Chapter 6: Nora’s Impossible Signature
Gabriel met his attorney, Celeste Rowan, at Westbridge that afternoon.
Denise sat beside them, while Marlene and Daniel Voss occupied the opposite side of the conference table.
Daniel straightened his silver cuff links.
“The trust documents are valid.”
“My wife could not have signed this amendment,” Gabriel said.
Marlene leaned forward.
“Grief damages memory.”
“Nora was in hospice on the date beside that signature.”
“She still had lucid hours.”
“You weren’t there that day.”
“I was there more than you were.”
Gabriel’s chair scraped the floor.
Celeste touched his sleeve.
“Let her keep talking.”
A Westbridge officer placed the amendment on the table.
“This grants Marlene authority to approve services and seek guardianship if Gabriel’s work interferes with care.”
Celeste examined the seal.
“Who notarized it?”
Daniel answered too quickly.
“Evelyn Price.”
Celeste slid a printout across the table.
“Evelyn Price entered Canada four days before this document was signed.
Border records show she did not return for two weeks.”
Daniel’s cuff-link stopped between his fingers.
Marlene laughed once.
“Then someone entered the wrong date.”
“Was the date wrong, or was the signature false?” Gabriel asked.
“Neither.
Nora wanted Amelia protected from an absent father.”
Gabriel took out his phone.
“I found Nora’s final video instructions in our cloud account.”
Marlene’s smile disappeared.
He pressed play.
Nora appeared on the screen, thin and tired, with Amelia’s photograph beside her.
“Gabriel remains Amelia’s sole guardian,” Nora said.
“No one, including our parents, may change that through the trust.
Daniel has the signed original.”
Every face turned toward Daniel.
“That video proves nothing,” he said.
“She could have changed her mind.”
“Then produce the original,” Celeste replied.
“It was destroyed during digitization.”
“Convenient,” Gabriel said.
The conference-room door opened.
Bryce stood there with Everett and Theo.
“I have something,” Bryce said.
Marlene rose.
“You boys should be at home.”
“You told me never to record people secretly,” Bryce said.
“Then I heard you telling Grandpa that Amelia had to seem sicker.”
He placed his phone on the table.
Marlene reached across it, but Denise caught the device first.
Bryce pressed play.
Marlene’s voice filled the room.
“If Gabriel asks, Nora signed it.
Amelia will repeat what I taught her, and Daniel will handle the bank.”
Daniel pushed back from the table.
“That recording has been altered.”
His own voice came next.
“Once the guardianship is approved, we move the remaining balance before Gabriel can challenge it.”
The recording ended.
Daniel stared at Marlene.
“You said the boys were asleep.”
“You were the one who said his name.”
Celeste gathered the documents.
“Westbridge will freeze the trust, preserve every server record, and notify its legal department.”
The officer nodded.
“Effective immediately.”
For the first time, Marlene’s hands shook.
Then Daniel’s phone lit up.
He read the message and turned the screen toward Celeste.
“You may want to reconsider celebrating.
The emergency judge signed Marlene’s temporary financial order twenty minutes ago.”
Marlene lifted her handbag.
“Until Monday, every legal decision about Amelia’s care belongs to me.”
Denise stood.
“Financial authority is not physical custody.”
May you like
“No,” Marlene said, looking directly at Gabriel.
“But the school records I filed this morning may take care of that.”
