Chapter 4: The Signature of a Dead Woman
For nearly a minute, I couldn't move.
Emily had been dead for three years.
Yet there, on my laptop screen, was a document claiming she'd authorized the transfer of our family home less than two years after her funeral.
I leaned closer, examining the scanned signature.
The letters looked right. The looping E. The slight upward slant of the final y. Even the small mark Emily always made beneath her signature was there.
But I knew my wife.
I had watched her sign birthday cards, school permission slips, mortgage documents, and the paperwork for our daughters' passports. I'd held her hand when she was too weak to write during her final week in the hospital.
Whatever appeared on that screen, Emily hadn't signed it.
My phone rang.
Margaret Hayes.
"Daniel, I've received the documents you sent," she said.
"I'm reviewing the property filing now. Have you spoken to Richard?""
"No.""
"Good. Don't call him yet. I want to establish exactly what was submitted and when.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"Someone forged my dead wife's signature to transfer our house. How am I supposed to sit quietly?""
"You don't have to sit quietly. You have to be careful. If Richard is involved, he may already know the filing has attracted attention.""
I looked toward the office door.
Downstairs, I heard Vanessa laughing.
The sound was so ordinary that it made my stomach turn.
"Margaret, there's something else. My daughters have recordings of Vanessa mistreating Lily. There's also a recording of Vanessa discussing the house with someone who sounds like Richard.""
"Keep those recordings safe. Make copies without altering the originals. And please, Daniel, don't let your daughters be questioned or pressured about them.""
"I won't.""
"Can you come to my office at ten?""
"I'll be there.""
When I hung up, I heard a small knock.
Lily stood in the doorway, still wearing her pajamas. Her hair fell over one eye, and she clutched the sleeves of her cardigan between her fingers.
"Are you angry, Dad?""
I immediately closed the laptop.
"No, sweetheart. Why would you think that?""
She looked toward the hallway.
"Vanessa said you might be angry when you found out.""
My chest tightened.
"Found out about what?""
Lily hesitated.
"That I broke the blue plate.""
I stared at her.
"What blue plate?""
"The one she said was expensive. It fell when I was washing dishes."" Her voice became smaller.
"She said she'd tell you I did it on purpose.""
I crossed the room and knelt in front of her.
"Lily, look at me. You could break every plate in this house, and I'd still love you exactly the same.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"She said I was costing you too much money.""
I felt something cold settle behind my ribs.
"Did she say that often?""
Lily nodded.
"She said you already spent too much on me because of the hospital bills when I was little. She said if I wanted to live here, I needed to earn my keep.""
I took both her hands.
"You are my daughter. You never have to earn your place in this family.""
She tried to smile, but her lips trembled.
"Then why did you leave me with her?""
The question cut deeper than anything Vanessa had said.
I had no defense.
"I thought she was taking care of you," I admitted.
"I believed what she told me because I wanted to believe it. I should have listened more carefully. I'm so sorry.""
Lily looked down at our hands.
"Sometimes I wanted to call you, but she would stand beside me when I talked to you. She'd smile and tell me what to say.""
I closed my eyes briefly.
All those cheerful evening calls. All those assurances that the girls were fine.
I'd mistaken rehearsed answers for happiness.
"That stops now," I told her.
"You can tell me anything, even if you think it will upset me. Especially then.""
Lily leaned forward and wrapped her arms around my neck.
I held her until her breathing settled.
Then she pulled back.
"Dad, there's something about the house papers.""
I stiffened.
"What do you know?""
She glanced at the closed laptop.
"Vanessa has been taking things from your office.""
"What things?""
"Letters. Envelopes. Sometimes she takes pictures of papers with her phone. She told Mason not to touch them because they're worth more than the things we own.""
I rose slowly.
"When did you see this?""
"Last week. She was in your office after you called us. She said Richard needed everything ready before the end of the month.""
My phone buzzed.
A message from Margaret appeared.
*The transfer application includes a supporting authorization I need to examine. Please bring the original paperwork if you have it. Also, do not leave the children alone with Vanessa while we investigate.*
I showed Lily the message.
"We're going to see Margaret this morning. Sophie can come, too.""
Lily's face brightened for a moment.
"Can we leave the house?""
"Yes.""
"All of us?""
"All of us.""
She looked over her shoulder.
"What about Vanessa?""
Before I could answer, a voice came from the hallway.
"What about me?""
Vanessa stood outside the office, dressed in a cream blouse and tailored trousers. She held a mug of coffee in one hand and her phone in the other.
Her eyes moved from Lily to me.
"Are we having another private family meeting?""
"No," I said.
"Lily was asking me a question.""
"Well, I hope you reminded her that breakfast needs to be cleared before she goes anywhere.""
"She isn't clearing anything. We're going out.""
Vanessa's eyebrows lifted.
"Where?""
"That's none of your concern.""
Her coffee mug struck the small table beside the door with a sharp clink.
"Excuse me?""
"You heard me.""
She looked at Lily.
"Go downstairs.""
Lily froze.
I stepped between them.
"She stays here.""
Vanessa's face reddened.
"You cannot undermine me in my own household!""
I almost laughed at the absurdity.
"Your own household?""
"I have been keeping this family together while you disappear on business trips. You think money is enough to raise children?""
"No. I think love, safety, and trust are enough to begin with.""
Her mouth tightened.
"You have no idea what those girls are like when you're gone.""
"Actually, I have a much better idea now.""
For the first time, fear flickered across her face.
Then she looked toward the laptop.
"What have they told you?""
"Enough.""
She took a step closer.
"Daniel, whatever you think you've discovered, you need to be careful. Lily has been sneaking around, and Sophie has been recording private conversations. That is not normal behavior.""
"Neither is feeding a child scraps while everyone else eats dinner.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"You are going to regret humiliating me.""
"No," I replied.
"I regret trusting you.""
I took Lily's hand and led her toward the hallway.
Vanessa followed us.
"Where are you taking them?""
"Out.""
"Daniel, we have guests coming tonight. Richard is bringing some documents, and we need to discuss the arrangements.""
I stopped.
"What arrangements?""
She recovered quickly.
"Business matters. Nothing that concerns the children.""
I turned to face her.
"Richard isn't coming here tonight.""
Her expression hardened.
"You can't dictate who I invite into this house.""
"Watch me.""
I took Lily downstairs, found Sophie waiting by the front door with her backpack, and gathered both girls into my arms.
Behind us, Vanessa's phone began ringing.
She answered it before we reached the car.
"Richard," she said sharply, "we have a problem.""
I didn't hear his reply.
But I saw Vanessa look straight at me.
And the expression on her face told me that, for the first time in eight months, she wasn't the one controlling what happened next.
As I helped my daughters into the car, my phone buzzed again.
May you like
This time, the message came from an unknown number.
*If you want to know who really signed Emily's name, ask Vanessa what happened to the original will.*
