Chapter 3 - Charlotte Hale
Bethany found Charlotte Hale through a tenant named Rosa Martinez.
Rosa lived in the oldest Cooper building with her two sons. When Victor attempted to increase her rent without proper notice, Charlotte represented her for free.
“She listens,” Rosa told Bethany. “More importantly, she notices what powerful people hope everyone will ignore.”
Charlotte’s office was small but carefully organized. Beige walls were broken by two bold red panels. A wide wooden table dominated the center of the room.
Mr. Newburger, the firm’s senior attorney, had hired Charlotte three years earlier. She had developed a reputation for handling inheritance disputes and financial abuse cases.
During their first meeting, Bethany placed copies of the suspicious invoices on the table.
Charlotte studied them quietly.
“Does Larry know you’re here?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because he thinks any disagreement is betrayal.”
Charlotte looked up.
“Has he threatened you?”
“Not directly.”
“Has he pressured you to sign anything?”
Bethany hesitated.
“He calls every day. He says the family properties will fail because of me. He says our mother would be ashamed if I ruined everything.”
“That is pressure.”
“He’s my brother. He thinks he’s protecting the business.”
“Good intentions do not make dangerous decisions safe.”
Bethany looked down at her hands.
“I don’t want to take the buildings away from him.”
“What do you want?”
“I want the truth.”
Charlotte agreed to review the financial records.
Within two days, she discovered that Northline Restoration was connected to Victor’s cousin. She also found evidence that Victor had been preparing to refinance all four properties through a private lender.
The proposed loan carried an extreme interest rate.
If the payments were missed, the lender could seize the buildings.
Charlotte called Bethany.
“You need to file an emergency petition preventing any transfer or refinancing without court review.”
“That will humiliate Larry.”
“It may also save everything your mother built.”
Bethany thought about the promise made at the hospital.
Protecting someone does not mean controlling them.
For the first time, she understood that the warning had not been meant only for Larry.
May you like
Bethany had also spent years protecting her brother from the consequences of his behavior.
“I’ll file it,” she said.
