Chapter 6 - The Signature
Daniel stared at his own name as though it had been written in blood.
“That isn’t my signature.”
The detective photographed the document.
Emily said nothing.
For years, Daniel had told her Margaret was difficult, proud, old-fashioned, emotional, lonely.
He had an excuse for everything.
Now the excuses had become evidence.
The petition claimed Emily had become increasingly unstable during pregnancy.
It listed “sedative dependence.”
It described two falls Emily barely remembered.
It even mentioned a night Emily woke confused on the bathroom floor.
Daniel looked up. “You told me you slipped.”
Emily’s voice was quiet. “I thought I did.”
The detective asked, “Who was home?”
Emily answered without looking away from Daniel.
“Margaret.”
The hospital kept Emily another night.
Daniel slept in a chair, though neither of them slept much.
At 3:10 a.m., he said, “I should have seen it.”
Emily stared at the ceiling.
“Yes.”
He flinched.
She did not soften it.
“I kept telling you.”
“I thought you hated each other.”
“She hit me.”
“I know.”
“You watched.”
His eyes filled.
“I know.”
Emily turned toward him.
“You don’t get to make this moment about how guilty you feel.”
He nodded slowly.
“You’re right.”
It was the first time he had said those words without adding but.
The next morning, an attorney named Rachel Kim arrived. She had been referred by the hospital advocate.
Rachel reviewed the protective order, the forged guardianship petition, and the medication evidence.
Then she asked one question.
“Who owns the house where you live?”
Daniel frowned. “I do.”
“Are you sure?”
He almost laughed. “Yes.”
Rachel slid the deed search across the table.
Daniel stopped laughing.
The property had been transferred eighteen months earlier into Carter Family Holdings LLC.
Managing member: Margaret Carter.
Emily stared at him.
“You signed that?”
“No.”
Rachel tapped the notarized signature.
Daniel’s name was there again.
Forged again.
May you like
And this time, Margaret had not just tried to take Emily’s child.
She had already taken their house.
