“They’re private family papers,” Daniel snapped.
“They are an attempted transfer of trust property.”
Daniel stepped toward him.
“You do not know anything about this family.”
Arthur did not move.
“I know enough to recognize a deed prepared by a firm that lost its license last year. I know enough to recognize signatures copied from an old tax form. And I know the difference between a son asking for help and a son threatening his mother.”
The silence after that felt solid.
Marissa covered her mouth.
I looked at her.
“What did you promise me last night?”
She lowered her hand.
“I said I would talk to him.”
“You said you would tell me where the records were.”
Daniel turned toward her.
“What records?”
Her face collapsed inward, as if something behind her eyes had finally become too heavy to hold.
“The papers from the study,” she whispered.
Daniel’s stare sharpened.
“You went into the study?”
“I found them.”
“You said you had never seen them.”
“I was afraid.”
“Of me?”
Marissa looked at the bruise on my cheek.
This time, she did not look away.
“Of what you would do if I told you.”
CHAPTER 2 – The Envelope
I reached for the sealed envelope.
Daniel moved at the same time.
Arthur stepped between us before Daniel could touch it.
