Chapter 6 - The Second Page
Marlene arrived on Sunday wearing her church coat.
Cole came beside her in a dark jacket, his father’s gold watch shining on his wrist. Sheriff Daniels stood between them and the neighbors gathered near the garage.
Cole pointed at the toolbox.
“That’s stolen.”
Ethan removed the sealed county envelope from beneath the drawer.
The sheriff opened it on the yellow truck hood.
The first page was the recorded deed to Miller Ridge, transferred to Ethan through a trust five years earlier.
The second page was more damaging.
It listed Walker Auto & Repair as collateral owned by the same trust after Ethan’s father refinanced the business during his illness.
The beneficiary was Ethan.
Marlene stared at the document.
“That’s impossible.”
Sheriff Daniels flipped to the attached affidavit.
“Your husband filed this with the county clerk.”
“He changed his mind.”
“Do you have a later original?”
Marlene looked toward Cole.
Cole’s confidence vanished.
The sheriff continued.
“The probate copy you submitted was witnessed by your sister and a notary whose commission expired eight months before the listed signing date.”
The neighbors began whispering.
Ethan said nothing.
Sheriff Daniels looked at Marlene.
“The county has no record of that will being deposited. The attorney listed on it says he did not prepare it.”
Cole stepped backward.
Marlene’s face tightened.
“This is a family matter.”
“No,” the sheriff said. “It became a criminal matter when someone submitted a false document to probate.”
Cole reached for the gold watch.
Ethan noticed the movement.
“My father was wearing that in the hospital.”
Cole stopped.
Marlene closed her eyes.
May you like
The watch had never been given to him.
They had taken that too.
