Chapter 8: The Original Death Certificate
Victor Harlan entered my home as if he owned it.
He didn't wait for an invitation.
He walked past me, placed his briefcase on the dining table, and removed his overcoat.
The second man remained near the front door.
I immediately disliked the arrangement.
"Who is he?"" I asked.
Victor glanced at him.
"My associate.""
"I didn't invite either of you.""
Victor smiled.
"Unfortunately, Mrs. Miller, your husband has made several agreements that require my attention.""
I looked at Daniel.
He stood near the living room entrance, his face drained of color.
"Tell him to leave," I said.
Daniel shook his head.
"Sarah, please.""
Victor laughed.
"Your husband understands the situation better than you do.""
I turned toward him.
"Then explain it.""
Victor opened his briefcase.
He placed three documents on the table.
"The first is the original debt agreement. The second concerns the family trust. The third concerns the property security arrangement.""
I didn't touch them.
"I've already disputed the mortgage application.""
"That is a separate matter.""
"You used forged documents.""
Victor's expression remained calm.
"Your husband provided those documents. I relied on the representations he made.""
"Then you can explain that to the fraud investigators.""
His smile faded slightly.
He sat down.
"Let's not make this unpleasant.""
I looked at Patricia.
She was standing behind the sofa, gripping its back.
"Patricia said you have my father-in-law's original death certificate.""
Victor glanced toward her.
"Patricia has become emotional.""
"Show me the certificate.""
He opened a side compartment in the briefcase and removed a clear plastic sleeve.
Inside was a certified copy of the death certificate.
I read the details.
Name.
Date of birth.
Date of death.
Cause of death.
Cardiac arrest following acute myocardial infarction.
Everything appeared ordinary.
"Why is this important?""
Victor placed another paper beside it.
A hospital discharge record.
Then a handwritten note.
I looked at the note.
It was signed by my father-in-law.
Victor, I know what happened to the money. If you continue pressuring Daniel, I will report the transfers and the altered trust documents.
I looked up.
"Did you receive this?""
Victor nodded.
"Your father-in-law was an angry man near the end.""
"Did you threaten him?""
"No.""
"Did you visit him before he died?""
"Several times.""
Patricia suddenly stepped forward.
"That's a lie.""
Victor turned.
"Patricia.""
"You visited him the night before he died.""
Victor's expression hardened.
"Careful.""
She looked at me.
"I saw him leave the house. He went to the hospital. He said he was going to tell the doctors about the threats.""
Victor closed the briefcase.
"That is enough.""
I stepped between them.
"No. It's not.""
Victor stood.
"Mrs. Miller, I suggest you focus on your own problems. Your husband owes me money.
Your property is involved. And your sister has already admitted participating in the documentation process.""
I stared at him.
"How do you know about Emily?""
He smiled.
"Because I have copies of everything.""
He removed a small envelope.
Inside were printed emails.
The first was between Daniel and Victor.
The date was six months earlier.
Daniel had written:
The trust transfer is complete. Sarah won't know anything until the property sale closes.
Victor's response was brief.
Make sure the additional beneficiary receives her allocation. We cannot afford another dispute.
I read the message twice.
Then I found another email.
This one was between Victor and someone whose name had been partially redacted.
It mentioned the insurance proceeds.
The missing $500,000.
And a payment to a company called Northstar Advisory.
I looked at Victor.
"Who is Northstar Advisory?""
He didn't answer.
Patricia stepped forward.
"I know that company.""
Victor turned sharply.
"Patricia, sit down.""
She ignored him.
"Your father-in-law told me about it.""
I looked at her.
"What did he say?""
She swallowed.
"He said someone had created a false investment account in his name.""
Victor's jaw tightened.
Patricia continued.
"He said the account was receiving money from the trust. He suspected Daniel was involved, but he didn't know who was helping him.""
I turned toward my husband.
Daniel looked as though he might collapse.
"Who helped you?""
He didn't speak.
Victor picked up the documents.
"Enough. We can discuss this through attorneys.""
I stepped toward the door.
"Then leave.""
He looked at me.
"You may regret making an enemy of me.""
I held his gaze.
"I already have enough enemies in this house.""
Victor motioned to his associate.
They walked out.
Before leaving, Victor turned back.
"Daniel. Tomorrow. Eight o'clock. Bring the original agreement.""
Daniel nodded weakly.
The door closed.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Patricia sat down and began crying.
I looked at her.
"Why did you let this happen?""
She wiped her face.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Victor?""
"Of everyone.""
I sat opposite her.
"Tell me everything.""
She opened the folder again.
"Your father-in-law had a private account. He discovered that money was being moved without his authorization. He suspected Daniel and Victor were working together.""
"Did he confront Daniel?""
"Yes. They argued. Your father-in-law threatened to remove Daniel from the trust.""
I looked toward my husband.
Daniel was standing by the window.
"Then what happened?""
Patricia lowered her voice.
"Three days before he died, Daniel came to me. He said his father was planning to change the beneficiary arrangements. He asked me to help him preserve the money.""
I stared at her.
"And you agreed?""
"I didn't know what he intended.""
"You gave him the documents.""
She nodded.
I felt sick.
"Why?""
"He told me it was only temporary.""
I looked at the handwritten note.
"Did your husband ever tell you he was afraid of Victor?""
Patricia nodded.
"He said Victor had threatened to destroy the family.""
"Did he say anything about his death?""
She hesitated.
Then she opened another pocket in the folder.
She removed a small voice recorder.
"I found this in his desk after the funeral.""
My heart began pounding.
"What is it?""
"Your father-in-law recorded a conversation with Daniel.""
I looked at Daniel.
His face had gone completely white.
"Mom," he whispered.
Patricia pressed the play button.
At first, there was static.
Then a man's voice.
My father-in-law.
"Daniel, I know about the transfers.""
A younger voice answered.
Daniel.
"You're misunderstanding.""
"I have the bank records.""
"Then let me explain.""
"You changed the trust documents.""
"I was protecting the money.""
"From whom? Your own mother?""
There was a pause.
Then Daniel said:
"Victor told me what to do.""
My father-in-law's voice became louder.
"Victor doesn't own this family!""
Another pause.
Then came the sentence that made my blood run cold.
"If anything happens to me, Daniel, your mother must give the documents to Sarah. She's the only person you haven't managed to deceive.""
The recording continued.
Daniel sounded furious.
"Don't bring Sarah into this.""
"She's already involved. You used her information.""
"I had no choice.""
"You always have a choice.""
Then came a loud noise.
A chair scraping.
And the recording ended.
I stared at the recorder.
"Is there more?""
Patricia nodded.
She pressed another button.
A second recording began.
This time, the voice was quieter.
My father-in-law was speaking to someone else.
"Victor, I have proof. If you don't return the money, I will go to the authorities.""
A second man answered.
"You're making a mistake.""
"I've already contacted my attorney.""
"You won't have time to do anything.""
The recording stopped.
Nobody moved.
I looked at Patricia.
"Was that Victor?""
She nodded.
Daniel suddenly grabbed the recorder.
"Turn it off!""
I stepped between him and his mother.
"Don't touch it.""
He looked at me.
"Sarah, you don't understand.""
"Then explain.""
His voice broke.
"Dad was going to ruin everything.""
The words came out before he could stop them.
Patricia covered her mouth.
I stared at Daniel.
"What did you just say?""
He stepped backward.
"I didn't mean—"
"You said your father was going to ruin everything.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Victor had already invested the money. Dad was going to report us. Everything would have collapsed.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"Us?""
He looked toward Patricia.
She was crying silently.
Then Daniel said something that changed everything.
"Mom was the one who signed the original transfer.""
I turned toward Patricia.
She shook her head.
"No.""
Daniel continued.
"She gave Victor access to Dad's account.""
"That's not true!"" Patricia shouted.
"You signed the authorization!""
"I thought it was an investment agreement!""
"You knew what we were doing!""
I looked between them.
The two people who had spent months making me feel like an outsider were now accusing each other of the same crimes.
Then my phone rang.
Michael Price.
I answered.
"Sarah, I need you to listen carefully.""
"What happened?""
"We've received confirmation from the bank regarding the original insurance proceeds.""
"Yes?""
"One of the transfers was made to an account that was not connected to Victor's company.""
I looked at the papers.
"Whose account?""
Michael paused.
Then he said:
"Your sister Emily's.""
My body went cold.
"How much?""
"Two hundred and fifty thousand dollars.""
I looked at Patricia.
She was staring at me.
Then I looked at Daniel.
His face had changed.
He wasn't surprised.
He was terrified.
Because apparently, Emily had received far more than the twenty-five thousand dollars Daniel had promised her.
May you like
And I was beginning to suspect that my sister hadn't been recruited to help them.
She had been part of the plan from the beginning.
