Chapter 8: The Lawyer Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Daniel asked Hailey to describe the man again.
She sat at the dining table, twisting the sleeve of her sweater.
"He was tall. Maybe sixty. Gray hair. He wore glasses.""
"Did he introduce himself?""
"He said his name was Mr. Whitaker.""
Daniel's face tightened.
"Arthur Whitaker?""
Hailey nodded.
Dad looked between them.
"Who is he?""
Daniel pulled out an old photograph.
It showed three people standing outside a courthouse.
My mother.
Uncle Daniel.
And a man in a dark suit holding a leather folder.
"Arthur Whitaker was Sarah's attorney," Daniel explained.
"He prepared the original trust documents and represented her family for years.""
"Why did you say he was dead?""
Daniel pointed to the date on the photograph.
"Because he supposedly died in a car accident three years ago.""
I looked at the picture.
The man standing beside Mom had a narrow face and silver-framed glasses.
Hailey leaned forward.
"That's him.""
Daniel stared at her.
"You're certain?""
"Yes. He came here twice. Mom called him Arthur.""
Dad stood.
"Then who died three years ago?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't know.""
Rebecca was sitting in the living room with the police officer.
When she heard the name, her head snapped up.
"Arthur Whitaker is dead.""
Daniel turned toward her.
"How do you know?""
She swallowed.
"I read about it.""
"Where?""
"Online.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Then you won't mind explaining why your daughter saw him in this house.""
Rebecca looked at Hailey.
"She's mistaken.""
Hailey shook her head.
"I'm not!""
"Hailey, stop embarrassing yourself.""
The officer raised a hand.
"Ma'am, please don't pressure the witness.""
Rebecca looked furious.
Daniel returned to the dining table and opened his laptop.
"I have an old contact list from Sarah's estate.""
He searched through several files.
Then he stopped.
"Here.""
He turned the screen toward Dad.
An address.
A phone number.
And a company name.
Whitaker Legal Consulting.
Dad frowned.
"I thought his office closed.""
"It did," Daniel replied.
"But the company registration is still active.""
I looked at the address.
It was only forty minutes away.
"Can we go there?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Not without checking whether it's legitimate.""
Dad picked up his phone.
"I'm calling the attorney who handled Sarah's funeral.""
He made the call.
A woman answered.
"Good morning, Marcus.""
"This is Marcus Reed. I need information about Arthur Whitaker.""
There was a pause.
"Why?""
"Because someone has been using his name to alter my late wife's estate documents.""
The woman became silent.
Then she said:
"Marcus, Arthur Whitaker didn't die.""
Dad looked at Daniel.
"What?""
"He was reported missing. The death notice was based on an unidentified vehicle accident. His body was never recovered.""
Daniel stood.
"That's not what we were told.""
"I understand. His family later withdrew the public memorial announcement, but the matter was never properly clarified.""
Dad asked for more information.
The woman promised to send what she could find.
When he ended the call, Daniel looked furious.
"Someone deliberately made us believe he was dead.""
I glanced at Rebecca.
She was no longer pretending to cry.
She was watching every movement in the room.
Dad noticed.
"How long have you known Arthur was alive?""
Rebecca shook her head.
"I don't know what you're talking about.""
Daniel opened another file.
"Arthur was the only person besides Sarah and me who knew the exact terms of the trust.""
He looked directly at Rebecca.
"And he knew where the original deed was registered.""
Rebecca stood.
"You're accusing me of conspiring with a man I barely know.""
Daniel's voice remained calm.
"I'm asking why your daughter remembers him visiting this house.""
Rebecca picked up her handbag.
The officer stood immediately.
"Please sit down.""
She ignored him.
"I want a lawyer.""
"That's your right," the officer replied.
Dad stepped aside.
For a moment, I thought she would finally leave.
Instead, she turned toward me.
"You have no idea what your mother did.""
I stared at her.
"Then tell me.""
Rebecca's eyes narrowed.
"She made promises to people she couldn't possibly keep.""
"Like what?""
"She promised your uncle the house. She promised you the house. She promised Hailey money. She promised everyone something, and she expected me to clean up the mess.""
Daniel stepped forward.
"Sarah never promised me the house.""
Rebecca laughed.
"Of course she didn't tell you.""
"Tell me what?""
Rebecca looked at Dad.
Then she said:
"Your wife had another property.""
Dad frowned.
"What?""
"She owned an apartment downtown. One she never told you about.""
I looked at Daniel.
He appeared equally confused.
"That's impossible," he said.
Rebecca smiled faintly.
"Ask Arthur Whitaker.""
Dad's face hardened.
"Where is this apartment?""
"I don't know.""
"Then how do you know it exists?""
"Because I saw the paperwork.""
She reached into her handbag.
The officer immediately stepped closer.
"Slowly.""
Rebecca removed a folded photograph and placed it on the table.
It showed my mother standing outside a beautiful brick apartment building.
She was holding a set of keys.
On the back, in blue ink, were the words:
For Nia. When the time is right.
My throat tightened.
"Mom bought me an apartment?""
Daniel examined the photograph.
Then he turned it over.
A small address was written beneath the message.
He recognized it.
"That's not an ordinary apartment.""
Dad looked at him.
"What do you mean?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"It's the building where Sarah's family used to keep their business records.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Why would Mom leave it to me?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Instead, he opened his laptop again and searched the address.
The building had been sold two years earlier.
But the ownership records showed something strange.
The property had never been transferred to a buyer.
It had been transferred into a holding company.
A company registered under a woman's name.
Rebecca's name.
Dad stared at the screen.
"You own that building?""
Rebecca looked away.
"I managed the sale.""
"Who authorized it?""
She said nothing.
Daniel enlarged the document.
Then he leaned back.
"Marcus, look at the date.""
Dad read it.
The transfer had been signed eleven days after Sarah died.
But the name on the witness line wasn't Arthur Whitaker.
It was someone else.
Someone I recognized.
I pointed at the screen.
"That's Mr. Collins.""
Dad looked confused.
"Which Mr. Collins?""
"The neighbor who bought Mom's jacket at the yard sale.""
Daniel zoomed in on the signature.
His expression changed.
"That's not a neighbor's signature.""
Dad frowned.
"Then whose is it?""
Daniel looked at me.
"It's the signature of the man who helped Sarah register the trust.""
He paused.
"Someone who should have been protecting her.""
Then his phone rang.
The caller ID displayed a number Daniel hadn't seen in years.
He answered.
A man's voice spoke.
"Daniel, I heard you're asking questions about Arthur.""
Daniel went pale.
"Who is this?""
The man replied:
May you like
"Someone who knows where the original deed really is.""
Then the call ended.
