Chapter 7: The Signature
The message from Evan remained on Marissa’s screen.
*Tell your sister to check who signed the original sale of the beach house.*
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Daniel took the phone from her hand and read it twice.
“Don't respond,” he said.
Marissa nodded.
I couldn't take my eyes off the photograph of my mother and Richard Voss.
“Who signed the original sale?”” I asked.
Daniel was already pulling out his laptop.
“The seller's signature should be in the county records.””
“Can we see it?””
“If the records are digitized.””
He opened a property database and began typing.
Marissa stood beside me, twisting her fingers together.
“Do you think Evan knows something we don't?””
“Yes,” Daniel said.
She looked at him.
“What?””
“That doesn't mean what he knows is true.””
He clicked through several pages.
Then stopped.
“There.””
I leaned over.
The original property transfer from decades ago appeared on the screen.
My mother's name was listed as seller.
Underneath it was the buyer.
I frowned.
“That isn't Richard.””
“No.””
“Who is it?””
Daniel zoomed in.
*Atlantic Shore Development LLC.*
I shook my head.
“What does that have to do with Evan?””
“I'm not sure.””
Daniel opened another document.
Then another.
The company's registration records appeared.
I read the name of the registered agent.
My stomach dropped.
“Richard Voss.””
Daniel nodded.
“So Mom sold the property to his company?””
“Apparently.””
“But then she got it back.””
“Several years later.””
“Why?””
Daniel searched.
His fingers stopped.
“Because the company transferred the property to a trust.””
My pulse quickened.
“Mom's trust?””
“Yes.””
Marissa leaned over the desk.
“Then what's wrong?””
Daniel pointed to the dates.
“Look at this.””
The property had been transferred into the trust three days before the company dissolved.
“Why would someone dissolve a company after transferring property?””
“To hide it?””
“Possibly.””
Daniel clicked another document.
“This is the interesting part.””
A signature appeared on the transfer.
*Richard Voss.*
But beside it was another signature.
*Marissa Carter.*
My sister's face went blank.
“No.””
I stared at the screen.
“You signed this?””
“I've never seen that document.””
Daniel zoomed in.
The signature was almost identical to hers.
Marissa shook her head.
“I didn't sign that.””
“Are you sure?””
“Yes.””
“You signed the power of attorney,” Daniel said.
“Yes, but that was three months ago.””
“This document is twenty-one years old.””
Marissa looked at me.
“I was twelve.””
The room went silent.
I looked back at the screen.
She was right.
The date on the document was from 2005.
Marissa had been twelve years old.
I had been fifteen.
Neither of us could have legally authorized a property transfer.
Daniel leaned back.
“Then this is forged.””
My skin prickled.
“Someone forged her signature when she was a child.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To make it appear she had an interest in the property.””
I looked at Marissa.
“So Evan didn't discover your name recently.””
“No.””
“He inherited the lie.””
She nodded slowly.
“From his father.””
Daniel closed the laptop.
“That's what it looks like.””
I stood.
“Then why did Evan lend you $210,000?””
Marissa looked away.
“He said he believed in me.””
I almost laughed.
“He knew you were vulnerable.””
“Yes.””
“He knew you needed money.””
“Yes.””
“And he knew your mother's estate had assets.””
She whispered, “Yes.””
I walked to the window.
Everything was beginning to connect.
Richard Voss had known my mother.
He had controlled her investments.
He had transferred her property through companies.
Then his son had approached my sister decades later, when she was drowning in debt.
He didn't need Marissa to know the whole story.
He only needed her signature.
“Daniel,” I said, “can Evan actually take the house?””
“Not legally.””
“Then why isn't the lien gone?””
“Because the filing still has to be challenged.””
“How long?””
“Potentially weeks.””
I turned.
“Then what happens if he tries to sell it?””
“He can't sell a property he doesn't own.””
“But he can make your life miserable,” Daniel said.
Marissa lowered her head.
“This is my fault.””
I looked at her.
“You made mistakes.””
“I nearly lost your house.””
“You didn't own it.””
“I nearly helped him take it.””
“That part is true.””
She looked at me, expecting anger.
I didn't give her any.
“Then help me fix it.””
Her eyes filled.
“How?””
“Tell me everything.””
She took a breath.
“I met Evan at a private investment seminar.””
Daniel's expression hardened.
“Investment seminar?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“About eight months ago.””
“What did he say?””
“That he could help people recover money from old family trusts.””
Daniel exchanged a glance with me.
“He targeted you.””
“I know that now.””
“What happened next?””
“He asked questions about Mom.””
“Why?””
“He said he'd researched our family.””
I felt cold.
“What did he know?””
“Everything.””
Marissa began counting on her fingers.
“Mom's name. Dad's name. The properties. Your move.
My marriage. Greg's parents. Even the beach house.””
“How?””
“I don't know.””
Daniel said, “Did he ever mention Richard?””
“Only once.””
“What did he say?””
“That his father had been cheated.””
“By whom?””
“Mom.””
I frowned.
“That was a lie.””
“I know.””
“Did he show you anything?””
Marissa nodded.
“A contract.””
“What contract?””
“A loan agreement.””
Daniel's face changed.
“What kind of loan?””
“A secured loan.””
I stared at her.
“Secured by what?””
She didn't answer.
“Marissa.””
She whispered:
“The beach house.””
My stomach dropped.
“You signed a loan agreement using my property as collateral?””
“I didn't know it wasn't valid.””
“You signed something that described yourself as an owner?””
“Yes.””
Daniel closed his eyes briefly.
“That's why the lien was filed.””
I looked at Marissa.
“How much did Evan give you?””
“Forty thousand.””
I stared.
“He gave you $40,000 and claims $210,000?””
“The rest was interest and penalties.””
“That isn't a loan.””
“No.””
Daniel stood.
“It's predatory lending.””
Marissa nodded.
“And I have another problem.””
“What?””
She reached into her purse and pulled out an envelope.
“I received this yesterday.””
Daniel opened it.
His eyes scanned the page.
Then he handed it to me.
It was a demand for payment.
At the bottom was a deadline.
*Seventy-two hours.*
I looked at the date.
“That's tomorrow.””
Marissa nodded.
“What happens tomorrow?””
“If I don't pay, Evan says he'll enforce the collateral.””
Daniel shook his head.
“He can't.””
“He says he can.””
“Then let him try.””
Marissa looked at me.
“You're not scared?””
I thought about the years I'd spent being afraid of conflict.
Afraid of being called selfish.
Afraid of disappointing my family.
Afraid of becoming the villain in someone else's story.
Then I thought about the house.
The ocean.
The quiet mornings.
The life I had built with my own hands.
“No,” I said.
“I am.””
Marissa looked surprised.
I smiled faintly.
“But being scared doesn't mean I'm surrendering.””
Daniel picked up his phone.
“I'm calling the county recorder.””
“For what?””
“To place a fraud alert on the property.””
He walked into the hallway.
Marissa sat down.
For a moment, we were sisters again instead of enemies.
She whispered:
“Do you hate me?””
I looked at her.
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because I know you.””
She started crying.
“I don't deserve you.””
“No.””
She looked up.
“You're right.””
I shook my head.
“You don't deserve to be treated like this by me either.””
Her face crumpled.
I reached across the desk.
She took my hand.
Then my phone buzzed.
A security alert.
*Motion detected at beach house — rear gate.*
I opened the camera feed.
A black truck was parked behind the property.
A man was walking toward the side entrance.
I zoomed in.
May you like
It was Evan.
And he wasn't alone.
