Chapter 9 - THE HUMMINGBIRD NECKLACE
The necklace turned out to matter.
Not financially.
Evidentially.
Paige had tried to sell it six months earlier.
A local jeweler remembered her because she looked ill and became embarrassed when the offered price was lower than expected.
He gave her a written estimate.
$620.
Paige planned to use it for transportation and medication.
Two days later, Susan took the necklace.
Her explanation:
“You cannot sell family property while you're mentally unwell.”
It had been my gift to Paige.
There was no reasonable confusion about ownership.
Then Susan began wearing it.
Why did that matter beyond cruelty?
Because Paige emailed herself the jeweler’s estimate before the necklace disappeared.
The email account was one Susan later claimed Paige no longer controlled because of “memory issues.”
Metadata showed Paige actively accessing it throughout the period Susan said she was incapable of managing finances.
Her language was coherent.
Her appointment planning detailed.
Her requests specific.
She repeatedly asked Susan for exact amounts:
$86 transportation.
$147 prescription.
$320 imaging copay.
Not wild spending.
Not unexplained withdrawals.
Then one message from Susan:
STOP ASKING ME FOR MONEY.
DAMIAN DID NOT GO TO CANADA TO FUND A BOTTOMLESS MEDICAL PROBLEM.
I had never said anything remotely like that.
Another:
GREG’S BUSINESS BENEFITS THE WHOLE FAMILY. YOUR TREATMENT ONLY BENEFITS YOU.
I could not read that one twice.
Nathan did.
So did investigators.
Then came the third clue leading toward Part Ten.
A bank transfer authorization for Greg’s business contained an electronic certification supposedly completed by Paige.
Timestamp:
2:14 p.m.
Hospital records showed Paige receiving chemotherapy at 2:14 p.m.
Could she have signed electronically during treatment?
Possible.
Then hospital Wi-Fi records and device information were reviewed.
The authorization originated from Susan’s tablet.
Interesting.
Still required more.
Then a second transaction.
Same tablet.
A third.
May you like
Paige’s supposed financial misconduct increasingly looked like activity performed from Susan’s device.
And the $26,000 theft story was about to collapse completely.
