Chapter 4: The Paperwork She Never Expected Me to Read
“Because, Dorothy, the first one wasn't supposed to be discovered yet.””
Kristen's words hung between us.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Daniel's hands tightened around the steering wheel. I could hear the engine idling beneath us, and somewhere across the street, a neighbor's dog barked.
I looked at Kristen.
She seemed to realize what she had just said.
Her expression changed almost immediately.
“What I meant,” she began, “was that the first document was preliminary. It wasn't ready to be discussed.””
I opened the car door.
“Then why did you bring me another one?””
She held out the envelope.
“Because Patrick and I want to avoid unnecessary legal expenses. We thought we could settle everything privately.””
Daniel stepped out beside me.
“Settle what, exactly?””
Kristen gave him a practiced smile.
“Family matters, Daniel. You wouldn't understand.””
“Try me.””
She ignored him and turned toward me.
“Dorothy, this is a simple authorization. It allows Patrick to handle the transaction details. You would still have control over the final decision.””
I looked at the envelope.
“Then why does it say Whitmore Development Partners?””
“Because they're coordinating the purchase.””
“And why does it say irrevocable authorization?””
Her smile faltered.
I hadn't even opened the envelope.
I had simply read the words visible through its transparent window.
Daniel noticed.
“Mom, don't touch it.””
Kristen rolled her eyes.
“Honestly, you two are behaving as though I've brought a criminal contract.””
I looked directly at her.
“You brought me a document connected to a property sale I never agreed to, after admitting that another document was not supposed to be discovered.””
Her jaw tightened.
“I never said that.””
“You did. I heard you.””
Kristen glanced toward the street.
A curtain moved in the neighboring house.
She lowered her voice.
“Can we please discuss this inside?””
“No.””
“Dorothy, you're making a scene.””
“This is my driveway. I don't need your permission to stand in it.””
Daniel almost smiled.
Kristen shoved the envelope toward me.
“Fine. Keep it. But don't complain when this opportunity disappears.””
I didn't take it.
She dropped it onto the hood of Daniel's car.
“Patrick is going to be furious when he hears how you're treating me.””
I looked at her.
“Then perhaps you should tell him exactly what you just told me.””
Her face went pale.
She picked up the envelope, turned sharply, and walked back to her SUV.
Before getting inside, she lowered the window.
“You're making a terrible mistake, Dorothy.””
I watched her drive away.
Daniel waited until the SUV disappeared around the corner.
Then he turned toward me.
"Mom, did you hear what she said?""
"Every word.""
"She practically admitted the first document was fraudulent.""
"She admitted something was wrong. Margaret will need to determine exactly what.""
Daniel looked toward the house.
"Let's go inside.""
I nodded.
But as we walked toward the front door, I noticed something that made me stop.
The door wasn't fully closed.
I distinctly remembered locking it when we left that morning.
Daniel noticed my expression.
"What's wrong?""
"I locked the door.""
He moved ahead of me.
"Stay behind me.""
We entered cautiously.
Nothing appeared disturbed in the living room.
The television was off. Gerald's photograph remained on the mantelpiece. The cushions were exactly where I had left them.
Then we heard a noise upstairs.
A drawer closing.
Daniel looked at me.
"Did you invite anyone over?""
"No.""
He took the staircase two steps at a time.
"Daniel!""
He turned.
"Stay downstairs, Mom.""
I heard him reach the landing.
Then a man's voice.
"Whoa. What are you doing?""
Another voice answered.
"Just looking for the paperwork.""
I recognized it immediately.
Patrick.
Daniel appeared at the top of the stairs.
"What paperwork?""
Patrick stepped into view.
He was holding a folder from my study.
His face drained of color when he saw me.
"Mom.""
I stood at the bottom of the stairs.
"Why are you in my house?""
He glanced at the folder.
"I came to get some documents.""
"From my study?""
"Yes.""
"Without asking?""
He sighed.
"Mom, don't start.""
Daniel came down the stairs.
"Put the folder back.""
Patrick looked irritated.
"Stay out of this.""
"You're standing in our mother's study, taking her papers without permission. I think I'm exactly where I need to be.""
Patrick held the folder against his chest.
"Kristen said Mom had the original property documents.""
I stared at him.
"Why does Kristen need my property documents?""
He looked at me, then away.
"She wanted to verify the ownership records.""
"After the title company already received a document claiming she had authority to act for me?""
Patrick went completely still.
I watched him process my words.
"How do you know about that?""
"Because I found it.""
He rubbed his forehead.
"Mom, you don't understand.""
"Then explain it.""
He looked at Daniel.
"Can we talk privately?""
"No," I answered.
"You can talk here.""
Patrick hesitated.
Then he said, "Kristen told me the power of attorney was legitimate.""
"Did you see me sign it?""
"No.""
"Did you witness me sign it?""
"No.""
"Did you ask me about it?""
He looked down.
"No.""
I took a slow breath.
"Then why did you believe it?""
Patrick's voice became defensive.
"Because she said you had agreed.""
I stared at my son.
"How many times did she tell you that?""
He didn't answer.
"Patrick, look at me.""
Finally, he raised his eyes.
"Did you know about the document six weeks ago?""
He hesitated.
"Yes.""
My heart sank.
"So you knew.""
"I didn't know it was wrong.""
"But you knew someone had prepared a power of attorney in my name.""
He nodded.
"And you didn't ask me?""
"Kristen said it was part of the preliminary process.""
I looked at the folder in his hands.
"Put my papers down.""
He placed it on the hall table.
For a moment, none of us spoke.
Then Patrick looked at me.
"Mom, we have a problem.""
I almost laughed.
"We?""
He swallowed.
"Kristen and I are in serious financial trouble.""
I felt my anger shift.
Not disappear.
Shift.
"What kind of trouble?""
He sat down on the bottom stair.
"About a year ago, Kristen and I invested in a commercial property project. Her father introduced us to the opportunity. We were told it was practically guaranteed.""
"How much did you invest?""
Patrick stared at his shoes.
"Almost everything we had saved.""
Daniel folded his arms.
"And?""
"The project collapsed. We borrowed money to keep it going. Then the interest rates changed. We started missing payments.""
"How much do you owe?"" I asked.
Patrick rubbed his face.
"About three hundred and eighty thousand dollars.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Three hundred and eighty thousand?""
"Mom, I didn't want you to worry.""
Daniel shook his head.
"So you decided to sell her house instead?""
Patrick looked up sharply.
"We were going to pay everything back.""
"With money that belongs to her?""
"It's not like that!""
"Then explain the $185,000 allocation beside your name.""
Patrick went silent.
I watched him.
He knew exactly what I was talking about.
"That was supposed to help us get back on our feet," he finally said.
"After selling my home?""
He nodded reluctantly.
I felt an ache behind my ribs.
"Patrick, your father and I worked for decades to buy this house. We paid the mortgage. We repaired the roof.
We raised you and your brother here. And you thought it was acceptable to use it as collateral for your financial problems?""
"I didn't think of it that way.""
"How did you think of it?""
He stood abruptly.
"Kristen said you'd eventually move anyway!""
The words struck harder than he intended.
I looked at him.
"Did you ever ask me?""
He opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
"That's what I thought.""
He reached for his coat.
"Mom, I know this looks bad, but we're trying to fix things.""
"By taking my home?""
"Nobody was taking anything!""
"Then why did you tell a developer I would be gone by January?""
He looked toward the staircase.
I followed his gaze.
For the first time, I understood that Patrick was not simply ashamed.
He was afraid.
"Patrick, what happens if this sale doesn't go through?""
He stared at me.
Then he said quietly:
"Kristen's father is going to lose everything.""
I blinked.
"What does that mean?""
Patrick shook his head.
"Ask Kristen.""
He walked toward the door.
Before leaving, he turned.
"Mom, please don't go to the police yet.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
He swallowed.
"Because there's more to this than you know.""
Then he left.
Daniel stood beside me.
"Mom, we need to call Margaret.""
I nodded.
But before I could reach for my phone, a notification appeared on the screen.
An email.
The sender was a company I didn't recognize.
The subject line read:
*NOTICE OF PENDING PROPERTY TRANSFER — DOROTHY MAE ELLIS.*
I opened it.
There was a message explaining that a preliminary transfer request had been received and that additional verification was required before processing could continue.
At the bottom was a reference number.
And a deadline.
Monday at noon.
Today was Saturday.
Daniel read over my shoulder.
"Mom, they're trying to push this through.""
I looked at the deadline.
Then I remembered Gerald's letter.
You do not owe anybody an explanation for wanting to stay.
I took out my phone and called Margaret.
She answered immediately.
"Mrs. Ellis?""
"Someone has submitted another transfer request.""
There was a pause.
"Don't respond to the email. Forward it to me immediately.""
"I will.""
"And Dorothy?""
"Yes?""
"Do not let anyone into your house without your permission. Not even family.""
I looked at the front door Patrick had just walked through.
"I understand.""
After I ended the call, Daniel picked up the folder Patrick had left.
He opened it carefully.
Inside were copies of old property documents, a neighborhood development map, and several printed emails.
Daniel stopped at one page.
"Mom.""
"What?""
He handed it to me.
It was an email from Kristen to her father.
The date was nearly two months old.
The subject line read:
*Dorothy's Property — Final Steps.*
I read the first sentence.
Once Patrick has the authorization signed, we can move forward without involving Dorothy in every detail.
My fingers went cold.
Then I read the next sentence.
She'll be upset initially, but she'll adjust once she realizes how much better the new arrangement is for everyone.
At the bottom was a reply from Robert.
Make sure the January deadline holds. We cannot afford another delay.
I looked at Daniel.
"What deadline?""
He pointed to an attachment.
It was a scanned agreement between Whitmore Development and another company.
The final paragraph contained a date.
December 31.
And beneath it was a clause that changed everything.
*Failure to deliver the Ellis property by the agreed date shall trigger a financial penalty of $250,000.*
Kristen wasn't simply trying to sell my house.
May you like
Her father had already promised it to someone else.
And my family was standing between him and a quarter-million-dollar penalty.
