Chapter 5: The Signature That Shouldn't Exist
Raymond stared at the photograph.
His face became completely still.
Jada looked over his shoulder.
"That's your signature.""
"I know.""
"But you said you never signed it.""
"I didn't.""
Michael Collins took the photograph back and placed it inside his folder.
"We shouldn't discuss the details here.""
Raymond looked toward the auditorium.
"Where did you find this?""
"In the original archive. Someone scanned the document six months ago and uploaded it to the trust's digital records.""
"Who had access?""
"That's what we're investigating.""
Raymond shook his head.
"Michael, I established that archive to prevent exactly this kind of situation.""
"I know.""
"Every original document was supposed to be stored in a restricted vault.""
"It was.""
"Then how did someone get inside?""
Michael hesitated.
"Because the access log shows a temporary authorization issued under your name.""
Raymond stared at him.
"My name?""
"Yes.""
"Who requested it?""
Michael opened the folder again.
"The request came from an administrative account connected to the Westbridge Foundation.""
Jada looked between them.
"Was it Victoria?""
"We don't know yet.""
Raymond looked toward the windows.
Outside, families were gathering for graduation photographs.
Children were laughing.
Parents were holding flowers.
Somewhere, a little girl was asking her mother to fix her graduation cap.
The world was continuing as if nothing had happened.
But Raymond knew that something buried in the school's history was beginning to surface.
"Michael," he said quietly, "I want the original vault sealed.""
"It's already been secured.""
"And I want a complete copy of every access record.""
"I've requested it.""
Jada folded her arms.
"Why would someone change my beneficiary designation?""
Raymond looked at her.
"I don't know.""
"But if the trust is supposed to protect the school, why would anyone want to change it?""
Michael answered carefully.
"Because a beneficiary designation can determine who has certain rights if the principal trustee dies or becomes incapacitated.""
Jada went pale.
"Are you saying someone wanted me removed?""
"Possibly.""
Raymond put a hand on her shoulder.
"Don't jump to conclusions.""
But his eyes had darkened.
He knew something Michael didn't.
Six months earlier, he had received an anonymous letter warning him that someone was trying to obtain the school's original property records.
He had dismissed it as a disgruntled former employee.
Now he wished he hadn't.
"Let's go home," he said.
Jada nodded.
Before they could leave, Margaret Ellis approached.
"Raymond?""
He turned.
"Margaret.""
She looked embarrassed.
"I owe you an apology.""
He shook his head.
"You don't.""
"I sat on that foundation board for years. I saw the reports. I should have asked more questions.""
"You trusted the people you worked with.""
"That isn't an excuse.""
She looked at Jada.
"And congratulations, sweetheart. Your speech was beautiful.""
Jada smiled politely.
"Thank you.""
Margaret hesitated.
"There's something else. I found a copy of the original trust correspondence in my office this morning.""
Raymond frowned.
"Why?""
"Because I was preparing for the annual financial review. I noticed that the beneficiary information had been altered in a document attached to the foundation's legal records.""
Michael stepped closer.
"Do you have that copy?""
Margaret nodded.
"I brought it.""
She reached into her handbag and removed a sealed envelope.
Michael opened it.
His expression changed immediately.
"What is it?"" Raymond asked.
Michael read the first page.
Then he turned to the second.
Finally, he looked up.
"Raymond, this is important.""
"What?""
"The amended designation doesn't just change the successor beneficiary.""
He showed Raymond the bottom of the page.
"It also grants temporary voting authority to a third party in the event of your incapacitation.""
Raymond's jaw tightened.
"Who?""
Michael pointed to the name.
Jada leaned forward.
Then she froze.
It was Victoria Hayes.
"She wasn't just trying to sell the property," Jada whispered.
Michael nodded.
"According to this document, she would have gained temporary authority over certain trust decisions if your original beneficiary designation was invalidated.""
Raymond took the paper.
"This is a forgery.""
Michael nodded.
"And now we have a motive.""
Margaret covered her mouth.
"I had no idea.""
Raymond looked at her.
"Did anyone else see this?""
"Only the foundation's legal committee.""
"Who sits on it?""
Margaret named three people.
One was a retired judge.
Another was the academy's former treasurer.
The third name made Raymond stop breathing for a moment.
"Charles Whitmore?""
Jada frowned.
"Isn't that the principal's brother?""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes. He was the foundation's financial secretary until last year.""
Michael closed the envelope.
"That changes things.""
Raymond looked toward the auditorium.
"Where is Arthur?""
"Probably in his office.""
"Then we need to speak with him.""
They found Principal Whitmore in a small office behind the auditorium.
He was removing his academic robe when Raymond entered.
"Raymond. Jada. Is everything all right?""
Raymond closed the door.
"Arthur, does your brother still have access to the foundation's records?""
The principal's face changed.
"Charles?""
"Yes.""
"Not officially. He resigned last year.""
"Did he return his keys?""
Arthur hesitated.
"I assumed he had.""
Michael placed the amended designation on the desk.
"Then I suggest you verify that assumption.""
Arthur picked up the document.
His eyes moved across the page.
When he reached the signature, he sat down.
"My God.""
Raymond watched him.
"You recognize it?""
Arthur nodded slowly.
"It's Charles's handwriting.""
Jada stared.
"Your brother changed the documents?""
Arthur shook his head.
"I don't know. But he handled the original archive for years.""
Raymond lowered his voice.
"Arthur, is there anything else I should know?""
The principal looked at the paper again.
Then he reached into the bottom drawer of his desk.
He removed a small black notebook.
"I found this in my brother's office after he resigned.""
Michael stepped closer.
"Why didn't you mention it?""
"Because I thought it was personal.""
Arthur opened the notebook.
Most of the pages contained handwritten numbers, dates, and meeting notes.
But one page had a name written repeatedly.
Raymond Bennett.
Below it was a date.
Six months earlier.
And beneath that, a sentence:
If Raymond refuses to cooperate, the alternative must be activated.
Jada felt her stomach drop.
"What alternative?""
Arthur turned another page.
There was a list of dates.
One of them was the date Raymond had suffered a serious accident at a construction site.
He had fallen from a ladder and spent two nights in the hospital.
Jada looked at her father.
"That was six months ago.""
Raymond nodded slowly.
Michael took the notebook.
"Was this written before or after the accident?""
Arthur pointed to the date.
"Three weeks before.""
Nobody spoke.
Then Jada noticed something at the bottom of the page.
A second name.
Not Victoria.
Not Charles.
Someone else.
She leaned closer.
"Dad...""
Raymond looked down.
The name was Elena Bennett.
His dead wife's name.
Jada stepped back.
"Why is Mom's name here?""
Raymond's face drained of color.
He took the notebook from Michael.
For eighteen years, he had kept Elena's memory in a small wooden box beside his bed.
Photographs.
A hospital bracelet.
A letter she had written before Jada was born.
He had never allowed anyone to use her name carelessly.
But now it was sitting in a notebook connected to a forged property document.
"Michael," he said quietly.
"Yes?""
"I want to know why my wife's name appears in these records.""
Michael nodded.
"I'll find out.""
Raymond stared at the page.
Then he noticed a line written beneath Elena's name.
It was a date from twenty years earlier.
The date the original school property agreement had been signed.
May you like
And beside it were five words.
The first agreement was never filed.
