Chapter 1 - THE WOMAN WHO SIGNED MY NAME
By the next morning, Victor still thought I knew only about Rita.
He had no idea I knew about the forged deed.
That was my first advantage.
Daniel Mercer, my attorney, came to the hospital before breakfast carrying a leather folder and the expression he usually wore when somebody had done something both illegal and stupid.
“Do not confront him yet,” he said.
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good.”
He opened the folder.
The document Victor had filed was a quitclaim deed supposedly transferring half ownership of my Brookline house to him.
My signature appeared perfectly at the bottom.
The date was eleven days earlier.
I had spent that entire day undergoing final transplant testing at Massachusetts General.
Daniel placed another paper beside it.
“I filed a notice of disputed title at eight this morning. He cannot sell or refinance the property without this coming up.”
“Can the deed be reversed?”
“If we prove the signature is fraudulent, yes.”
“If?”
Daniel gave me a look.
“Sarah, you were being monitored in a hospital at the exact time this document claims you appeared before a notary. I like our chances.”
I almost smiled.
Then he turned the page.
“Here’s the interesting part.”
The deed had been notarized.
That meant someone had officially sworn I personally appeared, produced identification, and signed willingly.
I stared at the notary stamp.
RITA COLE.
My husband’s mistress had notarized my forged signature.
I sat very still.
“So she wasn’t just sleeping with him.”
“No.”
Daniel’s voice hardened.
“She was helping him steal from you.”
My phone buzzed.
Victor.
I let it ring.
Then a text appeared.
WHERE ARE YOU? I NEED YOU TO BRING MY BLUE ROBE.
I actually laughed.
Three days after taking my kidney, my husband still expected laundry delivery.
Daniel shook his head.
“You married that?”
“For twenty-two years.”
“Expensive mistake.”
“Apparently.”
Then another message appeared.
This one from an unknown number.
STOP DIGGING INTO THE HOUSE.
My laughter vanished.
A second message followed.
YOU HAVE ALREADY GIVEN VICTOR ENOUGH.
Daniel read it over my shoulder.
His expression changed.
“Sarah.”
“What?”
“That message doesn’t sound like Victor.”
“Then who sent it?”
May you like
He looked again at Rita Cole’s name.
“I think we’re about to find out how many people were involved.”
