Chapter 7 - The Notary Seal
My mother was not a notary.
Not anymore.
She had been one for a few years when I was a child, back when she handled payroll and office administration for a construction company.
Her commission had expired decades ago.
The seal on the Northstar document was dated six weeks earlier.
That made it more than suspicious.
It made it impossible.
I sent the PDF to Marcus.
Then I called my mother again.
This time she answered.
"Kesha."
Her voice was exhausted.
"Did you notarize my signature?"
She inhaled.
"Where are you?"
"Did you notarize my signature?"
"Kesha, please."
"Yes or no."
"No."
The answer came too fast.
I closed my eyes.
"Maya has the PDF."
Silence.
"What PDF?"
"The Northstar intake form Monique emailed her by mistake."
My mother made a sound so small I almost missed it.
"Oh God."
"Did you notarize it?"
"I didn't sign your name."
"That isn't what I asked."
She began to cry.
I walked into Priya's guest room and shut the door.
"Mom."
"Your father said it was paperwork."
"What kind?"
"He said the trust couldn't be repaired unless all the beneficiaries consented."
"I never consented."
"I know."
"Then what did you do?"
"I stamped the form."
"You used an expired seal?"
"I kept it."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Mom."
"I don't know!"
Her voice broke.
I heard my father in the background.
"Loretta, hang up."
She whispered, "He said you'd understand later."
"Put Dad on."
"No."
"Put him on."
The line rustled.
Then Dad.
"You are destroying your mother."
"No. I'm documenting what both of you did."
"You think the bank cares about family context?"
"I hope not."
"Kesha—"
"Why does Northstar say 'beneficiary substitution'?"
He said nothing.
"What were you substituting?"
Still nothing.
Then the call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Three taps sounded against the bedroom door.
Maya.
"Come in."
She stepped inside.
Her face was pale.
"Did Grandma do something bad?"
"No."
"Did Grandpa?"
I sat on the bed.
"Grandpa made some very bad choices."
"Is he going to jail?"
"I don't know."
"Is Aunt Monique?"
"I don't know."
She nodded slowly.
"What happens to us?"
That question hurt more than everything else.
"We stay together."
"What about money?"
"I will figure it out."
She looked unconvinced.
So was I.
Then her eyes went to my phone.
"Aunt Monique sent me something."
I stood.
"What?"
Maya held out the tablet.
A voice message.
From Monique.
Sweetheart, it's Aunt Monique. I need you to do me a favor. There was a mistake with a file I sent you. Please delete the Northstar email and empty your trash. Don't tell your mom because she's already stressed. I'll buy you that telescope you wanted. Okay? Love you.
I felt anger rise so fast it almost made me dizzy.
She was trying to bribe my child.
I forwarded the message to Marcus.
Then I told Maya, "Do not reply."
"I wasn't going to."
"I know."
Her thumbnail tapped the case three times.
"I saved it."
"Saved what?"
"The first time she asked me something weird."
My skin prickled.
"What first time?"
Maya opened a folder called SCIENCE VIDEOS.
Inside were clips of experiments, school presentations, and one audio recording.
She pressed play.
Monique's voice.
This was weeks before the theft.
Maya sounded farther from the microphone.
Aunt Monique, why do you need Mom's numbers?
Monique laughed.
What numbers?
The secret ones in the blue binder.
Oh. Those are old. Your mom asked me to clean things out.
No, she didn't.
A pause.
Then Monique's tone changed.
You are a smart girl, aren't you?
Dad says smart means checking twice.
Actually, he said three times.
Another pause.
Do you know where your mom keeps the spare key to Grandma's box?
No.
Think.
No.
Don't you want to help your family?
I don't like this.
The recording ended.
I looked at Maya.
"Why did you record her?"
She stared at the floor.
"Because she sounded different."
"Different how?"
"Like when people in videos pretend they're not angry."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought maybe I was being rude."
The words broke something in me.
How early had my family trained even a nine-year-old to distrust her own discomfort?
I took her face in my hands.
"If an adult asks you to keep a secret from me about money, documents, passwords, touching, travel, anything—you tell me. Even if it's Grandma. Even if it's Grandpa. Even if it's me acting strange."
She nodded.
"And you are never rude for protecting yourself."
Her eyes filled.
"Okay."
My phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered.
"We verified the notary commission," he said. "Expired twenty-two years ago."
"I know."
"The trust counsel also sent us records."
"What records?"
"Your grandmother filed a beneficiary protection letter."
My heart thudded.
"What does it say?"
"I can't send it until the lawyer authorizes release, but the summary is explicit."
"Explicit how?"
"She anticipated pressure from your father."
I sat down.
Marcus continued.
"She instructed the trustee not to honor any beneficiary change unless you appeared in person with independent counsel."
Relief hit me so suddenly I had to grip the mattress.
"So they can't replace me."
"Not legally."
"Illegally?"
"We're working on that."
"Where are the trust assets?"
"Partly frozen."
"Partly?"
"Some were moved months ago."
My relief vanished.
"How much?"
"We don't know yet."
"Marcus."
"I don't know."
A second call beeped in.
Dubai number.
Monique.
I ignored it.
Then a message appeared.
KIKI PLEASE PICK UP. CHAD CAME BACK.
Another.
HE KNOWS ABOUT THE GIRL'S EMAIL.
I was already moving toward Maya.
Then the third message arrived.
May you like
He says if you don't sign, he'll go to her school.
My Sister Stole $150,000 and Fled to Dubai
