Hale moved away from him.
A small movement.
Almost invisible.
But I saw it.
Lawyers understand danger better than most people.
And Hale had just realized he might be standing inside it.
“The signature,” Judge Mercer said.
“Forged.”
“You’re certain?”
I looked at him.
“Your Honor, I testified in federal court for sixteen years on forged financial instruments.”
He nodded once.
“Of course.”
“The notary?”
“A woman named Sylvia Trent.”
Judge Mercer checked the page.
“And where is Ms.
Trent?”
“I wondered the same thing.”
Vanessa suddenly stood.
“I feel sick.”
“Sit down,” Judge Mercer said.
“I need—”
“You need to remain where you are.”
Vanessa sat.
Her hands were trembling.
Daniel saw them.
And this time, his anger was no longer directed at me.
It was directed at his wife.
I had been waiting for that.
Greedy people make alliances based on confidence.
Once confidence disappears, they begin looking for someone else to blame.
I had not come to court merely to defend myself.
I had come to break their alliance.
Judge Mercer asked, “What did you discover about the notary?”
“She moved to Florida eight months ago.”
That produced another silence.
“The agreement was notarized three weeks ago,” he said.
“Yes.”
“Then how—”
“She did not notarize it.”
Hale closed his eyes.
Daniel whispered, “Vanessa.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Vanessa.”
“I said no.”
“What did you do?”
Hale leaned across them.
“Both of you, stop.”
Judge Mercer slammed his pen against the desk.
“That will be enough.”
They froze.
I watched my son.
His breathing had changed.
Shorter.
Faster.
He was trying to think his way backward through every conversation we had shared during the previous six months.
Trying to remember what he had said.
What Vanessa had said.
Who had been present.
Which documents they had taken.
What they had left behind.
Whether I had seemed confused.
Whether I had ever truly been confused.
