Chapter 4: The Signature at 6:14
The emergency hearing took place the next afternoon.
I sat between Gabriel and Lucille while Veronica entered with two attorneys and a leather case.
She placed one hand over her heart.
“Matthew, I’m sorry you misunderstood me.”
“You told me to walk.”
“I told you to step out while I turned the car around.”
“You drove away.”
Her attorney rose.
“Your Honor, this child is grieving and has been influenced by an estranged uncle with a financial motive.”
Gabriel’s lawyer, Naomi Pierce, slid the original trust toward the judge.
“The financial motive belongs to the person who transferred eight hundred thousand dollars from Alexander Banks’s business account on the morning of his passing.”
Veronica’s chair scraped.
“That was an authorized transfer.”
“At 5:52 a.m.,” Naomi said.
“Twenty-two minutes before this alleged amendment was signed.”
Veronica’s attorney opened the leather case.
“We have the amendment here.
It revokes Gabriel Banks’s trusteeship and leaves control of the estate to the surviving spouse.”
The judge studied the pages.
“It appears notarized.”
My fingers locked around the edge of my chair.
Naomi leaned close to Gabriel.
“The court may accept it temporarily unless we disprove the signature.”
Veronica heard her.
“There is nothing to disprove.”
The judge looked at me.
“Matthew, did your father discuss where you would live?”
“He gave me Gabriel’s number.”
“Did he tell you to leave with your uncle?”
“He said Gabriel would help me.”
Veronica stood.
“Alexander was medicated and frightened.
Matthew heard what he wanted to hear.”
“He heard his father,” Gabriel said.
“You weren’t there.
You never came.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightened.
“You made sure I didn’t know he was ill.”
“I protected my husband from the brother who stole from him.”
I turned toward Gabriel.
“You stole from Dad?”
The courtroom went quiet.
Gabriel’s hand moved toward mine, but I pulled away.
Veronica leaned across the aisle.
“He took twenty thousand dollars from your father’s company.
That’s why Alexander wanted nothing to do with him.”
“Is it true?” I asked.
Gabriel did not answer quickly enough.
Veronica’s voice softened.
“Your father didn’t choose Gabriel, Matthew.
He didn’t choose you either.
He chose me.”
The chair legs screeched as I stood.
My chest tightened until I could not pull in air.
“Matthew,” Lucille said, catching my shoulders.
“Look at me.”
“He didn’t want me.”
“That woman does not get to put words in your father’s mouth.”
“But Gabriel lied too!”
Gabriel lowered his head.
“Yes.
I did.”
The judge called a recess.
In the hallway, Gabriel crouched in front of me.
“I took the money when I was twenty-two.
I was ashamed, and I paid back every dollar.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I wanted to be the good man you needed before you learned I hadn’t always been one.”
Lucille pressed a handkerchief into my palm.
“Tell him the rest.”
Gabriel’s eyes filled.
“Your father forgave the money.
What he never forgave was my warning about Veronica.
I called her dishonest before I could prove it.”
Naomi hurried from the courtroom holding a photocopy.
“The notary on the amendment was Conrad Vale,” she said.
“Alexander’s chief financial officer.”
Gabriel stood.
“Conrad worked for Veronica before he worked for Alexander.”
May you like
Naomi turned the page around.
“And at 6:14 that morning, hospital security recorded Conrad entering Alexander’s room alone—with a document Alexander had already refused to sign.”
