Chapter 3: The Papers in Richard's Hand
Richard Collins didn't raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
The moment he mentioned my mother's house, Jessica's expression changed so dramatically that I forgot about the ruined cake.
The anger disappeared.
The embarrassment vanished.
In its place came something much more revealing.
Fear.
“Richard,” Jessica said quickly, moving toward him, “this isn't the right time.””
He looked at his watch.
“I'm afraid it is.””
“Can we discuss this privately?””
“No.””
His answer was quiet and final.
Jessica glanced around the ballroom. Sixty guests were watching us now, some openly, others pretending to study their champagne glasses.
Vanessa approached my wife.
“What's going on?””
“Nothing,” Jessica snapped.
Richard placed the leather folder on a nearby table, carefully avoiding the spilled frosting.
“I'm here because I received instructions concerning a property transaction involving Margaret's home. Before I proceed any further, I need to establish whether she understands what she's being asked to sign.””
My stomach tightened.
“What property transaction?””
Richard turned toward me.
“Daniel, correct?””
“Yes. I'm her son.””
He nodded once.
“Then I suggest you listen carefully.””
Jessica grabbed his arm.
“Richard, please. This is a family matter.””
He looked down at her hand until she released him.
“You hired me to review the documents, Jessica. You told me the owner had agreed to the arrangement.””
“What arrangement?”” I demanded.
My wife swung toward me.
“Don't turn this into another scene.””
“Another scene? You just told my mother her handmade gift belonged in the trash, crushed it beneath your shoe, and watched me destroy your cake. Now a lawyer is talking about my mother's house. You'd better start explaining.””
Jessica's jaw tightened.
Richard opened the folder.
Inside were several pages of legal documents, a property assessment, and what appeared to be a preliminary agreement.
He removed one sheet and placed it on the table.
“The property is located at 184 Willow Creek Road?””
My mother nodded slowly.
“Yes. That's my house.””
Richard glanced at the document.
“According to the information provided to my office, the owner was considering transferring the property into a trust structure connected to a private development company.””
Mom frowned.
“I don't know anything about a development company.””
Jessica stepped between them.
“Margaret, remember? We discussed estate planning.””
Mom looked genuinely confused.
“You said Daniel and I should make sure the house was protected if I ever needed medical care.””
“Exactly,” Jessica replied, her voice suddenly sweet.
“That's what this is about.””
I stared at her.
“You told Mom she was signing medical planning documents?””
“Daniel, don't interrupt.””
“Answer the question.””
Jessica folded her arms.
“I was trying to help her.””
Richard removed another page.
“This document does not concern medical planning. It's a proposed property transfer.””
Mom's hand flew to her mouth.
“A transfer?””
“Yes, ma'am.””
She shook her head.
“But I never agreed to sell my house.””
Richard paused.
“Did you sign anything recently?””
Mom looked down at her hands.
For several seconds, she didn't answer.
Then she whispered, “Jessica brought some papers to my house last Tuesday.””
Every muscle in my body went rigid.
Jessica's face lost color.
Mom continued, apparently unaware of the effect her words were having.
“She said she wanted to help organize my documents. There were so many pages, and my eyes were bothering me that afternoon. She told me most of them were standard forms.””
I turned toward my wife.
“You went to my mother's house without telling me?””
“I visit her all the time!””
“No, you don't.””
Jessica opened her mouth, then closed it.
Richard pulled a chair out for Mom.
“Please sit down, Margaret. I need you to tell me exactly what happened.””
Mom sat carefully, smoothing her dress over her knees.
“I remember signing one page. Jessica said it would allow her to help with paperwork if I became unable to manage things myself.””
Richard's expression grew more serious.
“Did you read the page before signing it?””
“I tried, but the print was very small. Jessica said she'd explain it.””
“And did she?””
Mom hesitated.
“She said it was nothing to worry about.””
Richard exchanged a glance with me.
It was brief, but I saw it.
Something was wrong.
“Did you receive a copy?”” he asked.
“No.””
“Did anyone else witness the signature?””
“I don't think so.””
Jessica stepped forward.
“This is absurd. Margaret understood what she was signing.””
Richard turned toward her.
“Then you won't object to having the documents reviewed independently.””
“Of course I object! You're making it sound as though I've done something criminal.””
“I haven't accused you of anything.””
“You're standing in the middle of my birthday party discussing private documents!””
Richard closed the folder halfway.
“Because you told my office this transaction was urgent, and because the information supplied to me raises questions I cannot ignore.””
He looked at Mom again.
“Margaret, I need to be clear. I have not verified that any transfer is valid, and I cannot tell you that your property has changed hands. But I will not proceed on the assumption that you gave informed consent when you are telling me something different.””
Mom gripped the arms of her chair.
“Does that mean I could lose my house?””
“No,” I said immediately, moving beside her.
“Nobody is taking your house.””
Richard raised a hand gently.
“We don't know enough yet to make promises about the outcome. What we can do is stop this process from moving forward until the documents have been examined.””
I knelt beside Mom.
“Look at me. You're not handling this alone.””
She touched my cheek.
“Oh, Daniel. I didn't want to cause trouble.””
“You didn't.””
“I thought Jessica was trying to help.””
I had no answer.
Across the room, Jessica was speaking urgently to Richard, keeping her voice low enough that most of the guests couldn't hear.
I caught fragments.
“...you promised this would remain confidential.””
Richard replied, “Confidentiality doesn't require me to ignore a client's lack of understanding.””
Jessica's fingers curled around the edge of the table.
“You're going to destroy everything.””
“That's not my responsibility.””
She looked toward me, and for a moment I saw hatred so naked that I barely recognized the woman I'd married.
Then she forced a smile.
“Daniel, can we talk outside?””
“No.””
Her eyes widened.
“Excuse me?””
“You heard me. Whatever you have to say, you can say it here.””
She looked around at the guests.
“Are you seriously choosing your mother over your wife?””
I stood beside Mom.
“I'm choosing the person who didn't lie to me about what she was signing.””
Jessica's mouth fell open.
Richard removed another document from the folder.
“There is one more issue we need to discuss.””
My wife suddenly reached for the paper.
“Richard, don't.””
He pulled it out of reach.
“Jessica, I strongly advise you not to interfere.””
She froze.
I looked at the page in his hand.
At the top was my mother's full name, followed by the address of her home. Beneath that, a section identified the proposed receiving party.
Richard read it silently.
Then he looked at Jessica.
“Before I explain the significance of this document, Daniel, I need to ask you something.””
“What?””
“Has your mother ever agreed to transfer her house to a company in which your wife has a financial interest?””
I stared at him.
“What company?””
Richard turned the document toward me.
Jessica made a desperate move to grab it, knocking a champagne glass off the table.
It shattered across the marble.
Nobody looked down.
Every eye was on the name printed beneath my mother's address.
May you like
And when I read it, I realized the question wasn't whether Jessica had been planning to take my mother's house.
The question was how long she'd been planning to do it—and what she'd already done to make sure I never found out.
