Chapter 6: The Name on the Deed
My father had been dead for eleven years.
Yet his name was sitting on the table in front of me.
For several seconds, nobody moved.
The ocean crashed against the shore.
A gull cried overhead.
Somewhere behind us, a car door slammed.
But I heard none of it.
I stared at the document.
*Estate of Thomas Carter.*
My father's name.
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
"Explain.""
He pulled out a chair and sat down.
"Your father owned an interest in this property.""
"That's impossible.""
"Why?""
"Because Mom told us this house belonged to someone named Whitmore.""
"It did.""
"Then how could Dad own it?""
"He didn't own the house itself.""
Mr. Bennett tapped the document.
"He owned the land beneath it.""
My mouth went dry.
Marissa stepped closer.
"You're saying the house and the land were separate?""
"Legally, yes.""
"Then why did Elena close on it?""
"Because the seller represented that he held full title.""
Greg looked confused.
"Didn't the title company check?""
"They did.""
"Then what's wrong?""
Mr. Bennett looked at me.
"An old easement and ownership claim was improperly recorded.""
I stared at him.
"So I don't own the land?""
"You own the structure.""
"And the land?""
"That's complicated.""
Marissa suddenly smiled.
"So the house isn't really hers.""
I looked at her.
"Don't.""
She ignored me.
"This is perfect.""
Greg stared at her.
"Perfect?""
"She can't kick us out.""
I turned toward him.
"She's wrong.""
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"Very wrong.""
Marissa's smile disappeared.
"Why?""
"Because the claim was settled eleven years ago.""
"Then why are we talking about it?""
"Because someone recently reopened the matter.""
I looked at him.
"Who?""
He didn't answer.
I already knew.
"Marissa.""
She shook her head.
"No.""
"You reopened the claim?""
"No.""
"Then who did?""
She looked at Greg.
Greg's face changed.
"Marissa.""
"I didn't do anything.""
"You knew about this.""
"I knew there was paperwork.""
"What paperwork?""
She wouldn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"You knew my father's name was connected to this property.""
She whispered, "Yes.""
"When?""
"Months ago.""
My stomach dropped.
"Months?""
"I was researching the property.""
"You knew.""
"I didn't know you'd buy it.""
"But you knew.""
She looked away.
"I thought I could get it first.""
"By using Dad's estate?""
"No.""
"Then how?""
She hesitated.
"I contacted a lawyer.""
Mr. Bennett's expression hardened.
"Which lawyer?""
She gave him the name.
His jaw tightened.
"That's who reopened the claim.""
I looked between them.
"Why?""
Mr. Bennett answered.
"Because someone filed a petition alleging that the property transfer was invalid.""
"Who filed it?""
"The estate.""
I felt dizzy.
"But Dad's estate was closed years ago.""
"It was.""
"Then how can it file anything?""
Mr. Bennett looked at Marissa.
"It can't.""
Silence.
Then Greg whispered:
"Someone forged the filing.""
Everyone looked at Marissa.
She shook her head rapidly.
"No.""
Mr. Bennett said, "The signature belongs to you.""
Her face went white.
"What?""
"The signature on the petition matches your signature on the financing documents.""
"No.""
"I had a handwriting expert compare them.""
"You investigated me?""
"I was hired by your mother to protect Elena.""
Marissa stepped backward.
"Mom is dead.""
"Her instructions weren't.""
I looked at the document again.
Suddenly, the beach house wasn't just a house.
It was the center of something that had been moving quietly around me for years.
"Why would you forge a petition?""
Marissa's lips trembled.
"I didn't think it would go this far.""
"What were you trying to do?""
"I wanted the sale frozen.""
"Why?""
"So you couldn't refinance or sell.""
"And then?""
She looked at the ocean.
"I thought you'd panic.""
"And then?""
"I thought you'd ask me what to do.""
I stared at her.
"You wanted to manufacture a crisis so I'd come to you?""
"I wanted you to listen.""
"You could have talked to me.""
"You never listen.""
"I listened today.""
She began crying.
"Because Mom's letter made you feel sorry for me.""
"No.""
"Then why?""
"Because I wanted to know the truth.""
She covered her face.
Greg stood completely still.
Finally, he said, "How long have you been doing this?""
Marissa didn't answer.
"Marissa.""
"Two months.""
He stepped back.
"You forged legal documents for two months?""
"I was trying to save us.""
"Us?""
"The business.""
"You told me the business was closed.""
"I lied.""
"About what else?""
She stared at him.
He shook his head.
"How much of our money did you lose?""
She said nothing.
"How much?""
"Forty-three thousand.""
Greg looked like someone had punched him.
His mother covered her mouth.
One of the cousins quietly led the children toward the cars.
I looked at Marissa.
"You brought twenty-two people here because you thought you could force me into helping you.""
She nodded.
"And you lied about Mom.""
Another nod.
"And you stole my old key.""
She whispered, "Yes.""
"You gave it to your mother-in-law.""
"Yes.""
"And you filed a false legal claim against my property.""
She closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
The driveway was silent.
I expected to feel victorious.
Instead, I felt tired.
Deeply tired.
I remembered being eight years old, sitting beside Marissa on Mom's porch.
Marissa had held my hand during a thunderstorm.
She had promised she'd always protect me.
Some promises disappeared quietly.
Others took eleven years to become lies.
Mr. Bennett gathered the documents.
"There is one more issue.""
I looked at him.
"Please tell me there isn't.""
"There is.""
He handed me a certified letter.
"The petition was denied this morning.""
I exhaled.
"Good.""
"But the court didn't deny it because the claim was false.""
I froze.
"Why, then?""
"Because the claimant lacked standing.""
"What does that mean?""
"It means the person who filed it had no legal authority to represent your father's estate.""
I frowned.
"So it's over?""
"No.""
He pointed to the signature.
"It means the court wants to know who actually has authority.""
I looked at the name beneath the forged signature.
There was another name beside it.
A trustee.
I read it twice.
My hands started shaking.
"Mr. Bennett...""
He nodded.
"I know.""
Marissa stared at the paper.
"That's impossible.""
I looked at her.
"You know this person?""
She didn't answer.
Greg stepped closer.
"Who is it?""
Marissa's lips parted.
"No.""
I looked down again.
The name was unmistakable.
It belonged to someone I had not seen since I was a teenager.
Someone who had disappeared from our family after Dad's funeral.
Someone Mom had always refused to discuss.
Someone who had every reason to hate us.
I whispered the name.
"Richard Carter.""
My father's older brother.
My uncle.
The man Mom had once accused of stealing from Dad.
The man everyone believed had moved overseas and vanished.
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"He's back.""
Marissa stared at me.
"And he filed the original claim.""
I looked toward the road.
At that exact moment, a dark sedan stopped outside the beach house.
The driver's door opened.
An older man stepped out.
Gray hair.
Black coat.
Leather folder beneath his arm.
He looked directly at me.
Then at Marissa.
And smiled.
Marissa grabbed my wrist.
For the first time in my life, she wasn't angry.
She was terrified.
"Elena," she whispered, "don't let him inside.""
May you like
The man started walking toward us.
And in his hand was an original deed bearing my father's signature.
