Chapter 8 - The Notary Who Never Met Him
Detective Patel called Marcus the next afternoon.
“We found the notary.”
Marcus stood in his office conference room staring through the glass wall.
“Did she notarize my signature?”
“She notarized something.”
“What does that mean?”
“The notary is Tessa Monroe. She runs a mobile notary business. She says Denise Reed contacted her.”
Marcus gripped the phone.
“And?”
“She remembers the appointment because Denise claimed you were ill and couldn’t come downstairs.”
Marcus shut his eyes.
“She never saw me.”
“Correct.”
“How did she notarize it?”
“She says Denise presented your driver’s license and a man briefly appeared on a video call.”
Marcus opened his eyes.
“A video call?”
“Tessa admits she did not follow proper procedure.”
“Who was the man?”
“We’re working on that.”
Marcus thought about Denise’s catering business.
Employees.
Vendors.
People who owed her favors.
Patel continued.
“She’s cooperating because she understands her commission may be in serious trouble.”
“Good.”
“Marcus, there’s something else.”
Of course there was.
“Tessa kept a photograph of the signing table because Denise asked her to photograph the completed package.”
“Why?”
“She said the bank needed proof.”
Patel sent the image.
Marcus enlarged it.
The power-of-attorney pages were visible beside Denise’s purse.
At the edge of the frame sat a blue spiral notebook.
Caleb’s notebook.
Marcus stared.
“Can you enhance that?”
“We’re trying.”
The cover contained a white label.
Handwriting appeared across it.
CASE NOTES.
That evening, Marcus finally returned home with Caleb and Lily.
The locks had been changed.
New cameras watched the entrances.
The guest room stood empty.
Lily refused to walk past it.
Marcus knelt beside her.
“We can close the door.”
She shook her head.
“Gone?”
“Aunt Denise is gone.”
“Gone tomorrow?”
“Yes.”
“Gone night?”
“Yes.”
“Gone when Daddy work?”
Marcus’s throat closed.
“Yes.”
She studied him.
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
He closed the guest-room door.
Then Lily pushed it open again.
Marcus waited.
She walked inside.
The room smelled faintly of Denise’s perfume.
Lily looked beneath the bed.
Behind the curtains.
Inside the closet.
Only after checking every hiding place did she breathe normally.
Marcus sat on the floor with her.
“You wanted to see?”
She nodded.
“No Aunt Denise.”
“No Aunt Denise.”
Caleb remained in the hallway.
Marcus looked at him.
“Want to check too?”
“No.”
But he did not leave.
Later, Marcus made pancakes for dinner because Alana used to declare pancakes acceptable whenever the day had been “too complicated for vegetables.”
Caleb smiled for the first time all week.
Then someone knocked.
All three froze.
Marcus checked the camera.
Leonard.
His father stood on the porch holding a suitcase.
Marcus opened the door but blocked the entrance.
“What are you doing here?”
Leonard looked tired.
“I need to tell you something before Denise does.”
Marcus almost closed the door.
“Please.”
Caleb appeared behind Marcus.
The moment he saw Leonard, his expression tightened.
Marcus noticed.
“Caleb?”
His son whispered, “He knew.”
Leonard went pale.
Marcus turned.
“Knew what?”
Caleb stared at his grandfather.
“Aunt Denise said Grandpa knew nobody would believe me.”
Marcus looked slowly at Leonard.
His father shook his head.
“I didn’t know what she was doing.”
“But she said you would protect her.”
Leonard closed his eyes.
Marcus felt rage rise.
“Did Denise talk to you about the children?”
Leonard nodded.
“When?”
“January.”
“What did she say?”
“That Caleb was becoming difficult. That Lily threw tantrums. That you were overwhelmed.”
“And what did you tell her?”
“I said you needed her.”
Marcus laughed bitterly.
Leonard continued.
“She asked whether I would support her if she ever needed temporary guardianship.”
The room went silent.
“What did you say?”
Leonard’s eyes filled.
“I said if you truly became unable to manage, I would.”
Marcus stepped outside and closed the door behind him.
“You gave her permission.”
“No.”
“You gave her confidence.”
“I thought she meant if you had a breakdown.”
“She was building one out of paperwork.”
Leonard nodded.
“I know that now.”
Marcus looked at him with disgust.
His father opened his suitcase.
Inside was a thick envelope.
“I found this in my files.”
He handed it over.
The envelope contained photocopies of canceled checks.
Twelve years earlier, Evelyn Reed had paid Denise more than $140,000 over four years.
Marcus stared.
Leonard said, “Those were the advances your mother referred to in her will.”
“That’s why Denise received less.”
“Yes.”
“She told everyone Mom cheated her.”
“Yes.”
Marcus looked at him.
“You knew.”
Leonard whispered, “I kept thinking silence prevented damage.”
Marcus held up the checks.
“No, Dad.”
Inside the house, Caleb stood where Marcus could see him.
Watching.
Waiting.
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Marcus lowered his voice.
“Silence is how damage learned it could stay.”
