Chapter 6 - The Notary
The former notary’s name was Stephen Cole.
He now called himself Stephen Coleburn.
He worked as a financial administrator for a private investment company registered in Delaware.
The company belonged to Victoria.
Richard’s investigator followed him for two days.
On the third evening, Stephen visited a parking garage.
Martin Cross met him there.
Richard watched the surveillance footage from his office.
Martin handed Stephen a folder.
Stephen handed Martin a small package.
“Can we identify it?” Richard asked.
Lena shook her head.
“Not yet.”
Richard wanted Stephen questioned immediately.
Detective Grant disagreed.
“If he forged legal documents, we need evidence before he disappears again.”
So they waited.
Meanwhile Victoria filed an emergency petition requesting temporary access to Maya.
Her filing claimed she was Maya’s biological mother.
Richard read the petition in disbelief.
“She tried to hurt Maya.”
David Mercer had been removed as Richard’s attorney.
His replacement, Rachel Kim, was one of the best family-law litigators in Washington.
Rachel tapped the filing.
“Victoria isn’t actually expecting immediate custody.”
“Then why file?”
“To force genetic evidence into the court record.”
Richard understood.
Once Victoria established biological maternity, she could publicly claim Richard had concealed Maya’s origins.
It would create chaos.
Chaos made guardianship fights easier.
Richard looked at Rachel.
“What happens if the DNA test confirms it?”
“Biology is one factor.”
“You are Maya’s legal father.”
“You have raised her since birth.”
“Victoria has no automatic right to custody.”
Richard looked toward Maya, who was drawing quietly in the next room.
“I don’t want her dragged into this.”
“Then we control the truth before Victoria controls it.”
That night Richard told Maya only what she needed to know.
“Victoria may say things about how you were born.”
“Does that mean you’re not my daddy?”
Richard’s chest tightened.
He knelt in front of her.
“I have been your dad from the second I held you.”
“Nothing anyone says can change that.”
Maya hugged him.
Richard held her until she pulled away.
Then she said something unexpected.
“Mommy said that too.”
Richard stared at her.
“When?”
“Before she got sick.”
“She said one day somebody might tell me that families are about blood.”
“What else did she say?”
Maya concentrated.
“She said families are about who stays.”
Richard looked away before Maya could see his eyes fill.
Hours later Lena called.
“Stephen Cole is moving.”
“Where?”
“Airport.”
Richard informed Grant.
Police intercepted Stephen before he boarded a flight to Switzerland.
Inside his luggage they found three passports.
Two hundred thousand dollars in cash.
And a flash drive.
The flash drive contained copies of forged medical and financial documents.
But one folder was especially important.
It was labeled R.H. INCAPACITY.
Inside were draft psychiatric reports about Richard.
None had been signed.
None were real.
But they were detailed.
Memory loss.
Aggressive behavior.
Paranoid delusions.
Alcohol abuse.
Stephen had also stored a spreadsheet.
It listed payments to individuals Richard recognized.
A physician.
A private investigator.
Two household employees.
And David Mercer.
At the bottom was another column.
PHASE THREE.
Beside it were three words.
STAIRCASE OR POOL.
Richard felt his stomach turn.
Victoria had not lost control at the staircase.
It had been planned.
Detective Grant read the file twice.
“We now have conspiracy evidence.”
“Arrest her.”
“We need to know who ‘pool’ referred to.”
Richard already knew.
Maya loved swimming.
The estate had an indoor pool.
He immediately closed it.
Then Alan discovered something in Caroline’s recordings.
An audio file created three days before her death.
Caroline sounded weak.
“If they succeed, they’ll make Richard look dangerous.”
“They’ll say Maya needs another guardian.”
“They already chose one.”
Richard leaned closer.
Caroline whispered the name.
“David.”
Richard stood.
David Mercer had not simply helped Victoria.
He had expected to become Maya’s legal guardian.
And if Maya inherited Harrison Langley’s fortune, David would potentially control hundreds of millions of dollars.
Richard called Detective Grant.
Grant answered immediately.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
May you like
“David Mercer is gone.”
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