Lower this time.
“Then stop acting like you have a choice.”
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
Judge Mercer looked at Daniel.
Daniel looked at the floor.
Hale stood.
“Your Honor, we have no verification regarding when that recording was made or whether it has been edited.”
“Correct,” I said.
He turned toward me.
“You are not testifying right now, Mrs.
Vance.”
“No.
But the independent forensic audio report is in the blue folder.”
Hale stopped.
Judge Mercer looked at him.
Then at me.
“You had the file authenticated?”
“I spent thirty-three years authenticating evidence for people who thought deleting an email made it disappear.”
A few people in the gallery shifted.
Someone almost laughed.
Daniel did not.
His face had begun to harden.
I knew what he was doing.
Calculating.
He had inherited that from me.
Unfortunately for him, he had never learned patience.
Judge Mercer read several pages in silence.
Then he said, “There are two additional voices listed in the transcript.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Vanessa Vance and a man identified as Martin Cole.”
Vanessa’s complexion drained.
That name mattered.
Judge Mercer saw it.
“So who is Martin Cole?”
Before I could answer, Hale stood again.
“Your Honor, I request a brief recess so I may speak privately with my clients.”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
Hale blinked.
Judge Mercer placed the report down.
“I granted your emergency hearing request based on representations that Mrs.
Vance was at immediate risk of harming herself and incapable of making rational financial decisions.
I am now listening to evidence suggesting the proposed guardian may have attempted an unauthorized transfer from her account.”
He looked directly at Hale.
“I would like to understand what I am looking at before anyone leaves this room.”
Hale sat down.
I looked at Vanessa.
She would not look back.
That interested me.
Daniel was frightened of losing control.
Vanessa was frightened of being exposed.
Those are not the same fear.
I continued.
“Martin Cole is a property investor.”
Judge Mercer waited.
“He owns Meridian Redevelopment Partners.”
Hale went completely still.
That was interesting too.
Judge Mercer noticed.
“You’re familiar with that company, Mr.
Hale?”
Hale hesitated.
“A passing familiarity.”
I opened another folder.
“Mr.
Cole filed an option agreement against my property twelve days ago.”
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa looked at Hale.
And Hale looked at me.
For the first time that morning, the attorney appeared worried for himself.
I slid the document forward.
“My house sits on three acres near the lake.
When my husband and I bought the property, nobody wanted that area.
Now there are condominiums on two sides, and Meridian has been purchasing neighboring lots.”
Judge Mercer reviewed the filing.
“This agreement claims you agreed to sell the property for nine hundred thousand dollars.”
“I did not.”
Daniel leaned toward his lawyer again.
