Chapter 5 - The Divorce Offer)
The divorce agreement arrived at 7:14 the following morning.
Julian’s attorney called it generous.
Nora called it evidence.
She read every page.
Julian offered to cover her hospital expenses.
In exchange, Nora would waive all claims against him relating to the incident at the lake house.
She would also relinquish the lake property.
The wording was almost elegant.
Transfer of disputed recreational residence.
Nora read that phrase three times.
Disputed.
There was nothing disputed about ownership.
Samuel’s trust was clear.
The house belonged to Nora.
Julian simply wanted her to sign a document pretending otherwise.
Then she found Clause 22.
Nora would acknowledge that her injuries resulted from an accidental fall.
She photographed every page and sent them to Detective Cole.
He called immediately.
“Do not sign.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“This is useful.”
“How useful?”
“Very.”
Nora looked toward the officer outside.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Have you identified the man outside the lake house?”
“Not yet.”
“Do you think he pushed me?”
“No.”
The answer surprised her.
“Why?”
“He was outside when you were injured upstairs.”
“Then who was he?”
“We’re working on it.”
Cole paused.
“Mrs. Vance, there’s something else.”
“What?”
“We recovered partial audio.”
Nora sat straighter.
“From the camera?”
“Yes.”
“The twelve missing minutes?”
“Fragments.”
“What did you hear?”
Cole was silent for a moment.
Then he played it.
Static.
Rain.
Victoria’s voice.
Give me the folder.
Nora’s own voice answered.
Get away from me.
Then Julian.
Mom, stop.
A crash.
Nora inhaled sharply.
Victoria again.
Look what you made me do.
Then another voice.
Male.
Unknown.
Enough.
The recording ended.
Nora stared at the phone.
“There was someone else inside.”
“Yes.”
“The man from outside?”
“Possibly.”
“What happened next?”
“That section was erased.”
Nora’s hand trembled.
She hated that.
Not the fear.
The missing memory.
Someone knew what happened to her.
She did not.
“Find him.”
“We will.”
At noon, Benjamin returned with Evelyn Shaw, trustee of Samuel’s estate.
Evelyn was sixty, sharply dressed, and famously incapable of small talk.
She placed a tablet in front of Nora.
“Activation confirmed at 9:06 this morning.”
“What triggered confirmation?”
“Property records.”
Nora frowned.
“What records?”
Evelyn rotated the screen.
A deed appeared.
Nora’s blood ran cold.
Someone had attempted to transfer the lake house.
To VHC Holdings.
The same company connected to Samuel’s missing money.
Signature:
Nora Elizabeth Vance.
Except Nora had never signed it.
“That’s forged.”
“We know.”
“Who filed it?”
“A property attorney named Martin Keller.”
“Who hired him?”
Evelyn met her eyes.
“Victoria Vance.”
Nora leaned back.
Victoria had not merely moved into the house.
She had attempted to steal it legally.
Evelyn continued.
“Under Section Fourteen, attempted fraudulent transfer activates immediate release.”
“When?”
“Package One goes to Detective Cole tonight.”
Nora looked at the clock.
“And Julian?”
“He still has no idea.”
Nora thought about the divorce papers.
About Victoria’s messages.
About the stolen key.
Then she made a decision.
“Let them come tomorrow.”
Benjamin looked alarmed.
“Absolutely not.”
“With police present.”
Evelyn understood first.
“You want them to incriminate themselves.”
“I want them to tell me the house belongs to them.”
“They already have.”
“Not in front of witnesses.”
Nora looked toward the hallway.
“Tomorrow they’re going to walk into this room believing they’ve won.”
May you like
She placed the forged deed beside Julian’s divorce agreement.
“I want to see what they say when they think I have nothing left.”
