Robert took one look at the photograph and reached for his phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m calling the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice grabbed his wrist.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cGet your hand off me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cRobert, think.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI am thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t know who sent that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you?\u201d<\/p>\n
She let go.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why are you trying to stop me?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her eyes flicked toward Karen.<\/p>\n
I saw it.<\/p>\n
So did he.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom?\u201d Patrice said.<\/p>\n
Karen looked down.<\/p>\n
My chest tightened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you know now?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know who sent the picture.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat wasn\u2019t the question.\u201d<\/p>\n
She pressed the tissue against her mouth.<\/p>\n
\u201cSusan has been to Eleanor\u2019s house.\u201d<\/p>\n
Every sound in the room seemed to vanish.<\/p>\n
I stepped closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow many times?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe twice.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice whispered, \u201cMom.\u201d<\/p>\n
Karen looked at her daughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo. This has gone too far.\u201d<\/p>\n
I almost laughed at the understatement.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow did Susan get inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
Karen shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know if she did.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said she had been there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe told me she drove by.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Karen\u2019s eyes filled again.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe also said she knew the layout.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat layout?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour office. The kitchen. The back entrance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cold spread slowly across my arms.<\/p>\n
I looked at Patrice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you give her a key?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid Robert?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo,\u201d he said immediately.<\/p>\n
I believed him.<\/p>\n
Then another possibility occurred to me.<\/p>\n
I carried a spare key in a small ceramic bowl beside my garage entry.<\/p>\n
Only family knew that.<\/p>\n
Robert knew.<\/p>\n
Patrice knew.<\/p>\n
The grandchildren knew.<\/p>\n
Karen had been to my house often enough to know too.<\/p>\n
And if Patrice had described it to Susan, then Susan might know.<\/p>\n
I stepped away and called my neighbor, Marlene.<\/p>\n
She answered on the fourth ring.<\/p>\n
\u201cEleanor! How\u2019s the beach?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre you home?\u201d<\/p>\n
Something in my voice changed hers.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you look at my house from your window?\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs there a car outside?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHas anyone been there today?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw a woman near your driveway this morning.\u201d<\/p>\n
My stomach dropped.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat woman?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought she was one of Robert\u2019s friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDescribe her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marlene did.<\/p>\n
Mid-forties.<\/p>\n
Dark hair.<\/p>\n
Tall.<\/p>\n
Gray SUV.<\/p>\n
I looked at Patrice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes Susan drive a gray SUV?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her face answered before her mouth did.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert swore.<\/p>\n
I gripped the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she go inside?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI couldn\u2019t tell,\u201d Marlene said. \u201cShe walked toward the side of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe garage side?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you see her leave?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe twenty minutes later.\u201d<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
Twenty minutes.<\/p>\n
Long enough.<\/p>\n
\u201cIs the garage door closed?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cFront door?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLooks closed.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease don\u2019t go over there.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI won\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you see anyone again, call me and the police.\u201d<\/p>\n
Marlene\u2019s voice lowered.<\/p>\n
\u201cEleanor, what happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll explain later.\u201d<\/p>\n
I ended the call.<\/p>\n
Robert was already dialing.<\/p>\n
This time Patrice did not stop him.<\/p>\n
He called the local police department near my home.<\/p>\n
I listened while he explained that an unknown person connected to suspected identity fraud may have entered my house.<\/p>\n
They asked questions.<\/p>\n
Was anything missing?<\/p>\n
We did not know.<\/p>\n
Was there forced entry?<\/p>\n
We did not know.<\/p>\n
Did we have surveillance?<\/p>\n
I did.<\/p>\n
A doorbell camera.<\/p>\n
My stomach tightened.<\/p>\n
I had not checked it because I rarely used the app.<\/p>\n
I opened it.<\/p>\n
The account rejected my password.<\/p>\n
I tried again.<\/p>\n
Rejected.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomeone changed it,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Robert looked over my shoulder.<\/p>\n
\u201cReset it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I tapped the recovery option.<\/p>\n
The email address on file was partially masked.<\/p>\n
It was not mine.<\/p>\n
I felt suddenly nauseated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey changed the recovery email.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel\u2019s voice came through my second phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cDocument that screen.\u201d<\/p>\n
I took photographs.<\/p>\n
Then I called the camera company.<\/p>\n
Verification took time.<\/p>\n
The representative confirmed the account email had been changed twelve days earlier.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy whom?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI can\u2019t identify the user, ma\u2019am.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWas the change authorized?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt passed the existing security challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat challenge?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour account PIN.\u201d<\/p>\n
My throat tightened.<\/p>\n
I had used the same four-digit PIN for years.<\/p>\n
Frank\u2019s birthday.<\/p>\n
Only Robert knew it.<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
His face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou knew the PIN,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you give it to Patrice?\u201d<\/p>\n
He hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s not an answer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice stepped backward.<\/p>\n
Robert looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did you need Mom\u2019s camera PIN?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou asked me for it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMonths ago. You said Sophie wanted to check whether she left her jacket at Mom\u2019s after dinner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Recognition flickered across my mind.<\/p>\n
Sophie had misplaced a jacket.<\/p>\n
Patrice had called that evening.<\/p>\n
I had not thought anything of it.<\/p>\n
Robert\u2019s voice rose.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou kept the PIN.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI forgot I had it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you give it to Susan?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStop lying!\u201d<\/p>\n
David\u2019s voice came through the open patio door.<\/p>\n
\u201cDad?\u201d<\/p>\n
Everyone froze.<\/p>\n
Robert turned immediately.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n
It was a terrible lie.<\/p>\n
David looked from one adult to another.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy are you yelling?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo reason.\u201d<\/p>\n
The boy frowned.<\/p>\n
At fourteen, he was old enough to recognize dishonesty.<\/p>\n
Sophie appeared behind him wrapped in a towel.<\/p>\n
\u201cAre we still going for ice cream?\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at them.<\/p>\n
Children.<\/p>\n
Still children.<\/p>\n
Whatever had happened among the adults, they should not be forced into the middle of it.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n
Everyone turned toward me.<\/p>\n
\u201cSophie, take David upstairs and get changed.\u201d<\/p>\n
She smiled.<\/p>\n
\u201cOkay.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice stared at me after they left.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re taking them out?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Karen.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou are.\u201d<\/p>\n
She blinked.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTake the children for ice cream. Keep them away from this house for an hour.\u201d<\/p>\n
Karen nodded quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice objected.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy children are not leaving without me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey need one hour without hearing their parents discuss forgery, debt, inheritance, and police.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her mouth closed.<\/p>\n
Robert looked at Karen.<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ten minutes later, Karen left with the children.<\/p>\n
The second the front door closed, Robert turned on Patrice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you give Susan the camera PIN?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid she know it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat phrase again.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI genuinely don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
I interrupted.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you send Susan from my house?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice shook her head.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen how did she get my signature?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI told you. I don\u2019t know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did the signed page you printed come from?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe emailed it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWas the signature on my will?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel spoke through the phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s our likely source.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt sick.<\/p>\n
Susan had copied the signature from my will.<\/p>\n
Patrice pressed her palms together.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know she was going to use it that way.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert laughed bitterly.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou stole a legal document from Mom\u2019s locked desk and sent it to someone trying to gain access to her money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI sent a copy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAs if that helps.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou called the bank yourself!\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, and I was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
His voice cracked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was greedy and scared and stupid, and I was wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n
He pointed toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I did not forge Mom\u2019s signature.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice\u2019s eyes filled with anger.<\/p>\n
\u201cNeither did I.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe not with your hand.\u201d<\/p>\n
That landed.<\/p>\n
She stared at him.<\/p>\n
Then I asked, \u201cWhy does Susan care so much about my money?\u201d<\/p>\n
Nobody answered.<\/p>\n
It had been bothering me from the beginning.<\/p>\n
Susan was Patrice\u2019s cousin.<\/p>\n
Not mine.<\/p>\n
Why spend months researching my property?<\/p>\n
Why study my will?<\/p>\n
Why test access to my accounts?<\/p>\n
Why go to my house?<\/p>\n
A wellness studio did not explain the scale of the effort.<\/p>\n
I looked at Patrice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does Susan owe?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her face changed.<\/p>\n
I had guessed correctly.<\/p>\n
Robert noticed.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does she owe?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice sat down.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know exactly.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe had some problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat problems?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBusiness problems.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMeaning?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe invested in a property.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice gave him the name of a county.<\/p>\n
He typed something on his end.<\/p>\n
A minute later, his voice returned.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are several civil filings under Susan\u2019s name.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice looked stunned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat filings?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDebt collection.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert sat across from her.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m seeing multiple amounts. Combined, well over one hundred thousand dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt the shape of the scheme change again.<\/p>\n
This was not only a family trying to use an elderly relative\u2019s assets.<\/p>\n
Susan herself needed money.<\/p>\n
Urgently.<\/p>\n
I asked, \u201cDoes she actually run an estate-planning business?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe consults.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not what I asked.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know what licenses she has.\u201d<\/p>\n
Daniel answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m checking.\u201d<\/p>\n
We waited.<\/p>\n
A minute passed.<\/p>\n
Then another.<\/p>\n
Finally he said, \u201cI cannot find an active attorney license under her name in this state.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice\u2019s face went blank.<\/p>\n
Robert stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told me she was an estate lawyer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought she was.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou introduced her as one.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe said she worked in estate law.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is not the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice rubbed her forehead.<\/p>\n
The certainty had finally left her.<\/p>\n
For the first time, she appeared to understand that she might not have been Susan\u2019s partner in control.<\/p>\n
She might have been Susan\u2019s instrument.<\/p>\n
That did not excuse her.<\/p>\n
But it changed the danger.<\/p>\n
I looked at the photo of my house again.<\/p>\n
Susan had not wanted police involved.<\/p>\n
That meant she was afraid of something already done.<\/p>\n
Not just something planned.<\/p>\n
I asked Daniel, \u201cWhat could she have taken from my house that would matter?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOriginal documents. Statements. Tax records. Blank checks. Anything containing identifiers.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy passport.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOffice drawer.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLocked?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice whispered, \u201cSusan knows where the key is.\u201d<\/p>\n
I turned toward her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Her face had gone white.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I took the copy of the will, I told her where the drawer key was hidden.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou told her?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe asked how I got it.\u201d<\/p>\n
I could barely process the carelessness.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere is the key?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder the ceramic bird on the bookshelf.\u201d<\/p>\n
Exactly where I had left it.<\/p>\n
My phone rang.<\/p>\n
Marlene.<\/p>\n
I answered instantly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a police car outside your house,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
Relief weakened my knees.<\/p>\n
\u201cGood.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re walking around the side now.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cStay inside.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI will.\u201d<\/p>\n
She hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cEleanor?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYour back door is open.\u201d<\/p>\n
I closed my eyes.<\/p>\n
Robert heard her through the speaker.<\/p>\n
His face hardened.<\/p>\n
The police officer called me five minutes later.<\/p>\n
There was no obvious damage.<\/p>\n
The back door had been unlocked.<\/p>\n
Several drawers in my office were open.<\/p>\n
My desk chair had been moved.<\/p>\n
And the ceramic bird lay on the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cCan you tell whether anything is missing?\u201d the officer asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot from here.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll secure the property.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPlease check the passport drawer.\u201d<\/p>\n
A pause while he moved.<\/p>\n
I heard footsteps.<\/p>\n
Then a drawer sliding.<\/p>\n
\u201cMa\u2019am?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no passport here.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart sank.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are empty hanging folders.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLabels?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTax records. Insurance. Estate.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert closed his eyes.<\/p>\n
The officer continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s also something on the desk.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cA note.\u201d<\/p>\n
I gripped the edge of the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does it say?\u201d<\/p>\n
There was a pause.<\/p>\n
Then he read it.<\/p>\n
You should have signed when your family asked nicely.<\/p>\n
No one moved.<\/p>\n
Daniel\u2019s voice came through the other phone.<\/p>\n
\u201cEleanor.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to give the officers Susan\u2019s full name immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ll give them everything.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert looked at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverything?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
Her face had changed.<\/p>\n
Fear had finally overcome loyalty.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s one more thing.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSusan didn\u2019t just ask about Eleanor\u2019s accounts.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert\u2019s expression sharpened.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat else?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe asked about life insurance.\u201d<\/p>\n
A cold silence settled over the room.<\/p>\n
I had one policy left from years ago.<\/p>\n
Modest by comparison with everything else.<\/p>\n
But enough to matter to someone desperate.<\/p>\n
I looked at Patrice.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat exactly did she ask?\u201d<\/p>\n
Patrice swallowed.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe wanted to know who would receive the money if you died.\u201d<\/p>\n
Robert took one look at the photograph and reached for his phone. \u201cI\u2019m calling the police.\u201d Patrice grabbed his wrist. \u201cNo.\u201d He stared at her. \u201cGet your hand off me.\u201d … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":20705,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-insightdrama"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=20711"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20711\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20746,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20711\/revisions\/20746"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20705"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=20711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=20711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/insightdrama.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=20711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}