Chapter 3: What Karen Wanted Him to Sign
The pounding came again.
Dad flinched, and the envelope slipped against my palm.
“Stay here,” I said.
I opened the door.
Karen stood on the porch with her parents, Malcolm and Elaine, behind her.
“Give me the envelope,” Karen said.
“You knew he kept it?”
“It belongs to me.”
Dad stepped into the hallway.
“It has my name on every page.”
Karen pushed past me and reached for it.
I moved my hand behind my back.
“Get out of my father’s house.”
“Not until you listen.”
Elaine caught Karen’s arm.
“You told us Rick had invited Jack somewhere else.”
Karen pulled free.
“Mother, please don’t interfere.”
“You also told Rick we refused to eat with Jack.”
Malcolm’s eyes narrowed.
“We never said that.”
Karen looked at me.
“They’re trying to avoid an argument.”
“No,” Elaine said.
“You lied to both sides.”
I opened the envelope.
The first page was titled DURABLE POWER OF ATTORNEY.
Beneath it sat a listing agreement for Dad’s house, his workshop, and two adjoining lots.
“What is this?”
“A sensible plan,” Karen said.
“Jack cannot maintain this property forever.”
Dad gripped the back of a chair.
“You said it was permission to review my insurance.”
“You misunderstood.”
“You covered the first page with your hand.”
Malcolm took the papers from me.
He read the property description twice.
“This includes the old repair shop.”
Karen folded her arms.
“It has been closed for six years.”
“It’s still mine,” Dad said.
“Then why let it decay?”
I stepped between them.
“You tried to get control of everything he owns.”
“I tried to prevent a mess you refuse to see.”
“By lying to him?”
“By planning ahead.”
Malcolm tapped the listing agreement.
“There’s no signature here.”
Karen’s mouth tightened.
“Because this is only his copy.”
The room went still.
Dad stared at her.
“What other copy?”
Karen removed her phone and held up a scanned document.
At the bottom of the screen was Dad’s name, written in a shaky hand.
A notary seal sat beside it.
“I have the completed version.”
Dad leaned closer.
“I never signed that.”
“You did on Tuesday.”
“You weren’t here Tuesday.”
“I brought the paperwork back after your appointment.”
Dad’s fingers tightened around the chair.
“I spent Tuesday with Nora next door.
Her furnace stopped working.”
Karen turned to me.
“He forgets things, Rick.
That is why someone has to take responsibility.”
“You mean take his property.”
“I mean protect it.”
Elaine moved beside Dad.
“Jack, did you authorize her to sell anything?”
“No.”
“Did you appoint her to handle your money?”
“No.”
Karen shook her head.
“Ask him what month it is.”
Dad looked straight at her.
“November.
Thanksgiving Day.
And you are standing in my home calling me helpless because I would not sign away my life.”
Malcolm handed me the papers.
“What is the property worth?”
Karen did not answer.
“How much?” I asked.
Her phone lit up before she could hide it.
A message appeared across the screen.
FINAL PURCHASE PRICE: $1,480,000.
CLOSING CONFIRMED FOR MONDAY.
Dad read it over her shoulder.
“You already sold my home?”
Karen locked the screen.
May you like
“The buyer believes Jack signed,” she said.
“And on Monday, they intend to prove it.”
