Chapter 13 - Seventy-Two Hours
The court scheduled an emergency hearing for Monday morning.
Seventy-two hours.
If Victor convinced the judge that Ethan had lawfully pledged any marital interest connected to Claire’s property, the redevelopment loan could remain temporarily attached while ownership was litigated.
Jonathan was confident Victor would eventually lose.
But eventually was dangerous.
The lender could force foreclosure proceedings while the courts sorted everything out.
Claire stared at the clock.
“What do we need?”
“The original loan agreement.”
“Where is it?”
“Victor has it.”
Daniel discovered that Victor had checked into a private hotel outside Providence under another name.
Police could question him regarding Margaret’s assault, but the evidence was not yet enough for a major financial arrest.
Claire refused to wait.
Jonathan warned her not to contact Victor.
She contacted him anyway.
“I know about the forged partnership agreement.”
Victor laughed.
“You think that matters?”
“I have the ledger.”
Silence.
For the first time, Claire had surprised him.
Victor recovered quickly.
“Your father kept excellent records.”
“He did.”
“He also kept secrets.”
“What secrets?”
“You should ask Margaret why your mother really hated her.”
Claire tightened her grip on the phone.
“I already know about the theft.”
Victor chuckled.
“No.”
“You know the version your father wanted preserved.”
Claire said nothing.
Victor continued.
“Bring me the ledger.”
“I’ll give you the original loan agreement.”
“Public place.”
“Of course.”
“Tomorrow.”
He named an old waterfront restaurant.
Jonathan nearly exploded when Claire told him.
“You are not meeting him alone.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
Police arranged surveillance.
Daniel would sit nearby.
Ethan insisted on coming.
Claire refused.
“You complicate everything.”
“I can help.”
“You’ve helped enough.”
Ethan accepted the insult without fighting.
Then he handed Claire a small recorder.
“Victor likes hearing himself talk.”
“Let him.”
The next afternoon, Victor arrived fifteen minutes late.
He looked calm.
Expensive suit.
Perfect smile.
Nothing about him suggested desperation.
Claire placed a duplicate ledger on the table.
Victor slid an envelope toward her.
“Loan agreement.”
Claire did not touch it.
“Tell me why you targeted my family.”
Victor smiled.
“Your father destroyed mine.”
“Your father tried to steal from him.”
“That’s what the ledger says.”
“That’s what happened.”
Victor leaned closer.
“Did Margaret tell you she helped your father create those records?”
Claire’s pulse jumped.
“What?”
Victor smiled wider.
“Ask her.”
“She knows exactly how the ledger was written.”
Claire refused to react.
“Why humiliate Lily?”
“I didn’t.”
“You told Margaret to make it look like Lily caused a scene.”
His smile disappeared slightly.
“So the child recorded us.”
Claire said nothing.
Victor realized his mistake.
He leaned back.
“Smart little girl.”
“Don’t talk about my daughter.”
Victor’s eyes hardened.
“Then keep her out of adult wars.”
Daniel shifted at the next table.
Claire saw it.
Victor saw it too.
He smiled.
“You brought protection.”
“I brought witnesses.”
Claire reached for the envelope.
Victor placed his hand over it.
“One more thing.”
“Margaret didn’t attack Lily because of a document.”
“She attacked her because she realized whose signature was really on it.”
Claire stared.
“What are you talking about?”
Victor released the envelope.
“Ask Ethan.”
Then he stood and walked away.
Police followed.
Claire opened the envelope.
The loan agreement was inside.
At the bottom was Ethan’s signature.
And directly beneath it was Claire’s.
But this time, Claire recognized something terrifying.
The signature looked perfect because it was not forged.
May you like
It had been copied from a document Claire had actually signed.
A document Ethan had given her months earlier.
