Chapter 16 - The Woman Who Kept the Emails

Brooke's former business partner, Allison Reed, met with Detective Kim and the prosecutor. I was grateful not to be there; I did not want to turn a witness into a friend just because she told the truth.

Daniel later explained what Allison had provided. Brooke had asked her to sign a witness statement saying Robert had promised Evan the house. Allison refused because she had never heard Robert say anything of the kind. Brooke then sent another message asking whether Allison could at least confirm that June had discussed transferring the property. Allison had never had that conversation with me either.

The emails showed planning, not misunderstanding. Brooke owed suppliers and rent and faced a hotel-client lawsuit. Pressure explained her choices; it did not excuse them.

The spreadsheet listed two retired couples and a widower with rental properties. Investigators contacted them. One couple said Brooke had offered to update their wills, then requested their identification and bank statements. They had lost no money but changed their locks.

The prosecutor told Daniel that the case was growing beyond a single disputed deed. She would not promise an outcome, but she was taking it seriously.

Evan's statement was submitted the same week. He admitted giving Brooke my signature scan and knowing the transfer was dishonest before he came to my house. He also provided messages from the office phone and agreed to testify if required.

When I learned that, I didn't feel relieved. I felt tired. Honesty had arrived after the damage, not before it.

Then Sophie sent me a drawing through Celia. It showed our house with a blue door, a crooked chimney, and three stick figures holding hands. Above the roof she had written, GRANDMA'S HOUSE IS STILL HOME.

I pinned it beside Robert's photograph.

May you like

Billionaire’s Wife Kicked a Waitress in Front of 300 Elites—One Slap Exp...

The billionaire’s wife tried to kick a waitress in the face in front of 300 wealthy guests. But seconds later, she whispered three...

My Mother Grabbed My Wife by the Hair Over Cold Soup—But What My Father...

My mother grabbed my wife by the hair over a bowl of cold soup. And the most shameful part? For one terrible second, I almost defe...

My Parents Kicked My 6-Year-Old Daughter and Me Out on Christmas—Then I...

My mother kicked my six-year-old daughter out of Christmas dinner, never realizing I was the only reason she still had a house to...

The next morning, the county issued a notice that the disputed deed would remain flagged while the civil case proceeded. My home was protected for now, but the criminal investigation was moving toward a formal decision.

And Brooke had one more chance to explain herself.