Chapter 16: They Forged My Son's Name
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
I stared at the signature.
Evan Miller.
My eleven-year-old son.
The document claimed he had voluntarily surrendered every future claim to the family trust in exchange for a payment of ten dollars.
Ten dollars.
That was what someone believed my son's future was worth.
“That's impossible,” I finally said.
Daniel held the paper beneath the basement light.
“It's a forged signature. But we need to understand how they obtained the sample.””
I looked toward Claire.
She was standing beside an officer, her arms folded tightly across her chest.
“Did you do this?””
She looked at the document.
Then at me.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
“That's Evan's name.””
“I can see that.””
“You used his signature.””
“I didn't.””
The officer stepped closer.
“Mrs. Miller, we're going to need an explanation.””
Claire shook her head.
“Nathan, this is ridiculous. I would never involve my son in something like this.””
I almost laughed.
She had already involved him.
She had searched his school records, attempted to access his education fund, and threatened him over documents she wanted.
Now someone had forged his name to remove him from the inheritance.
Daniel took the document from the officer.
“This is evidence of attempted fraud involving a minor. We need to preserve the original and establish where it came from.””
The officer nodded.
Claire suddenly looked frightened.
“Wait. You can't arrest me over a signature I didn't write.””
“No one has said you're under arrest,” the officer replied.
“But you're coming in for questioning.””
Robert was already being escorted toward a police vehicle.
Marcus had been caught outside the building.
The leather folder was recovered from him.
But the moment the officers opened it, we discovered several pages were missing.
The original inheritance declaration was still there.
The duplicate ledger was gone.
So was the page identifying the rightful successor to Eleanor's property.
Daniel looked furious.
“They knew exactly what they wanted.””
Eleanor sat on a wooden chair, visibly shaken.
“My grandmother's records…”
I knelt beside her.
“We recovered the most important documents.””
“But they took the ledger.””
“We'll find it.””
She looked at me.
“Your father spent years trying to recover those records. Don't let them disappear again.””
I promised her I wouldn't.
At 10:17 p.m., the police released Claire pending further investigation.
Robert and Marcus were held for additional questioning.
Claire approached me outside the building.
“Can we talk?””
“No.””
“Just five minutes.””
I kept walking.
“Nathan, please. I need you to understand something.””
I turned.
“Then explain why my son's name is on a document surrendering his inheritance.””
Her eyes filled.
“I never saw that document.””
“Who did?””
She hesitated.
“Marcus.””
“Who prepared it?””
“I don't know.””
“Who gave him Evan's signature?””
She looked toward the police station.
Then she whispered:
“Peter.””
Daniel immediately stepped closer.
“Peter Lawson?””
Claire nodded.
“He had copies of Evan's school enrollment forms. He said he could prepare the necessary paperwork.””
“Necessary for what?””
She wiped her cheeks.
“To make the transfer easier.””
I stared at her.
“You knew about the forgery.””
“I didn't know it was for Evan.””
“You knew they were preparing false documents.””
She didn't answer.
Daniel stepped between us.
“That's enough. Any further statements should be made through counsel.””
Claire looked at me one last time.
“You think you're winning, but you don't know what Peter has.””
Then she walked toward the officers.
I watched her disappear through the doors.
My phone rang.
It was my sister, Rebecca.
“Evan is asking for you,” she said.
“He's been awake for hours.””
“I'm coming.””
“There's something else.””
“What?””
“Your son says he knows who copied his signature.””
My stomach tightened.
“Who?””
“He says it was someone who came to the house last month. Someone who asked him to write his name on several pieces of paper.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Who was it?””
Rebecca paused.
“Peter Lawson.””
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Peter had visited our house several times after my father's death.
He had brought financial statements.
He had helped Claire organize documents.
He had even sat at the kitchen table with Evan while I was on the phone.
I remembered telling Evan to be polite.
To listen to Grandpa's old accountant.
To trust the man who had handled our family's money for decades.
I felt sick.
When I reached Rebecca's house, Evan ran toward me.
“Dad!””
I hugged him tightly.
“Are you okay?””
He nodded.
Then he looked at Daniel.
“Did you find the paper?””
“Yes,” Daniel replied.
“But someone copied your signature.””
Evan's expression darkened.
“I know.””
I crouched.
“Tell me what happened.””
He looked down.
“Mr. Lawson said he was making a birthday card for Grandpa's old business partner. He asked me to write my name several times because he said my handwriting looked different.””
“When?””
“Last month.””
“Did you sign anything else?””
Evan shook his head.
“He took the paper with him.””
I looked at Daniel.
“That was how they got the signature.””
Evan pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket.
“I kept this.””
It was a note.
The handwriting was Peter's.
*Thank you for helping me. Don't mention this to your father. It's a surprise.*
I stared at it.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Evan looked ashamed.
“I thought I was ruining something.””
I pulled him close.
“You didn't do anything wrong.””
He began crying.
“I heard Mom talking to Mr. Lawson. She said the papers would be ready before Monday. She said Grandpa had left too much money for one family.””
Daniel took the note carefully.
“Evan, did you hear anything else?””
He nodded.
“She said the old woman was supposed to be gone by now.””
My mother had been sitting quietly beside Rebecca.
She stood.
“Me?””
Evan nodded.
“Mom said if Grandma was in the care home, nobody would know what she signed.””
My mother covered her mouth.
I felt anger rising again.
“Did Claire say where she was taking you?””
Evan shook his head.
“No. But she told Mr. Lawson that the school would help them.””
Daniel looked at me.
“The school records.””
I nodded.
Claire had already tried to change Evan's authorized financial representative.
She had asked for his education fund records.
And Peter had copied his signature.
It wasn't just an attempt to steal money.
They had planned to remove every obstacle between themselves and the trust.
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered, listened, and slowly stood.
“Where is he now?””
A pause.
“Understood.””
He ended the call.
“What happened?”” I asked.
“Peter Lawson has disappeared.””
My mother sat down.
Daniel continued.
“The bank confirmed he attempted to access Lorraine's investment account again tonight. When the bank refused, he contacted the branch manager and claimed the family was in the middle of a legal emergency.””
“Where is he?””
“His office is empty. His house is empty. His car was found near the airport.””
I looked at Evan.
Then at the note.
Peter had copied my son's signature.
He had helped Claire.
He had arranged transfers.
And now he was running.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“There's something else. The bank found a new instruction attached to the investment account.””
“What instruction?””
“A transfer of the remaining funds to a private account.””
“Whose?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Eleanor Hayes.””
I frowned.
“Why would they transfer money into her name?””
“Because the account number doesn't belong to Eleanor.””
He turned his phone toward me.
The receiving account was registered to a company in another state.
Its director was listed as Peter Lawson.
May you like
And the transfer had already been approved.
It was scheduled to execute at midnight.
