Chapter 4 - The Blue Folder Contains Two Signatures
Margaret photographed every page before touching anything else.
The financial power of attorney was broad.
Too broad.
It allowed Maxwell to move funds, vote Chloe’s company shares, enter
contracts, and manage certain trusts.
The medical document named Cecelia Sterling as alternate health-care
agent.
Chloe’s signature appeared on both.
So did the signature of a witness.
Dr. Andrew Vale.
Margaret knew the name.
Andrew was the psychiatrist who treated Chloe briefly after Thomas died.
Chloe had experienced panic attacks and insomnia.
Andrew had helped.
Then he abruptly left the practice.
Margaret had never known why.
The documents were dated three weeks earlier.
Margaret called Daniel from the room phone.
He told her not to assume the signatures were forged.
“Chloe may have signed under pressure. We need evidence.”
Margaret appreciated the distinction.
Then Emma found something behind the folder.
A small prescription bottle.
Chloe’s name was on the label.
Margaret read the medication.
It was a sedative.
She nearly jumped to a conclusion.
Daniel stopped her.
“Do not assume Maxwell drugged her. Photograph it. Leave it where it
is.”
Again, evidence first.
Then Margaret noticed the pharmacy date.
Yesterday.
Chloe had told Margaret she was not taking any medication.
The prescriber was Dr. Andrew Vale.
Margaret’s stomach tightened.
A man who supposedly left Chloe’s care years earlier had prescribed
medication one day before her wedding and witnessed documents
transferring control to her husband.
Then someone tried the suite door.
Margaret and Emma froze.
Cecelia’s voice came from the hallway.
“Margaret?”
Margaret slipped the photographed pages into her phone’s secure cloud
upload.
Then Cecelia said:
“You don’t understand what Chloe asked us to do.”
Margaret opened the door but kept the chain latched.
“Then explain it.”
Cecelia looked directly at the safe.
“She was going to destroy everything her father built.”
Margaret realized this was no longer only about Maxwell controlling
Chloe.
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The Sterlings believed they were protecting something Thomas Bennett had
left behind.
