Chapter 5: What Victoria Bought With Silence
Elena took the document from Lily and handed it to David.
“Read the last line,” she said.
David read aloud.
“‘Disclosure of family connection to David Carter terminates occupancy immediately.’”
Victoria reached for her bag.
“That clause was Charles’s idea.”
Charles struck the table with his palm.
“Do not put this on me.”
“You drafted the lease.”
“At your request.”
David held up the page.
“Why did either of you care whether I knew Elena existed?”
Victoria’s composure cracked.
“Because she turns up whenever there is money.”
Elena stared at her.
“I paid rent every month.”
“You embarrassed my mother.”
“Our father embarrassed your mother.
I was a child.”
Charles moved toward the door.
I blocked his path.
“You’re not leaving with my records.”
“They are company property.”
“They carry my name.”
He leaned closer.
“Move.”
David stepped between us.
“You will not speak to my mother that way.”
Charles gave a thin smile.
“Then perhaps I should call your board chairman and explain where two years of company funds went.”
“My personal account paid for the house.”
“The support transfers came through your family office.
Victoria approved them under authority you signed.”
Victoria folded her arms.
“If anyone examines this, David will be the first name they see.”
For one terrible moment, no one spoke.
Then Martin Hale walked into the kitchen carrying the black document case.
“I was hoping you would say that in front of witnesses,” he said.
Charles turned.
“You have no business here.”
“My client asked me to come.”
I looked at Martin.
“I did?”
“Elena called me ten minutes ago.”
Elena raised her phone.
“His number was on the letters Charles told me to destroy.”
Martin set a small recorder on the table.
“Mrs.
Carter, do I have permission to document conversations occurring inside your property?”
“Yes.”
Victoria grabbed her veil.
“We are finished here.”
“No,” Martin said.
“We are finally beginning.”
He removed a photograph from his case.
It showed Victoria at the title office on the date my authorization had supposedly been notarized.
Victoria shrugged.
“I attended the closing.”
Martin placed a second image beside it.
This one showed her handing an envelope to a clerk after business hours.
“The clerk was Nora Bell,” he said.
“Your former assistant.”
“She handled documents.”
“She also accessed the file of a notary who had already d!ed.”
Charles pointed at Martin.
“That is an accusation, not proof.”
Martin’s phone rang.
He answered and put the call on speaker.
A frightened woman whispered, “Mr.
Hale?”
“Nora?”
“I can’t come to your office.
Victoria knows I contacted you.”
Victoria moved toward the phone.
David stopped her with one hand.
“What did she make you do?” he asked.
Nora began to cry.
“She told me to stamp the authorization.
She said Mrs.
Carter had agreed but was too proud to sign.”
“You knew that wasn’t true?” I asked.
“Not then.
But later I heard them arguing.”
“Who?”
“Victoria and Charles.
I recorded it because they were blaming me.”
Martin leaned toward the phone.
“Do you still have the recording?”
“Yes, but Charles sent someone to my apartment last night.”
Charles’s face changed.
May you like
Nora drew a shaking breath.
“They’re outside again.”
