Chapter 3 - The Signature Chloe Never Wrote
Marissa sent the second document.
Chloe opened it on her phone.
Her full legal name appeared beneath language identifying her as co-trustee of the Mercer Family Land Trust.
The signature looked convincing.
It even included the small upward curve she placed at the end of her last name.
But Chloe knew she had not written it.
The date beside the signature was three days earlier.
At that time, she had been presenting audit findings to a conference room in Frankfurt.
“This is forgery,” Chloe said.
Susan gave a brittle laugh.
“Perhaps you signed something before leaving and forgot.”
“I don’t forget signing away my father’s farm.”
Heather started toward the stairs.
Chloe blocked her path.
“You’re staying here.”
“You can’t imprison us.”
“No one is stopping you from leaving. But neither of you is taking a phone, laptop, document, or bag out of this house.”
Susan’s eyes narrowed.
“Kyle will destroy you for speaking to us this way.”
Chloe looked at the floor where Norman had been kneeling.
“He already tried.”
Norman rubbed his forehead.
He remembered the notary as a young woman with dark hair and a gold bracelet.
Heather had called her Melissa.
Heather stopped moving when he said the name.
Chloe noticed.
“Who is Melissa?”
“No one.”
“Dad?”
Norman continued.
“Heather said they went to college together.”
Heather folded her arms.
“She’s a licensed notary.”
“Did she witness my signature too?”
“I don’t know anything about your paperwork.”
Chloe picked up Norman’s phone.
She searched the recent messages.
Most of the conversation with Kyle had been deleted.
One remained in the trash folder.
Keep Norman calm until the wire clears. After four, he can go home.
Chloe showed it to Susan.
Susan’s mouth tightened.
“It doesn’t mean what you think.”
“It means you knew when the money would move.”
Kyle’s car appeared at the end of the driveway.
A black SUV came quickly around the lake and stopped outside the house.
Susan whispered, “Thank God.”
Chloe did not feel relieved.
Kyle entered through the front door carrying a bottle of champagne.
He smiled when he saw his mother and sister.
Then he noticed Chloe standing beside Norman.
The bottle slipped slightly in his hand.
“You’re not supposed to be here.”
Chloe raised the forged authorization.
May you like
“Neither is my signature.”
👉 Kyle had prepared explanations for Norman’s questions, but he had no explanation for the wife who had returned before his crime was complete.
