Chapter 4: The Key He Was Never Given
Claire drove straight to her mother’s home.
Eleanor opened the door in her robe, took one look at Claire’s face, and stepped aside.
“What has happened?”
“Did you agree to sell this house to Margaret?”
Eleanor’s hand remained on the door.
“Of course not.”
“Did you give Daniel permission to handle your finances?”
“I gave him permission to speak to the council about my tax bill while I was recovering.”
“Did you sign a power of attorney?”
Eleanor’s eyes fell.
“Mum?”
“It was temporary.”
Claire placed the document on the kitchen table.
“Temporary doesn’t mean he gets to sell your home.”
Eleanor sank into a chair.
“He said you were exhausted.
He said helping me was putting pressure on your marriage.”
“And you believed him?”
“He brought groceries.
He drove me to my appointments.
He seemed ashamed to ask, but he said you were close to breaking.”
Claire turned away.
Her breath caught before she could stop it.
Eleanor reached for her.
“Claire, look at me.”
“I worked twelve-hour days while he came here pretending to rescue you.”
“I should have told you.”
“You should have called me.”
“I was afraid you would pay my bills too.”
Claire covered her mouth.
Eleanor stood and pulled her into her arms.
“I thought I was protecting you,” Eleanor whispered.
“You gave him the key to the house.”
“I gave him paperwork.
I never gave him my home.”
The doorbell rang.
Claire wiped her face.
“Are you expecting anyone?”
“No.”
June Parker stood outside holding a thick folder.
Behind her was Rachel, Daniel’s younger sister.
Rachel clutched her handbag against her chest.
“Please let me explain.”
Claire left the security chain in place.
“Did you witness my signature?”
“I signed where Daniel told me to sign.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“I never saw you sign it.”
Eleanor’s fingers closed around the back of a chair.
June held up the folder.
“Rachel contacted me after I suspended the transaction.”
“Why?” Claire asked.
Rachel looked over her shoulder toward the street.
“Because Mum called me ten minutes ago and told me to say I watched you sign.”
Claire opened the door but did not invite her in.
“What did you tell her?”
“I told her I wouldn’t lie again.”
“Again?”
Rachel’s eyes filled.
“Daniel said the form only allowed June to value the property.
He covered the top half with another sheet.”
June opened the folder on the table.
“This is the full document,” she said.
“It authorizes a private sale to a company called Morrow Family Holdings.”
“Morrow was Margaret’s maiden name,” Rachel said.
Eleanor leaned over the pages.
“What price?”
June pointed to a figure.
Claire stared at it.
“That’s less than half the house’s value.”
“The company would assume the tax debt,” June said.
“Once the title transferred, Eleanor could have been required to leave.”
Eleanor’s knees weakened.
Rachel caught her arm before she reached the floor.
“Sit down,” Rachel said.
“Please.”
Claire knelt beside her mother.
“They are not taking this house.”
Eleanor gripped Claire’s hand.
“There is something else.”
“What?”
“Daniel came here yesterday.
He removed a box from the filing cabinet.”
“What was in it?”
“The original deed, your father’s will, and every paper connected to this house.”
June closed the folder.
“Without those originals, stopping tomorrow’s appointment could be harder.”
“Tomorrow?” Claire asked.
“The transfer meeting was moved forward.”
Rachel’s phone rang.
Margaret’s name appeared on the screen.
“Answer it,” Claire said.
Rachel put the call on speaker.
May you like
Margaret did not wait for a greeting.
“Have you told Claire yet,” she asked, “that her mother signed away more than the house?”
