Chapter 5
Richard's car was parked behind the reception hall.
Music followed me across the dark parking lot. Through the windows, I could see people dancing beneath strings of golden lights.
My daughter's wedding continued without me.
I unlocked the car and opened the glove box.
A thick blue folder lay inside.
LAKE HAVEN was printed across the front.
The first page showed a drawing of the house with a new deck, larger windows, and a second bedroom above the garage. Someone had circled the old kitchen wall in red and written:
REMOVE BEFORE SPRING.
That was the wall where my father had marked my height every birthday until I turned seventeen.
I turned the page.
The house had been appraised six weeks ago.
Six weeks.
Richard had stood beside me in its kitchen last month, drinking coffee while I talked about repairing the dock. He had already known someone had measured every room and placed a price on the house.
The next document was a construction agreement.
I saw my name at the bottom.
Claire Hale.
For one second, I wondered if I had signed something and forgotten. Richard often placed papers in front of me while I was cooking or answering emails.
Just here, he would say. It's nothing important.
But this signature leaned too far to the right. The C was too wide. The final e curled upward.
Someone had copied my name.
My skin went cold.
I photographed every page.
The last document was shorter. A yellow note was attached to the signature line.
CLAIRE—MONDAY. FINAL DEADLINE.
I read the first paragraph twice.
The language was formal, but the meaning was simple.
Richard wanted permission to use Lake Haven to get money.
If he failed to repay it, the house could be taken.
This was not a gift for Emily.
It was a risk placed entirely on me.
A car door slammed somewhere behind me.
I looked up, but no one was close. My reflection stared back from the dark windshield, pale and frightened.
For years, I had trusted Richard to explain the papers he asked me to sign.
Now I wondered how many times he had used that trust.
I sent the photographs to myself, then to a new email address Richard did not know.
After that, I removed the construction agreement with the false signature and placed it inside my purse.
A phone number was printed at the top.
I called it.
A man answered on the fourth ring.
"Mercer Construction."
"This is Claire Hale. I'm calling about the Lake Haven project."
"Oh, yes. Mr. Hale said everything was approved."
I looked down at the false version of my name.
"When are you starting?"
"Tomorrow morning."
"What time?"
"Crew should be there by seven."
Behind me, the reception doors opened. Music and laughter spilled into the parking lot.
I closed the folder and put it back in the glove box.
Then I looked at the time.
I had nine hours before strangers entered my father's house.