Chapter 4: The Signature That Shouldn’t Exist
Aaliyah gripped the back of a chair.
“I didn’t authorize anything.”
Marcus held out his hand.
“Give me the estate papers, and I’ll straighten this out.”
Daniel slid them into his briefcase.
“That sounded less like an offer and more like a confession.”
“You walk into my home and turn my daughters against me?”
Nia stepped closer to Aaliyah.
“Did you know about this before today?”
“No.”
“Then how did the bank get your signature?”
“I don’t know.”
Marcus softened his voice.
“Nia, your sister has always resented you.
The car pushed her too far.”
Aaliyah’s lips parted.
“You think I took the money because you got a car?”
“I don’t know what to think.”
Daniel picked up his briefcase.
“We’re going to the bank.”
Marcus blocked the doorway.
“My daughters aren’t going anywhere with you.”
Aaliyah met his eyes.
“Move.”
For several seconds, neither of them stepped back.
Then Nia took the car keys from the table.
“I’ll drive,” she said.
First County Bank was ten minutes away.
Marcus followed in his SUV and entered behind them.
A manager named Grant Keller met them in a glass office.
He shook Marcus’s hand before acknowledging anyone else.
“I understand there’s confusion about a transfer,” Grant said.
“There’s no confusion,” Daniel replied.
“The authorization is false.”
Grant placed a printed form on the desk.
“The request came through the secure family portal.”
Aaliyah pointed at the time.
“Eight forty-two this morning.
I was at home.”
“That doesn’t prove you didn’t submit it.”
“At eight forty-two, I didn’t know the trust existed.”
Marcus leaned back.
“Unless your mother told you before she passed.”
Aaliyah stared at him.
“You know she didn’t.”
Nia rubbed both hands over her face.
“Maybe Mom told Aaliyah and kept it from us.
She kept everything else secret.”
The words struck harder than the accusation.
Aaliyah stood.
“You watched Dad give you a BMW and me a sweater.
I smiled for you anyway.”
“I didn’t ask him to embarrass you.”
“But you believed I’d take your money within minutes.”
Nia’s eyes filled, but Marcus cut in.
“Enough.
Grant, freeze every account before more disappears.”
“That would require a court order,” Daniel said.
Grant avoided his eyes.
“Mr.
Carter filed an emergency petition an hour ago.”
Aaliyah looked at Marcus.
“You filed before Daniel arrived.”
Marcus’s jaw tightened.
“So you knew he was coming,” she said.
A woman carrying a stack of folders stopped outside the office.
Her name badge read ELENA ALVAREZ.
“Mr.
Keller,” Elena said, “the original authorization record is ready.”
Grant hurried to the door.
“Leave it with me.”
Elena held the folder tighter.
“Compliance requested that Mr.
Mercer receive a copy.”
“I’m the manager.”
“And he’s counsel for the trust.”
Daniel accepted the folder.
“Thank you.”
Grant’s face reddened.
“Mrs.
Alvarez, return to your desk.”
Elena looked at Aaliyah before leaving.
“Check the device record, sweetheart.
A signature can be copied.
A device tells you who was holding it.”
Daniel turned the page.
“The request didn’t come from Aaliyah’s phone,” he said.
Marcus rose.
“Then we’re done here.”
“No.
It came from a phone registered to her mother.”
Nia stopped breathing for a moment.
“Mom’s phone was disconnected after she passed.”
“Not from the bank portal,” Daniel said.
Grant reached for the folder.
“That information is confidential.”
Daniel pulled it away.
“The device connected through the Carter home network.”
Aaliyah faced her father.
“Where is Mom’s phone?”
“I threw it away months ago.”
Nia stared at him.
“No, you didn’t.”
Marcus’s eyes snapped toward her.
May you like
Nia took one step back.
“I saw you using it last night.”
