Chapter 2 - The Signature From Tomorrow
The ambulance took me to HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea before the police finished photographing the bedroom.
Austin rode with me.
He kept one hand around mine.
The other held his phone.
Not because he was recording anymore.
Because Detective Elena Brooks had instructed him not to delete, edit, crop or forward anything.
My cheek throbbed.
My ribs hurt.
My stomach felt tight.
Every time the nurse moved the ultrasound wand, I stopped breathing.
Then the room filled with a heartbeat.
Fast.
Steady.
There.
Our baby.
I cried so hard Austin had to look away.
The doctor found bruising, a split lip and strained muscles.
No internal bleeding.
No immediate sign the pregnancy had been harmed.
“Stress and abdominal trauma mean we want you monitored for several hours.”
I nodded.
Austin sat beside me.
He had barely spoken since the house.
Finally I asked:
“What was the paper?”
He looked at me.
“Something called an Irrevocable Executive Transfer and Guaranty.”
“That means nothing to me.”
“It means a lot to me.”
He opened the photograph Detective Brooks had allowed him to retain after police collected the original.
WENTWORTH INDUSTRIAL HOLDINGS
EMERGENCY SHAREHOLDER CONSENT AND ASSET GUARANTY
Effective date:
Tomorrow.
The document authorized Austin to guarantee a $14.8 million private loan using a package of Wentworth Industrial warehouse assets.
It also approved the transfer of a thirty two percent economic interest in a subsidiary called Desert Crest Logistics.
Buyer:
Raven Rock Capital Partners.
Purchase price:
$18 million.
Austin stared at the screen.
“Desert Crest is worth at least sixty.”
I looked at him.
“So somebody is buying your company for a third of what it’s worth?”
“Part of it.”
“And using company property to guarantee their loan?”
“Yes.”
“Can they do that?”
“Not without me.”
He enlarged the bottom.
Austin Wentworth.
Signature.
Witness:
Margaret Wentworth.
Notary:
Dennis Pruitt.
I knew that name.
Dennis had handled family documents for years.
“Did you sign anything like this?”
“No.”
“Could it be copied?”
“Yes.”
“From what?”
Austin rubbed both hands over his face.
“I sign hundreds of documents.”
Then he looked at the effective date again.
“Tomorrow at nine thirty.”
“What happens at nine thirty?”
“I was supposed to be in London.”
There.
The timing.
His flight landed in London around eight in the morning Arizona time.
He would be exhausted.
In meetings.
Harder to reach.
If someone filed a document bearing his signature while he was overseas, people might assume he signed electronically.
Then Margaret and Carla came for the safe.
Why?
Austin’s former family attorney, Walter Shaw, had sent him original unit certificates, amendments and old board records three nights earlier.
One folder was labeled:
DESERT CREST RESTRICTIONS.
Another:
MARGARET PERSONAL GUARANTIES.
I had seen the labels.
Not contents.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I didn’t understand them yet.”
“That doesn’t answer me.”
He closed his eyes.
“You’re right.”
Then:
“My father’s attorney called last week. He said there were irregularities in several family company files and he wanted me to review originals before I left.”
“Your father has been dead five years.”
“I know.”
“Why now?”
“Because Walter is retiring.”
That sounded reasonable.
Not enough.
Then Detective Brooks entered.
She sat.
“Mrs. Wentworth, how are you?”
“Baby’s okay.”
“Good.”
Then she looked at Austin.
“Your mother and sister are both in custody pending charging review.”
Margaret claimed she entered the house using a family access code.
Carla admitted breaking the safe but said she believed the property belonged to Austin and they were “protecting” it from me.
The video ruined most of that defense.
Then Detective Brooks said:
“We found something in Carla’s purse.”
She placed a photograph on the tray.
A printed email.
FROM: MARGARET WENTWORTH
TO: CARLA WENTWORTH
SUBJECT: TOMORROW
If Austin does not make the London flight, everything changes. The originals have to be out of the house before 8 a.m.
Austin stared.
Detective Brooks continued.
“There’s another email.”
FROM: CARLA
What if Irene won’t give the code?
MARGARET:
She will.
CARLA:
How?
MARGARET:
She has more to lose than we do.
I touched my stomach.
Detective Brooks watched me.
“Do you know what she meant?”
“No.”
Then Austin’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered on speaker.
“Austin Wentworth?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Walter Shaw.”
Austin straightened.
His father’s attorney.
Walter’s voice sounded shaken.
“I heard what happened.”
Austin said nothing.
Walter continued.
“Do not let anyone file that guaranty tomorrow.”
“Why?”
A pause.
“Because Raven Rock Capital isn’t an outside buyer.”
Austin stared at the phone.
“Who owns it?”
May you like
Walter answered:
“Your mother.”
