Chapter 4: My Forged Signature
I stared at my name until the letters blurred.
EMILY CARTER.
The signature looked almost perfect.
The long curve of the E.
The slight break between my first and last name.
Even the little upward stroke I always made at the end of Carter.
But I hadn't signed it.
"I've never seen this before.""
Linda stopped struggling against Dad's grip.
Andrew Walsh studied my face.
"You're certain?""
"Completely.""
He pointed toward the date.
"According to this document, you signed it four months after your eighteenth birthday.""
I did the math instantly.
"I was at college.""
Dad looked at me.
"You'd already moved into the dorm.""
"Three states away.""
Andrew nodded.
"That's important.""
"What does the document do?"" Dad asked.
Andrew hesitated.
"It transfers Emily's beneficial interest in this property to a family holding company.""
"What company?""
He turned the page.
Carter Residential Holdings LLC.
Dad frowned.
"I've never heard of it.""
Linda suddenly laughed.
It was too loud.
Too forced.
"Oh, come on. Robert, you signed dozens of documents after Susan died. You probably forgot.""
Dad turned toward her.
"Don't use my first wife's name like we're discussing some forgotten grocery receipt.""
Linda's smile vanished.
Andrew continued.
"The company was created eleven days before this transfer.""
"By whom?"" I asked.
He slid another page forward.
My stomach twisted.
Linda Carter.
Madison covered her mouth.
"Mom...""
Linda jerked free of Dad.
"This is ridiculous. Andrew Walsh shows up in the middle of the night waving papers around, and everyone immediately decides I'm a criminal?""
Andrew remained calm.
"I'm not here to decide criminal liability.""
"Then get out of my house.""
His expression barely changed.
"That may be one of the questions these documents raise, Mrs. Carter.""
Linda froze.
I looked at him.
"What do you mean?""
He pointed at the deed information.
"Your mother, Susan, inherited this property from her parents. When she died, her estate plan divided ownership.""
Dad looked stunned.
"She never told me that.""
"She did.""
Andrew reached into his briefcase.
"This letter was addressed to you.""
Dad took it.
His hands started shaking.
"Where did you find this?""
"Daniel found a scanned copy among archived records connected to Susan's original attorney.""
Linda's voice sharpened.
"Daniel had no right digging into this family.""
I turned toward her.
"He had more right than you had sending Madison into his apartment.""
Madison flinched.
Linda glared at her daughter.
"This happened because you couldn't follow simple instructions.""
Madison stared at her.
"You told me to find the blue folder.""
"And instead you took pictures!""
"You told me to!""
"No, I didn't.""
"Yes, you did!""
"Enough," Dad said.
Madison stood so fast the chair scraped backward.
"No! She keeps doing this!""
Tears streaked her face.
"She tells me what to do, and when it goes wrong, suddenly it was all my idea.""
Linda's expression turned vicious.
"After everything I've done for you?""
Madison recoiled.
I had spent years resenting her.
But for the first time, I saw something I hadn't wanted to see.
Fear.
Real fear.
Andrew cleared his throat.
"There is another issue.""
I looked back at him.
"How much of the house belongs to me?""
"Forty percent.""
Dad's head snapped up.
"What?""
"Mr. Carter received sixty percent under Susan's estate plan. Emily received forty percent in trust until her eighteenth birthday.""
I gripped the kitchen counter.
"And the document with my forged signature?""
"Transferred your forty percent.""
"To Linda's company.""
"Yes.""
Dad slowly sat down.
"I refinanced this house.""
Andrew nodded.
"Twice.""
Dad looked sick.
"How do you know?""
"The property records.""
"I thought Linda and I owned it together.""
"According to the current paperwork, Carter Residential Holdings owns Emily's former interest. Your sixty percent remains yours.""
Dad stared at Linda.
"You told me I was adding you to the deed.""
"I was protecting this family.""
"From my daughter?""
"From financial chaos!""
I stepped forward.
"What happened to the money?""
Linda's eyes moved toward me.
"What money?""
Andrew answered.
"When the property was refinanced, funds were distributed.""
"How much?""
He hesitated.
"Across both transactions, approximately three hundred and eighty thousand dollars.""
Madison whispered, "Oh my God.""
Dad looked ready to collapse.
"Where did it go?""
"Some went toward legitimate household debt.""
"Some?""
Andrew looked directly at Linda.
"A significant portion was transferred to accounts associated with Carter Residential Holdings.""
Linda grabbed her coat.
"This conversation is over.""
Dad stepped in front of her again.
"No.""
"Move.""
"Where is the money?""
"I don't know.""
"You controlled the company!""
"I managed finances because you couldn't!""
Dad's face crumpled.
That hurt him.
I could see it.
After Mom died, he'd barely functioned for almost two years. Linda had entered our lives during the worst period of his grief.
She hadn't simply married him.
She had made herself necessary.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Daniel.
I had almost forgotten he was still on the call.
"Emily.""
"I'm here.""
"I just pulled into your street.""
Linda went still.
Daniel continued.
"Do not let anyone touch Andrew's documents.""
"Why?""
"Because I found something else in my apartment.""
Madison's face drained of color.
"What?"" I asked.
"The blue folder Madison was looking for wasn't the only thing hidden in my desk.""
Linda took one slow step backward.
Daniel's voice came through clearly.
"I made copies.""
"Copies of what?""
"Bank records.""
Andrew looked sharply at my phone.
"What bank records?""
Daniel didn't answer immediately.
Then headlights swept across the kitchen wall.
A car door slammed outside.
Linda suddenly rushed toward the hallway.
Dad caught her arm.
"Where are you going?""
"Let go!""
Daniel's footsteps approached the porch.
Then he entered through the still-open front door.
His tie was loose. His hair was disheveled from traveling. A black folder was tucked beneath his arm.
He saw my ruined dress on the counter.
Then Madison.
Then Linda.
Finally, he looked at me.
"I'm sorry.""
I swallowed.
"For what?""
He placed the folder on the table.
"For not telling you sooner.""
My heart sank.
"Daniel...""
He opened it.
Bank statements.
Transfers.
Photocopies.
Numbers circled in red.
"I wanted proof before I scared you.""
He pulled out one page.
"Emily, the money from the house isn't the biggest thing missing.""
The room went silent.
I stared at him.
"How much?""
Daniel looked at Andrew before answering.
"Based on what we've found so far?""
He turned the statement toward me.
May you like
"More than one million dollars.""
Linda bolted for the back door.
