Clara whispered, “Dad?”
Victor laughed, but it cracked halfway through. “This is pathetic.”
“No,” I replied. “Pathetic was forging a power of attorney with the wrong middle initial.”
Denise opened her folder. Her voice stayed calm, sharp, merciless.
“The property at 114 Maple Ridge belongs to the Whitaker Family Trust. Any attempted transfer without trustee approval is invalid. The supposed buyer is directly connected to Mr. Victor Hale through business records. The vehicle transfer relied on a falsified medical incapacity report. The attempted bank withdrawal was captured on surveillance footage. And Mrs. Whitaker-Hale’s signature appears on three fraudulent documents.”
Whispers spread across the ballroom. Phones lifted into the air.
Clara turned toward Victor. “You told me it was legal.”
