Chapter 6: The Woman Who Witnessed the Forgery
I didn't open the door immediately.
Margaret Ellis stood beneath the porch light, looking toward the security camera.
She wore a dark blue coat and held a black handbag against her chest.
I recognized her from Richard's funeral.
She'd been standing beside Daniel throughout the service, whispering to him whenever relatives approached.
Now she was at my house.
The house she had helped use as collateral for a fraudulent loan.
Evelyn checked the camera feed.
"Do you know her?""
"She worked for Richard for fifteen years.""
"Did she have a close relationship with Daniel?""
"Apparently.""
Evelyn picked up her phone.
"I'm calling security. We won't let her inside until we know why she's here.""
The doorbell rang again.
Then Margaret spoke through the camera.
"Sarah, please. I know you can hear me.""
I walked closer to the door.
"What do you want?""
"I need to talk to you.""
"About the loan you witnessed?""
She lowered her eyes.
"Yes.""
"Did you witness my signature?""
"No.""
The answer came so quickly that I almost missed it.
I glanced at Evelyn.
"Then why is your name on the document?""
Margaret looked directly at the camera.
"Because Daniel told me your signature had already been verified.""
"That's not an answer.""
"I know.""
She swallowed.
"Please, Sarah. I have something Richard wanted you to have.""
I looked at the sealed envelope in her hand.
"Why didn't you give it to me before?""
"Because Daniel threatened me.""
Evelyn stepped toward the door.
"Mrs. Ellis, if you have evidence of financial fraud, you need to speak to the proper authorities.""
Margaret nodded.
"I know. That's why I'm here.""
Evelyn called the security company and asked them to remain outside.
Then she allowed Margaret to enter.
The woman looked around the hallway as though she expected Daniel to appear from one of the rooms.
"Is he here?"" she asked.
"No," I replied.
"Good.""
She sat on the edge of the living room sofa.
Her hands trembled as she placed the envelope on the coffee table.
"This belonged to Richard.""
I didn't touch it.
"What is it?""
"A letter he wrote to you. But it's not the one Evelyn has.""
Evelyn leaned forward.
"How many letters did Richard leave?""
"Three, as far as I know. One was delivered to Evelyn. One was supposed to go to Sarah. And the last one was hidden in the estate office.""
I frowned.
"Why would he hide it?""
"Because he didn't trust anyone around him.""
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten letter and a small photograph.
The photograph showed Richard sitting in his hospital bed.
Daniel stood beside him.
And Margaret was visible near the doorway.
On the back, Richard had written:
*The last person I expected to betray me was my own son.*
My throat tightened.
"Margaret, what happened at the hospital?""
She looked down at her hands.
"Three nights before Richard died, Daniel came to see him. They argued.""
"About what?""
"The company accounts. Richard had discovered the missing money and told Daniel he was going to report it.""
"Did Daniel threaten him?""
Margaret nodded.
"He said Richard was going to destroy the family.""
I felt a chill.
"And the night before he died?""
Margaret took a shaky breath.
"Vanessa came to the hospital.""
I stared at her.
"Vanessa Reed?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"She said Daniel had asked her to bring some documents for Richard to sign.""
"What documents?""
"A revised power of attorney. And an authorization to release funds from one of his investment accounts.""
Evelyn's expression hardened.
"Did Richard sign them?""
"No.""
"How do you know?""
"Because I was in the room. Richard pushed the papers away and told her to leave.""
Margaret paused.
"Then he asked me to call Thomas Bennett.""
"What happened next?""
"Vanessa left. Daniel came back about twenty minutes later.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Was Richard alone with him?""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes.""
"How long?""
"Almost forty minutes.""
The room fell silent.
I looked at the photograph again.
"Did you tell the police?""
"I told them what I saw, but I didn't mention the argument. Daniel said the hospital would lose its contract with the family business if I caused trouble. He also threatened to expose a financial transfer I'd made.""
"What transfer?""
Margaret opened her handbag.
She removed a small notebook and placed it on the table.
"I transferred money from Richard's personal account to DMR Capital Holdings.""
I stared at her.
"How much?""
"Eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars.""
Evelyn immediately stood.
"Why?""
"Daniel told me Richard had approved it.""
"Did he?""
"No.""
Margaret began crying.
"I knew something was wrong. I should have stopped it. But Daniel showed me a document with Richard's signature.""
"Was it real?""
"I don't know.""
She wiped her face.
"But I kept a copy.""
She opened the notebook to a page marked with a paperclip.
A bank transfer reference was written there, along with a date.
The transaction had taken place two days after Richard died.
I stared at the date.
Then I looked at Margaret.
"Why would you transfer money from a dead man's account?""
She shook her head.
"Daniel told me the estate needed immediate liquidity. He said the transfer was temporary.""
"Did you know the will had been changed?""
Her face went pale.
"Yes.""
Evelyn leaned forward.
"Who prepared the false will?""
Margaret hesitated.
Then she whispered a name.
"Daniel.""
I felt the room tilt.
"Did you help him?""
"I delivered the documents to the probate office.""
Evelyn's voice became icy.
"Mrs. Ellis, do you understand how serious that is?""
"Yes.""
"Then why are you telling us now?""
Margaret reached into her handbag again.
This time, she removed a small silver key.
"Because Daniel told Vanessa that once the house was sold, there would be nothing left to investigate.""
She placed the key in front of me.
"This opens the locked cabinet in Richard's old estate office.""
I looked at it.
"What is inside?""
"Everything he kept hidden. The original will. The bank statements. And a recording.""
Evelyn slowly picked up the key.
"A recording of what?""
Margaret looked directly at me.
"Daniel and Vanessa discussing what they planned to do after Richard died.""
I couldn't breathe.
"Vanessa knew?""
Margaret nodded.
"She knew more than she ever admitted.""
I remembered Vanessa standing in my kitchen, laughing about taking over the nursery.
I remembered her carrying the fraudulent loan papers.
I remembered her saying Daniel had promised her a mansion.
"Why would she help him?"" I asked.
Margaret's answer was quiet.
"Because Daniel promised her half of the inheritance.""
Evelyn immediately took photographs of the notebook and the key.
"We'll preserve all of this as evidence. Sarah, we need to get that cabinet opened with proper documentation.""
Margaret nodded.
Then she reached for my hand.
"There's something else you need to know.""
I pulled my hand back slightly.
"What?""
She looked toward the window.
"Daniel knows I came here.""
My blood ran cold.
"How?""
"He put a tracking application on my phone months ago. He knows everywhere I go.""
Evelyn immediately told her to leave the phone on the table.
But Margaret was already staring at the front window.
A black SUV had pulled up across the street.
The headlights were off.
The driver's door opened.
Daniel stepped out.
He looked directly at my house.
Then his phone began ringing.
Margaret glanced down at the device on the coffee table.
Her face turned completely white.
"He's calling me," she whispered.
Evelyn picked up the phone.
Before she could silence it, a message appeared on the screen.
*YOU HAD ONE JOB, MARGARET.*
A second message followed.
*IF SARAH SEES THE RECORDING, SHE'LL FIND OUT WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO HER BABY.*
I looked at Margaret.
Then at Noah's bassinet.
"What does Daniel mean by that?""
Margaret began sobbing.
May you like
And the next words out of her mouth changed everything.
"Sarah, your son wasn't supposed to survive the night he was born.""
