Chapter 3 - The Signature I Never Made
The police separated Rebecca from the rest of us.
I wanted her nowhere near Emily.
Rebecca demanded her attorney.
That surprised no one.
What surprised me was how calm she became once the first shock passed.
She sat inside the chapel office still wearing her wedding gown.
She crossed her hands neatly over her lap.
Then she looked at me through the open doorway as though I were the person destroying something beautiful.
Andrew arrived twenty minutes later.
He had left his daughter’s soccer game and driven directly to the chapel.
He carried a laptop and two thick folders.
“We have a serious problem.”
He didn’t bother lowering his voice.
Rebecca looked up.
Her attorney had not arrived yet.
Andrew showed me the first document.
The signature looked perfect.
Too perfect.
“That’s mine.”
“I know.”
“But I didn’t sign this.”
“I believe you.”
He turned the page.
“This electronic signature was applied through your home office computer eleven days ago.”
I stared at the date.
I remembered that night.
Rebecca had cooked dinner.
She had brought me a glass of bourbon while I finished emails upstairs.
Then she had insisted I stop working and watch a movie downstairs.
My computer had remained unlocked.
“She had access.”
Andrew nodded.
“There’s something else.”
He pulled out another page.
It was titled Family Transition Authorization.
I read it twice.
The language was complicated.
But one sentence mattered.
Upon legal marriage to Rebecca Whitmore, designated family authority may act regarding temporary educational or therapeutic placement during periods of parental unavailability.
“What does that mean?”
Andrew’s mouth tightened.
“It means someone was building a paper trail.”
“Could she really take Emily just because we got married?”
“No.”
His answer came immediately.
“Marriage does not magically give a stepparent custody rights.”
Relief lasted only half a second.
“But.”
I hated that word.
“But these documents were designed to make people believe you had voluntarily delegated certain decisions.”
He pointed toward the gray van outside.
“That transport team apparently believed the paperwork was legitimate.”
“So Rebecca thought once we were married, nobody would question her.”
“That appears to be the plan.”
A small voice came from behind me.
“Daddy?”
Emily stood in the doorway holding Lauren’s hand.
I went to her immediately.
“You’re supposed to be with Aunt Lauren.”
“I wanted you.”
I picked her up.
Rebecca leaned forward.
“Emily.”
My daughter stiffened.
“Don’t talk to her.”
Rebecca’s face hardened.
“Michael, you’re making me sound like a monster.”
I turned slowly.
“You told my daughter I wanted her gone.”
“I was trying to prevent a scene.”
“She’s seven.”
“She needed to understand what was happening.”
“Something that I never agreed to.”
Rebecca looked toward Andrew.
Then she made a mistake.
She smiled.
“You really should ask him whether he has read everything.”
Andrew’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you talking about?”
Rebecca leaned back.
“Michael has signed more than he remembers.”
I felt cold.
“What did I sign?”
She said nothing.
Her attorney entered before she had to answer.
Victor Hale was a tall man in his late fifties with silver hair and an expensive dark suit.
I recognized him immediately.
He had attended our engagement party.
Rebecca had introduced him as an old family friend.
Victor looked at the police.
Then at Andrew.
Then at me.
Finally he looked at Rebecca.
“You spoke without me?”
“No.”
He turned to the officer.
“My client will be leaving.”
The officer shook his head.
“Not yet.”
Victor sighed.
Then his eyes landed on Emily.
Something strange passed across his face.
Not sympathy.
Recognition.
Emily suddenly whispered against my shoulder.
“Daddy.”
“Yes?”
“That’s the man.”
I looked at her.
“What man?”
May you like
Her fingers tightened around my collar.
“The man who came to our house when you were sleeping.”
