Chapter 7 - THE LAWYER WHO BETRAYED MY FATHERI stared at Richard's name.
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
The man who had appeared at the wedding claiming to protect my father's wishes was listed as a witness on another questionable document.
I felt sick.
“Rebecca, what does this mean?”
She studied the page.
“It means we need to ask Richard whether he witnessed this signature.”
I looked at Graham.
“Did you know about this?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
My hands trembled.
For days, Richard had been the one person from my father's past I believed I could trust.
He knew Dad.
He knew the estate.
He'd warned me about Vanessa and Mom.
But now his name appeared on a document that could have helped steal my inheritance.
“Was he involved?” I whispered.
Rebecca met my eyes.
“We don't know.”
I stood.
“I want to speak with him.”
“We will. But not alone.”
Richard arrived at Rebecca's office the following afternoon.
He looked tired.
When Rebecca placed the assignment in front of him, his expression changed immediately.
“Where did you get this?”
“From Graham Ellison,” she replied.
Richard studied the witness line.
His face went pale.
“That isn't my signature.”
My heart jumped.
“What?”
He pointed toward the page.
“My middle initial is wrong.”
Rebecca leaned closer.
The witness line read:
Richard A. Harlan.
Richard shook his head.
“My middle name is Thomas.”
I stared.
“Then why would someone use your name?”
“Because I was your father's attorney. A document appearing to have my acknowledgment would seem more credible.”
Rebecca made a note.
“Do you have signature exemplars and records showing where you were when this was supposedly executed?”
“Yes.”
“Please provide them.”
Richard nodded.
Then he looked at me.
“Claire, I know this looks terrible.”
I crossed my arms.
“I don't know what to believe anymore.”
His expression softened.
“I understand.”
“Do you?”
He was quiet.
I continued.
“My mother lied to me. My sister stole from me. My father's business partner betrayed him. Every time I find someone I think I can trust, another document appears.”
My voice cracked.
“And now your name is on one.”
Richard looked at the table.
“I should have done more.”
The admission surprised me.
“What?”
“I suspected irregularities when the estate documents changed. I challenged some filings. But I didn't pursue every available avenue as aggressively as I should have.”
His eyes filled.
“Edward was my friend. I wanted to believe his family would honor his wishes.”
I stared at him.
“You should have known better.”
He nodded.
“Yes.”
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Rebecca asked:
“Richard, do you know who prepared this document?”
He examined the formatting.
“The letterhead resembles material from a private document service used by Northstar.”
I leaned forward.
“Can you identify the service?”
“Possibly.”
He took a photograph of the page.
Then he looked at me.
“Claire, there's something I haven't told you.”
My stomach tightened.
“What now?”
He hesitated.
“Your father was preparing to remove Margaret as trustee before he died.”
I froze.
“Why?”
“Because he believed she'd compromised her fiduciary responsibilities.”
Rebecca leaned forward.
“Do you have a draft removal instrument?”
“Yes. But Edward died before it was finalized.”
I closed my eyes.
Dad had been so close.
So close to protecting us.
Richard continued.
“He also asked me to prepare instructions in case he became incapacitated.”
“What kind of instructions?”
“To restrict certain people from accessing company accounts.”
“Who?”
Richard looked at me.
“Margaret. Nathaniel. And Vanessa.”
My chest tightened.
All three.
Dad had discovered enough to distrust his own wife and younger daughter.
And then he died.
That evening, Lily asked whether we could visit Harbor House again.
I hesitated.
The property investigation was ongoing.
But the house had been inspected, and limited visits were possible with permission.
“Why do you want to go back?” I asked.
She shrugged.
“I liked it.”
I smiled.
“Me too.”
She looked at me seriously.
“Mommy, do you think we'll ever live there?”
My throat tightened.
“I don't know yet.”
She nodded.
“That's okay.”
Then she added:
“As long as we're together, anywhere can be home.”
I pulled her into my arms.
For a moment, all the legal documents and bank accounts disappeared.
There was only my daughter.
And the quiet certainty that whatever happened, I had already been given something priceless.
Three days later, Rebecca called.
“Claire, we've identified the document service connected to Northstar.”
I sat down.
“And?”
“The owner is a man named Samuel Pierce.”
I frowned.
“Never heard of him.”
“He prepared corporate filings and notarized documents for several Northstar-related companies.”
My stomach tightened.
“Did he forge my signature?”
“We don't know yet. Investigators are seeking records.”
Rebecca paused.
“There's something unusual.”
“What?”
“Pierce closed his office suddenly two months ago.”
I felt cold.
“Where is he?”
“According to public records, he moved to Florida.”
I exhaled.
“At least he's alive.”
Rebecca didn't respond immediately.
“Claire, the investigator tried contacting him yesterday.”
“And?”
“His family says he's been missing for three weeks.”
I stared at the phone.
“Missing?”
“Yes.”
I thought of Evelyn's warnings.
The break-in at the accountant's office.
The threats.
The forged documents.
People connected to Northstar seemed to be disappearing from the places they were expected to be.
“Do the police know?”
“Yes.”
I rubbed my forehead.
“Rebecca, what is happening?”
Her voice softened.
“We're dealing with people who may have significant reasons to hide financial wrongdoing.”
Then she added:
“Claire, there's one more thing.”
My stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Before Pierce disappeared, he mailed a package to Richard Harlan.”
I froze.
“What was inside?”
Rebecca took a slow breath.
“A copy of a document titled Emergency Settlement Agreement.”
My heart pounded.
Dad's warning.
Claire must never sign the settlement.
I whispered:
“What settlement?”
May you like
Rebecca's voice became grave.
“An agreement that would have transferred Lily's entire trust to a company controlled by Nathaniel Cross.”
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