Chapter 6 - THE PAPER THAT COULD TAKE HER LIFE AWAY
Daniel reached Claire's townhouse in twelve minutes.
The notary was still there.
She stood in the living room with a leather portfolio pressed against her chest while Claire blocked the front door.
Evelyn sat on the couch.
Noah stood beside her.
Daniel walked inside.
“Who are you?”
The woman gave her name.
Janice Bell.
Commissioned notary public in Wake County.
“I came because Mrs. Hale's attorney requested verification of a document.”
“I don't have an attorney,” Evelyn said.
Janice looked uncomfortable.
“The request came from Wexler Family Law.”
Claire exchanged a glance with Daniel.
That was the firm listed in the guardianship draft.
Daniel said, “Show me the document.”
“I can't release a client's document to you.”
Evelyn stood.
“I am the client.”
Janice hesitated.
Then she opened the portfolio.
The document was a durable power of attorney.
It gave Vanessa Price authority over Evelyn's banking, healthcare coordination, property, and voting interests in privately held companies.
Evelyn stared at it.
“I never saw that.”
The signature resembled hers.
The notarization looked valid.
Janice's face tightened.
“I notarized this.”
“When?” Daniel asked.
“Two weeks ago.”
“Where?”
“Your home.”
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn shook her head.
“I wasn't there.”
“You were at my house,” Claire said. “Noah's orthodontist appointment was that afternoon. You stayed for dinner.”
Janice looked from one face to another.
“I met a woman who identified herself as Evelyn Hale.”
Evelyn's expression changed.
“How old?”
“I'm not comfortable answering questions without counsel.”
Daniel fought the urge to shout.
Claire stepped in.
“You should call your bond carrier and an attorney.”
Janice swallowed.
“I think I should call the police.”
“Yes,” Claire said. “You should.”
The notary left forty minutes later after speaking with the same Cary officer handling the burglary report.
Daniel called Wexler Family Law.
The receptionist confirmed a file existed.
She refused to discuss it.
Company counsel called the firm directly.
By late afternoon, they learned the guardianship petition had not yet been filed.
The power of attorney had, however, been sent to Hale Specialty Packaging's registered office the previous Friday.
Mark had signed for the FedEx envelope.
Daniel stared at the delivery record.
Claire sat across from him at her dining table.
Noah had gone upstairs.
Evelyn was resting.
“This keeps getting worse,” Daniel said.
Claire rubbed one thumb along the rim of her water glass.
“That's because you're finally looking at all of it.”
He looked at her.
“Did you ever think Vanessa was capable of this?”
“I thought she was lying.”
“About what?”
“Your mother.”
“That isn't what I asked.”
Claire's eyes narrowed.
“No, Daniel. I did not predict that the woman you were sleeping with would help forge a power of attorney to seize your mother's business shares.”
He looked away.
“Right.”
“Stop asking me questions that make me responsible for not saving you from choices I begged you not to make.”
The room became silent.
Daniel nodded.
“You're right.”
Claire seemed almost irritated by the answer.
Maybe anger was easier when he fought back.
A knock came at the door.
It was Evelyn.
She held her prescription bag.
“I remembered something.”
Daniel stood.
“What?”
“The woman.”
“What woman?”
“The one who came to the house.”
Claire pulled out a chair.
Evelyn sat.
“Vanessa told me a nurse was coming to help with insurance paperwork.”
“When?”
“Two Thursdays ago.”
“The day the power of attorney was notarized?”
“I suppose.”
Evelyn frowned.
“She asked me to stay upstairs because I had a headache. I heard Vanessa talking to someone in the dining room.”
Daniel's hands went cold.
“Did you see her?”
“No. But afterward Vanessa brought me papers to sign.”
“What papers?”
“She said they were for prescription delivery.”
Claire leaned forward.
“Did you sign?”
“Two pages.”
Daniel shut his eyes.
A forged power of attorney did not necessarily require a forged signature if Vanessa had tricked Evelyn into signing something without showing her the actual document.
But the notary claimed she had personally watched “Evelyn Hale” sign.
Someone had lied.
Possibly everyone involved.
The next morning, Daniel met with the company's other senior managers.
He did not tell them about the affair.
He told them there was suspected financial fraud involving vendor payments and executive credentials.
Mark's system access remained suspended.
He was placed on paid administrative leave pending review.
Mark called Daniel immediately afterward.
“You humiliated me in front of my own staff.”
“You're still being paid.”
“That's your defense?”
“My defense is I have a fiduciary duty.”
Mark laughed.
“Claire teach you that phrase?”
Daniel closed his office door.
“Did you receive a power of attorney for my mother?”
Silence.
“Mark.”
“Something came by FedEx.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I assumed you knew.”
“It gave Vanessa control of thirty percent of the company.”
“I didn't read the whole thing.”
“You're the CFO.”
“Then fire me.”
Daniel's throat tightened.
“Did you arrange it?”
“No.”
“Did you arrange the guardianship petition?”
“No.”
“Did you introduce Vanessa to me?”
A longer silence.
Then Mark said, “Be careful.”
Daniel's grip tightened on the phone.
“Is that a threat?”
“No.”
Mark's voice dropped.
“It's the first useful advice I've given you in months.”
He ended the call.
At five, Hale Specialty Packaging's HR director knocked on Daniel's door.
Her name was Renee Carter.
She had worked for his father before Daniel graduated college.
“You need to hear something.”
She placed her phone on his desk.
“Vanessa called my personal number last month.”
“Why?”
“She wanted Evelyn's employment history.”
“My mother's retired.”
“I told her that.”
Renee opened a voicemail.
Vanessa's voice filled the room.
“Hi, Renee, it's Vanessa. Daniel asked me to gather some records for his mom. We're trying to document how much she's declined, so anything showing confusion or mistakes would help. Once she fails the assessment, the ownership issue should be easy. Call me.”
The voicemail ended.
Daniel sat completely still.
Renee looked sick.
“I thought Daniel meant you.”
“I never asked her.”
“I know that now.”
Daniel replayed one sentence.
Once she fails the assessment, the ownership issue should be easy.
Renee said, “There's something else.”
She opened an email she had received that morning from Mark's company address.
The subject line read:
EVELYN HALE – CAPACITY TIMELINE.
Attached was a spreadsheet.
The first column listed dates.
The second listed “incidents.”
Forgot medication.
Left stove on.
Became disoriented.
Accused caregiver.
Fell without cause.
Daniel recognized several events Vanessa had described to him.
The last row was tomorrow's date.
May you like
Beside it were four words.
NEURO EVALUATION – EXPECT FAILURE.
