daniel’s petition had frozen every joint account.
Thomas and I sat outside a courtroom while Daniel spoke quietly with a lawyer I had never met.
Caleb hurried down the corridor.
“Mom, what is happening?”
“Daniel forged my signature and transferred my properties to Vanessa.”
Daniel approached before Caleb could answer.
“Your mother is confused.”
“I am standing right here.”
“Then tell Caleb about the appointments you forgot.”
“What appointments?”
Daniel gave Caleb a patient smile.
“Exactly.”
I stepped toward him.
“You changed the calendar password last month.”
“To protect you.”
“From my own dentist?”
Caleb touched my arm.
“Mom, could we sit down?”
I pulled away.
“Do you believe him?”
“I don’t know what to believe.”
“You know me.”
“I also know you called me twice last week and repeated the same story.”
“My phone dropped the first time.”
Daniel shook his head.
“She doesn’t remember.”
“I remember paying the deposit on Caleb’s shop because you promised the loan would never touch my property.”
Caleb’s face changed.
“What loan?” I asked.
“Mom, not here.”
“What loan, Caleb?”
The courtroom door opened, and the clerk called our names.
Daniel smiled as though he had already won.
Inside, his lawyer placed the doctor’s letter before the judge.
“Mrs.
Hale has demonstrated increasing confusion and impulsive behavior.
Last night she disrupted her stepdaughter’s wedding and attempted to withdraw substantial support without warning.”
“I withdrew it after Vanessa struck me and I discovered the transfer,” I said.
The judge raised her hand.
“Mrs.
Hale, your attorney will speak for you.”
Daniel’s lawyer continued.
“Until a medical evaluation is completed, we request temporary control of the disputed assets.”
Thomas stood.
“We have evidence of forgery and a recording suggesting this petition was planned.”
“An edited recording,” Daniel’s lawyer said.
“It came from the petitioner’s new son-in-law.”
“Who abandoned his bride during their reception.”
The judge read the doctor’s letter twice.
“I am not appointing Mr.
Hale as permanent guardian,” she said.
“However, the accounts and properties will remain frozen for seven days.
Neither party may transfer, sell or borrow against them.”
Daniel leaned toward me as we left.
“Seven days is plenty.”
“For what?”
“To watch you turn on everyone who tries to help.”
Caleb followed me into the corridor.
“Mom, Daniel said you approved the business loan.”
“I approved fifty thousand dollars from my savings.”
He stared at the floor.
“It became two hundred and fifty.”
My knees buckled, and Thomas caught my elbow.
“You let him borrow against my house?”
“Daniel said it was temporary.”
“You signed?”
“He told me you knew.”
I pressed one hand against the wall.
“Mom, say something.”
“You believed a man who forged my name before you believed me.”
“I didn’t know about the forgery.”
“But five minutes ago, you stood beside him and asked whether I was confused.”
Caleb’s eyes filled.
“I was scared.”
“So was I.”
He reached for me, but I stepped back.
The movement hurt him; I saw it in his face, and that nearly broke what was left of me.
Owen came around the corner carrying a small suitcase.
“Nora, you can stay in my mother’s cottage.”
I wiped my eyes.
“Why would she allow that?”
“Because I told her what happened.”
He held out a key.
“She said no woman should have to ask permission to enter a home she paid for.”
I closed my fingers around it.
“Thank her for me.”
Thomas’s phone vibrated.
“It’s Dr.
Ellis.”
He answered and switched to speaker.
“Thomas,” the doctor said, “I never wrote that letter.
My signature was copied from Nora’s annual health report.”
Daniel stopped walking at the far end of the corridor.
Dr.
Ellis continued, “And there is something else you need to see.”
“What?” I asked.
“Someone accessed your medical file from Daniel’s home computer last Friday.”
Daniel turned toward the elevator.
Caleb stared after him.
“He still has access to your records?”
Thomas closed his folder.
May you like
“Not for long.
But first, we need to find out what else he copied.”
