Chapter 6 - The Papers That Gave Away My Daughter
I slapped the guardianship document from Daniel’s hand.
“You gave your parents control of Emma?”
“It was supposed to apply only if something happened to both of us.”
“Something happened tonight. You stood there while they threw her outside.”
Emma looked at him as though she no longer recognized him.
Daniel moved toward her.
“I never wanted this.”
She stepped behind me.
“You signed it.”
His face collapsed.
Gerald had convinced Daniel that my emergency room work made me vulnerable to exhaustion, illness, and lawsuits. The document claimed his parents should become temporary guardians if I became unable to provide stable care.
The forged deed included a medical affidavit suggesting I had suffered a psychological breakdown.
Officer Ortiz read it twice.
“This states that Mrs. Moore became violent at work and was placed on administrative leave.”
“I completed my shift handoff less than three hours ago.”
“We will confirm that.”
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“My father said the affidavit was only needed for estate planning.”
“You did not read it?”
“I read what he showed me.”
Emma laughed once, without humor.
“You always say I am irresponsible because I do not read school emails.”
Daniel could not answer.
At four fifteen, my hospital supervisor called.
A complaint had been filed accusing me of stealing medication and threatening a patient’s family.
I was suspended pending investigation.
Gerald had not only planned to take my house.
He had planned to make me appear unstable enough to lose Emma.
Marlene looked sick.
“He has been preparing this for months.”
“Why tonight?” I asked.
She stared toward the basement.
“Because Patricia found Rebecca.”
The room fell silent.
“My mother is alive?”
“I do not know. Patricia called Gerald this week and said she had located a woman using Rebecca’s old social security number.”
Daniel stood suddenly.
“Dad said Patricia found a claimant who could challenge Rachel’s ownership.”
Marlene nodded.
“If Rebecca is alive, Thomas may never have legally inherited the house.”
I looked at the deed.
“My father bought this property.”
“With money Rebecca gave him,” Marlene said. “Money Gerald believed she stole.”
Emma took my hand.
“He does not care about the house.”
“No,” I said. “He cares about what is inside it.”
Officer Ortiz’s phone rang.
She listened for several seconds, then looked at me.
“Patricia regained consciousness.”
“Did she identify her attacker?”
“Yes.”
Everyone waited.
“She said Daniel struck her.”
Emma released my hand.
Daniel stared at the officer.
“That is a lie.”
“She claims you became angry when she refused to destroy the original notarization record.”
“I left her standing beside the safe.”
“Your fingerprints are on the tarp.”
“I moved it when she asked me to find the key beneath it.”
Officer Ortiz stepped toward him.
“I need you to come with me.”
Daniel looked at me desperately.
“Rachel, I did not hurt her.”
“You signed away our daughter.”
“I was trying to stop my father.”
“You kept every part of his plan secret.”
The officers placed Daniel in handcuffs.
Emma watched her father being led through the same doorway Gerald had used.
Before Daniel entered the police car, he turned toward me.
“Do not open the safe without me.”
“Why?”
“Because the date in the letter is not a death from the past.”
Rain ran down his face.
May you like
“It is tomorrow’s date.”
Continue to the next part: A date hidden in Rachel’s father’s warning suggests someone is expected to die before the safe can be opened.
