Chapter 7: The Uncle Who Knew Too Much
"Raymond Carter?""
Elise repeated the name while staring at the notarized document.
"He's my mother's older brother," I said.
"I haven't seen him in six years.""
My father suddenly stood.
"There's no reason to involve Raymond.""
I turned toward him.
"Why? Because he's the one person who might tell me the truth?""
Marcus shook his head.
"Your uncle has never liked me. He'll say anything to make me look bad.""
Elise carefully placed the document inside its folder.
"Then he should have no problem explaining his signature.""
Vanessa grabbed her handbag.
"This is ridiculous. We're leaving.""
The competition director moved toward the door.
"Mrs. Carter, nobody is preventing you from leaving. However, the documents submitted to this competition are now part of an official investigation. We need you to remain available for questions.""
Vanessa sank back into her chair.
Maya handed me my phone.
"Call him.""
I stared at the number I'd found in an old family contact list.
For six years, I'd wondered why Uncle Raymond had disappeared from my life. He used to bring me little sewing kits for Christmas. When Mom died, he'd hugged me so tightly that I'd cried into his jacket.
Then one day, he stopped calling.
My father had told me Raymond moved away and wanted nothing to do with us.
I pressed the call button.
It rang four times.
A familiar voice answered.
"Hello?""
I nearly dropped the phone.
"Uncle Raymond?""
Silence.
Then he spoke softly.
"Nia?""
I closed my eyes.
"It's me.""
"Oh, sweetheart.""
His voice broke.
"Is something wrong?""
I looked across the room at my father.
"Someone used your name to notarize a document saying I gave up everything Mom left me.""
Another silence.
"What document?""
I swallowed.
"A transfer of her designs. A death certificate. Something about her trust.""
I heard a chair scrape against the floor.
"Where are you?""
"Atlanta Convention Center.""
"Stay there. Don't sign anything. I'm coming.""
He hung up.
My father looked furious.
"You shouldn't have called him.""
"Why?""
"Because he doesn't understand what happened.""
Elise crossed her arms.
"Then perhaps you should tell us.""
My father said nothing.
Almost forty minutes later, the conference room door opened.
A tall man with gray hair stepped inside, carrying a worn leather briefcase.
He looked older than I remembered.
His eyes immediately found me.
"Nia.""
I stood so quickly that my chair fell backward.
He wrapped his arms around me.
For a moment, I was seven years old again, sitting on the floor of my mother's studio while he showed me how to thread a needle.
Then he pulled away and looked at my face.
"Look at you. You're all grown up.""
I tried to smile.
"Why did you stop visiting?""
His expression changed.
"Your father told me you didn't want to see me.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
"He said you blamed me for your mother's death. He said being around me upset you.""
I felt Maya's hand settle on my shoulder.
"That's not true," I whispered.
Raymond closed his eyes.
"I know that now.""
My father stood.
"Raymond, we don't need to drag old family problems into this.""
Raymond slowly turned.
"Old family problems? You declared my niece dead.""
Marcus looked away.
Raymond approached the table.
"Show me the document.""
Elise handed him the notarized transfer.
He adjusted his glasses and studied the seal.
His face became pale.
"That's my notary commission number.""
"Did you certify this?"" Elise asked.
"No.""
My father immediately interrupted.
"Raymond, be careful.""
My uncle ignored him.
"I did not notarize Nia's signature. She wasn't present. I never witnessed her signing anything.""
The director leaned forward.
"Then how did your notary seal end up on this document?""
Raymond opened his briefcase and removed a small leather notebook.
"Two years ago, Marcus visited my house. He said he needed copies of certain family documents. He told me Nia was having problems and that he needed paperwork to handle her financial affairs.""
My heart pounded.
"What kind of problems?""
"He said you were refusing to communicate with the family and that you had been making decisions you might regret.""
I looked at my father.
He stared at the wall.
Raymond continued.
"I refused to sign anything involving your inheritance without speaking to you. Marcus became angry. We argued. A week later, I discovered my notary seal was missing from my locked office.""
Elise's expression sharpened.
"Did you report it?""
Raymond lowered his head.
"No.""
"Why not?""
"Because Marcus came back and told me he'd found it. He apologized. He said someone had moved things around while cleaning the office.""
I stared at him.
"You believed him?""
"I wanted to believe him. He was your father, Nia. I thought he was overwhelmed after Danielle's death. I never imagined he'd use my identity to steal from you.""
My father finally spoke.
"That's enough, Raymond.""
Uncle Raymond slammed his notebook onto the table.
"No, Marcus. It isn't.""
He turned to me.
"I have records proving I never notarized that transfer. My journal has every transaction I've legally witnessed. And the date on this document isn't there.""
Elise examined the notebook.
"That's important evidence.""
"I also have something else.""
Raymond opened the second compartment of his briefcase and removed an old photograph.
It showed my mother's design studio.
Behind the sewing machine was a locked wooden cabinet.
"I kept this after Danielle died," he explained.
"Your mother asked me to look after some of her original documents.""
My father stepped forward.
"Raymond, don't.""
My uncle looked directly at him.
"Do you recognize the cabinet, Marcus?""
My father didn't answer.
Raymond placed the photograph beside the forged transfer.
"Because the last time I opened it, I found something Danielle had hidden for Nia.""
I leaned forward.
"What was it?""
Raymond looked at my father.
"Your mother knew someone might try to take everything from you. She left instructions for exactly this situation.""
He reached inside his briefcase again.
But before he could remove the envelope, my father shouted:
"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THAT LETTER!""
Raymond stopped.
May you like
Then he smiled sadly.
"Actually, Marcus, I think you know exactly what's in it.""
