The Signature That Made Vanessa Go Pale

“It's what he's already taken.””

Vanessa's words hung in the bright study.

Marcus stared at her, one hand resting on the property transfer agreement. Through the open doorway, sunlight stretched across the polished floor, illuminating the blue folder, the bank statement, and the signature that had brought a police officer to his daughter's birthday party.

“What does that mean?”” Marcus demanded.

Vanessa wrapped her arms around herself.

“Daniel told me the transfer was temporary. He said it was a business arrangement, something that would protect the family if your development deal fell apart.””

“My development deal has nothing to do with this house.””

“That's what I thought.””

“You thought?”” Marcus picked up the agreement.

“You were holding this folder before I even came upstairs. You knew something was wrong.””

Vanessa looked down at her champagne gown.

“I knew there were questions.””

“Then answer mine. What has my brother already taken?””

She swallowed.

“I don't know the entire truth.””

Marcus slammed the document onto the desk.

“Stop giving me pieces of sentences! My signature is on a document I never signed. My daughter says you threatened her.

My brother just hung up on me when I mentioned Friday. And you're standing here telling me you don't know anything?””

“I never said I knew nothing!””

“Then tell me what you know.””

Vanessa's eyes flashed.

“You want the truth? Fine. Daniel told me the house was going to become a problem.””

“What problem?””

“He said some of the money used to purchase it had been tied to your company's financing. He said if the new project failed, creditors might come after your assets.””

Marcus stared at her.

“The house was purchased years before this project existed.””

“That's what I told him!””

“And you believed him anyway?””

“He showed me documents!””

“What documents?””

Vanessa pointed toward the folder.

“Those.””

Marcus opened the bank statement. Several transfers were listed, each bearing a reference number he didn't recognize. The amounts were large enough to make his stomach tighten.

He had never authorized them.

He pulled out his phone and photographed every page.

Vanessa stepped forward.

“Don't do that.””

He raised his eyes.

“Why?””

“Because those documents contain private financial information.””

“My financial information.””

“I was trying to help you!””

“Then you won't mind me keeping copies.””

He photographed the signature, the transfer agreement, and the circled Friday deadline.

Then he slipped the originals back into the folder.

“Who prepared these?””

“Daniel.””

“Who witnessed the signatures?””

“I don't know.””

“Who submitted them?””

“I don't know, Marcus!””

Her voice cracked.

He studied her face, searching for the woman he'd married five years earlier—the woman who had once sat beside him in an empty apartment and promised that family would always come first.

All he saw now was someone desperately trying to decide which truth would hurt her least.

His phone rang.

Officer Reed.

Marcus answered immediately.

“Officer, I need to update you. I found a property transfer agreement bearing my disputed signature. There's also a bank statement showing transactions I don't recognize.””

“Have you altered or signed anything?””

“No. I've taken photographs.””

“Good. Leave the originals where they are for now. Don't confront anyone over the documents, and don't attempt to reverse any transactions yourself. I'll arrange for the appropriate investigator to contact you.””

Marcus looked at Vanessa.

“Can I tell you something else?””

“Go ahead.””

“My brother may be involved. His name came up in a conversation my daughter overheard.””

There was a brief pause.

“Do you have a reason to believe he had access to your records?””

“He's been helping manage our business paperwork.””

“All right. Preserve the messages you receive, and don't delete anything. We'll need to establish how the documents were prepared and submitted.””

Marcus thanked him and ended the call.

Vanessa sank into the desk chair.

“Please don't bring the police into this any further.””

He stared at her.

“They're already involved.””

“You could make it go away.””

“How?””

She hesitated.

“Daniel can explain everything. He can correct whatever went wrong.””

“Correct what? A forged signature? An unauthorized property transfer? Money disappearing from my accounts?””

“I don't know if the signature was forged!””

“You just said Daniel prepared the documents.””

“I said he showed them to me!””

Marcus took a step toward her.

“Did you help him?””

Vanessa's face crumpled, but her eyes remained fixed on his.

“I helped him organize paperwork.””

“What paperwork?””

“The house documents. Some account statements. A few things from your office.””

“Without asking me?””

“He said you knew.””

“And did you ever hear that from me?””

She didn't answer.

The silence was enough.

Marcus turned toward the door.

“I'm taking Zoe home.””

Vanessa rose so quickly that her chair struck the desk.

“You can't leave me here with everyone thinking I'm some kind of criminal.””

“You should have thought about that before you treated my daughter like a servant.””

“She ruined the party herself!””

Marcus stopped.

Vanessa's expression hardened as if she had decided that anger was safer than shame.

“She could have worn another dress. She could have helped without making a scene. But she wanted everyone to see her as a victim.””

Marcus looked at her in disbelief.

“She is eighteen years old. She was crying while carrying a tray of drinks because you took her birthday dress away. What exactly did you expect her to do?””

“Listen to me!””

“No. You listen to me. Whatever happened between you and Daniel, you had no right to make Zoe afraid to tell her own father the truth.””

Vanessa's eyes filled.

For a second, Marcus thought she might apologize.

Instead, she whispered, “You don't understand what Daniel has on me.””

Marcus went completely still.

“What does he have on you?””

Vanessa immediately covered her mouth.

He turned back toward her.

“Vanessa. What does my brother have on you?””

She backed away from the desk.

“Nothing.””

“You just said—”

“I said I don't know what he'll do if you destroy everything!””

Marcus studied her.

Then his phone vibrated again.

This time, the message came from Daniel.

*DON'T TRUST VANESSA. SHE KNOWS WHY THE PAPERS WERE FILED. ASK HER WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FATHER'S ORIGINAL WILL.*

Marcus read the message once.

Then again.

His father's original will had disappeared eleven months earlier, shortly after the funeral. Daniel had told him the attorney was still searching for the final copy.

Marcus looked up slowly.