Chapter 4: The Signature That Wasn't Mine
“Margaret, I need you to say that again.””
Dad's voice was so quiet that I could barely hear him over the aquarium filter.
He stood beside the dining table, gripping his phone while Melissa hovered near the front door. Tyler sat on the couch with his head buried in his hands. Nobody seemed to remember the dead phone floating in the aquarium.
I couldn't stop staring at Dad.
Forged signature.
Those two words had just turned my entire childhood upside down.
On the phone, Margaret Collins, the attorney who had handled Grandma's estate, repeated herself.
“The withdrawal authorization bears your name, Daniel. But the signature doesn't match the specimens we have on file. That's why I flagged it.””
Dad shut his eyes.
“When did you flag it?””
“Four months ago. I called Ryan because he was listed as the account manager. He told me you had authorized a restructuring of the funds.””
“And you believed him?””
“I asked him to provide the supporting documents. He sent a scanned authorization.””
Dad's fingers tightened around the phone.
“Did you call me?””
“I tried twice. Your number went directly to voicemail, and Ryan told me you were traveling for work. He assured me he'd arrange a meeting with you.””
“I was never traveling.””
“I understand that now.””
Melissa suddenly stepped forward.
“Daniel, this is getting out of hand. You can't accuse people of forgery because a lawyer has misplaced paperwork.””
Dad slowly turned toward her.
“She's telling me my signature was forged.””
“And you're assuming Ryan did it!””
“I'm asking questions.””
“You're destroying this family!””
Dad's expression hardened.
“No, Melissa. Someone may have stolen eighty thousand dollars from my daughter. If this family falls apart because I ask who did it, then it was never as solid as I thought.””
Melissa recoiled as if he'd slapped her.
I stepped closer to the table.
“Margaret, can I ask you something?””
“Of course, Emily.””
“Was the money transferred into another account?””
“Yes. The original account was closed after the withdrawal. The authorization directed the funds to a private investment account.””
“Whose account?””
Margaret hesitated.
“I can't confirm the beneficial owner without reviewing the complete records. However, the account was associated with a company called Westbridge Consulting.””
Dad frowned.
“Ryan doesn't own a consulting firm.””
“Not directly, according to the records I have.””
I looked at Melissa.
She was staring at the floor, rubbing her wedding ring with her thumb.
“Have you heard of Westbridge Consulting?”” I asked her.
Her head snapped up.
“No.””
The answer came too quickly.
Dad noticed.
“Then why are you looking at me like that?””
“Because you're interrogating me in front of the children!””
“Emily is the person whose inheritance disappeared.””
“She doesn't understand how these things work!””
I felt heat rise into my face.
“I understand that my grandmother left me eighty thousand dollars, and now it's gone.””
Melissa opened her mouth, but no answer came.
Dad turned back to the phone.
“Margaret, freeze whatever remains of the account and send me every document you have. I'm coming to your office first thing tomorrow.””
“I'll prepare everything. Daniel, one more thing.””
He paused.
“What?””
“The authorization included a witness signature. Someone named Melissa Carter.””
The room went completely silent.
Melissa's maiden name was Carter.
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
For several seconds, he simply stared at his wife.
Then he said, “You told me you had never seen the account paperwork.””
“I haven't!””
“Your signature is on the authorization.””
“Anyone could have copied it!””
“That's possible,” Margaret said through the speaker.
“Which is why we need the original documents examined.””
Melissa pointed at the phone.
“Exactly! You heard her. It proves nothing.””
Dad picked up the receipt Tyler had produced.
“Then why did you tell Tyler to take Emily's laptop to a repair shop?””
Melissa's lips parted.
No words came out.
Tyler lifted his head.
“Because she said the video showed Uncle Ryan giving her papers.””
Melissa spun toward him.
“You promised you wouldn't talk about that!””
Tyler immediately covered his mouth.
My stomach twisted.
“Giving her what papers?””
Dad stepped toward his son.
“Tyler, what did you see?””
“I didn't see the whole video,” he whispered.
“Mom made me close the laptop when she came into the room. But I saw Uncle Ryan give Mom a folder. He told her the transfer had gone through.””
Dad went still.
Melissa shook her head violently.
“He's confused. He doesn't know what he saw.””
Tyler stood up so abruptly that the couch cushion sprang back into place.
“I'm not confused! You told me to delete the recording!””
Dad stared at his wife.
“Did you take the folder from Ryan?””
“I don't remember.””
“Did you sign the withdrawal authorization?””
“I said I don't remember!””
Her voice cracked on the final word.
I had never heard Melissa sound frightened before. Angry, certainly. Manipulative, often. But frightened?
That was new.
Dad looked toward the stairs.
“Emily, go pack a bag. You're staying with Aunt Laura tonight.””
I blinked.
“What? Why?””
“Because I don't know what's happening in this house anymore, and I need you somewhere safe while I sort it out.””
Melissa's face twisted.
“You're throwing your wife out of her own home?””
“I didn't say that.””
“Then where am I supposed to go?””
Dad looked at her for a long moment.
“That's something you should have thought about before you involved our children in whatever this is.””
I hurried upstairs, packed clothes, grabbed my schoolbooks, and tucked Grandma's old photograph into my bag.
When I returned, Dad was standing alone in the hallway.
He hugged me tightly.
“I'm sorry, sweetheart.””
“For what?””
“For trusting the wrong people with something that belonged to you.””
I pressed my face against his shoulder.
“You didn't know.””
“I should have checked.””
He pulled away and looked me directly in the eyes.
“I promise you, Emily. I'm going to find out where every dollar went.””
Then his phone buzzed.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
Dad opened it.
His face turned white.
The message contained a photograph of a document bearing his signature.
May you like
Underneath it were seven words:
*STOP DIGGING, OR YOUR DAUGHTER LOSES EVERYTHING.*
