Chapter 4: My Brother’s Name
“Michael witnessed this?””
My voice sounded unfamiliar.
Sarah backed against the staircase.
“James, you need to understand—”
“I’m not asking you.””
I picked up my phone and called my brother.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Charles was still on speaker.
“James,” he said, “do not accuse Michael of anything until we verify that certification.””
“His name is on it.””
“A name can be forged too.””
Sarah laughed nervously.
“Exactly.””
I looked at her.
“You suddenly care about forgery?””
Her smile vanished.
The process servers had already returned to their car.
I shut and locked the door.
Then I photographed every page exactly as Charles instructed.
Sarah watched me.
“You’re treating me like a criminal.””
“I found another man hiding under our bed.””
“For the last time, Ryan and I are not having an affair.””
“Then tell me why he was here.””
She pressed both hands against her temples.
“I can’t.””
“Can’t or won’t?””
“Both.””
My phone rang.
Michael.
I answered immediately.
“Where are you?””
A pause.
“Work.””
“Stay there.””
“Why?””
“Because your name is on a notarized document saying you watched me sign away half my house.””
Silence.
Then Michael whispered, “Oh, God.””
My stomach dropped.
“You know about it.””
“No.””
“You just said ‘Oh, God.’”
“James, listen to me. Where are you?””
“Home.””
“With Sarah?””
“Yes.””
Michael’s breathing changed.
“Get away from her.””
Sarah heard him.
Her face hardened.
“Put him on speaker.””
I already had.
“Michael,” Sarah said coldly, “be very careful what you say.””
Another silence.
Then Michael said, “You told me you destroyed it.””
Sarah lunged for my phone.
I stepped away.
“What did she destroy?”” I demanded.
Michael swore under his breath.
“James, I need to come over.””
“Answer me.””
“It’s complicated.””
“No. It stopped being complicated when my wife filed for divorce using your name.””
Michael lowered his voice.
“Three months ago, Sarah asked me to witness something.””
My grip tightened around the phone.
“What?””
“She said you were refinancing the house.””
“I wasn’t.””
“I know that now.””
“Did you sign?””
“Yes.””
The word hit like a fist.
Sarah turned away.
“You signed without seeing me sign?””
“She showed me a page with your signature already on it.””
“And you believed her?””
“You sign paperwork all the time!””
“You didn’t call me?””
“I should have.””
I closed my eyes.
Michael had always been reckless.
But stupid wasn’t the same as malicious.
At least, I desperately wanted to believe that.
“Did she pay you?””
“What? No.””
Sarah muttered, “Liar.””
Michael heard her.
“You want to talk about lying?””
Sarah spun toward the phone.
“Shut your mouth.””
“Tell him about the storage unit.””
Sarah’s face emptied.
I stared at her.
“What storage unit?””
Michael said, “I’m coming over.””
The call ended.
Sarah immediately headed toward the kitchen.
I followed.
“Storage unit.””
“Michael is trying to save himself.””
“What storage unit?””
“I don’t know.””
I stepped in front of the back door.
She stopped.
“Move.””
“No.””
“You cannot keep me here.””
“You’re free to leave.””
I pointed toward the front door.
“But your phone stays.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“Absolutely not.””
“Then stay.””
For several seconds, we stared at each other.
Finally, Sarah walked into the living room and sat.
I returned to my study.
Charles was still connected.
“Charles?””
“I’m here.””
“What do I do?””
“First, preserve evidence. Second, do not sign anything. Third, I’m contacting litigation counsel.””
“What about the divorce order?””
“It’s a request, not a final ruling. But take it seriously.””
I looked at the forged agreement.
“What happens if they convince a judge this is legitimate?””
“That depends on several facts. But your father’s trust complicates Sarah’s claim significantly.””
“Meaning?””
“Meaning she may be claiming ownership of something you personally never had authority to transfer in the way this document describes.””
That gave me my first breath of hope.
Then Charles added, “But whoever prepared these documents probably knows that.””
I frowned.
“Why would they file something that doesn’t work?””
“That’s what concerns me.””
The doorbell rang again.
Michael.
I opened the door.
My brother looked terrible.
Tie loose.
Eyes red.
Sweat along his hairline.
He carried a large brown envelope.
Sarah appeared behind me.
The second Michael saw her, he stopped.
“You.””
Sarah folded her arms.
“You signed it.””
“You lied to me.””
“You were happy enough to help when you thought James was refinancing.””
Michael stepped inside.
“I didn’t help you steal his house.””
I shut the door.
“Enough.””
They both stopped.
I held out my hand.
“Envelope.””
Michael gave it to me.
Inside were photographs.
Ryan entering a storage facility.
Sarah beside him.
Boxes being loaded from the trunk of her car.
And one photograph of Sarah handing something to a third man.
I didn’t recognize him.
“Where did you get these?””
Michael rubbed his face.
“I followed her.””
Sarah laughed.
“You stalked me.””
“Why?”” I asked Michael.
“Because she asked me to witness another document two weeks ago.””
“What document?””
Michael looked at Sarah.
She stared back at him.
“A power of attorney.””
My skin prickled.
“For who?””
“You.””
I looked at Sarah.
She didn’t deny it.
Michael continued.
“I refused. She got angry. Then she offered me twenty thousand dollars.””
“Michael,” Sarah warned.
He ignored her.
“That’s when I knew something was wrong.””
I flipped through the photographs.
“Who’s the third man?””
“I don’t know.””
Sarah stood.
“This conversation is over.””
Michael pointed at her.
“Ask her what’s in Unit 314.””
Sarah’s face changed.
I saw it.
Michael saw it too.
He reached into his pocket.
“I went back after they left.””
He placed a small brass key in my hand.
Sarah rushed forward.
“Give me that!””
Michael blocked her.
She shoved him.
He caught her wrists.
“Get off me!””
“Both of you, stop!””
I pulled them apart.
Sarah’s breathing was ragged.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the key.
That told me more than any confession could.
I looked down at the stamped number.
314.
“What’s inside?””
Sarah said nothing.
Michael did.
“I looked through the gap under the door.””
“And?””
“There were filing boxes. Maybe twenty.””
My stomach tightened.
“Documents?””
“Probably.””
“What else?””
Michael hesitated.
“A suitcase.””
Sarah suddenly went still.
May you like
Michael looked directly at me.
“And on top of it was a plane ticket with Sarah’s name on it.””
