Chapter 5 - The Man Who Signed Everything

Arthur Bell arrived at the Prescott Family Office at 7:08 every morning.

That had been true for twelve years.

At 7:11, Marcus sat across from him in a conference room.

Chadworth watched remotely from the estate.

Arthur smiled at Marcus.

“You’re early.”

“So are you.”

“I’m always early.”

“I know.”

“What’s this about?”

Marcus placed a tablet on the table.

“Your network credentials.”

Arthur’s smile faded.

“What about them?”

“They accessed private surveillance data from Mr. Prescott’s residence.”

“That’s impossible.”

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t have residential security access.”

“You have finance network access.”

“That’s not the same thing.”

“The files were routed through the Family Office.”

Arthur leaned back.

“I don’t know anything about that.”

Marcus nodded.

“Good.”

Arthur frowned.

“Good?”

“If you know nothing, you’ll have no problem helping me.”

“With what?”

“Your token.”

Arthur’s hand moved unconsciously toward his jacket.

Marcus noticed.

“Where is it?”

“In my desk.”

“No.”

“What?”

“You just touched your pocket.”

Arthur stared.

Marcus said, “Put it on the table.”

Arthur’s face tightened.

“I don’t appreciate being treated like a suspect.”

“You’re not under arrest.”

“Then I’m leaving.”

He stood.

Marcus remained seated.

“You can.”

Arthur stopped.

“But if you leave, I call Chadworth and tell him you refused to explain why your credentials were used to monitor his daughters.”

Arthur looked at the door.

Then sat.

Slowly, he removed a security token from his pocket.

Marcus looked at it.

“Serial number.”

Arthur read it.

Marcus checked.

“Not the token assigned to you.”

Arthur’s face changed.

“What?”

“Yours ends in forty-two.”

“That one ends in seventeen.”

Arthur stared at the device as if he had never seen it.

Marcus did not believe the performance.

“Where did you get it?”

“I thought it was mine.”

“Try again.”

Arthur’s breathing changed.

“I found it in my drawer.”

“When?”

“Last week.”

“Where is your actual token?”

“I don’t know.”

Marcus leaned forward.

“Arthur, this is the moment when lying becomes expensive.”

“I’m not lying.”

“Sabina Prescott-to-be has been meeting with Elias Voss.”

Arthur’s eyes flickered.

That was enough.

Marcus said, “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For reacting.”

Arthur looked away.

Marcus continued.

“Voss drafted a trust amendment with forged initials.”

“I know nothing about that.”

“Sabina installed surveillance devices in two children’s bedrooms.”

Arthur went pale.

“I didn’t know that.”

“Better.”

“What?”

“That answer sounded true.”

Arthur closed his eyes.

Marcus lowered his voice.

“What did you know?”

Silence.

“What did Voss ask you to do?”

Arthur rubbed his face.

“I thought it was tax planning.”

“What?”

“He said Chadworth wanted to reorganize holding companies before the wedding.”

“Did you verify with Chadworth?”

“Voss had signed instructions.”

“Forged.”

“I didn’t know.”

“You never called your employer?”

Arthur’s voice rose.

“Do you know how many things Chadworth delegates?”

“Yes.”

“Hundreds.”

“Yes.”

“Voss had worked with the family before.”

“Yes.”

“And Sabina confirmed it.”

Marcus stared.

“So you moved assets?”

“No.”

“What did you do?”

“I created access.”

“To what?”

“Draft holding structures.”

“Which controlled what?”

“Some real estate. Private funds. Trust planning models.”

“Children’s trusts?”

“Models only.”

Marcus waited.

Arthur looked down.

“Then Voss asked for historical distributions.”

“Why?”

“He said they were preparing continuity documents.”

“And?”

“I gave him copies.”

“Anything else?”

“Signature exemplars.”

Marcus went still.

“You gave Elias Voss examples of Chadworth’s signature?”

“For document automation.”

“You did what?”

“It’s common in executive workflows.”

“Not without direct authorization.”

“I had an instruction letter.”

“Forged.”

Arthur’s face folded.

Marcus said, “What else?”

“Nothing.”

“Arthur.”

“Nothing.”

Marcus slid a printed image across the table.

Voss beside the Everlock unit.

Blue folder.

Guardianship petition.

Arthur looked at it.

“I have never seen that.”

“Do you recognize the form?”

“Yes.”

“What is it?”

“Temporary guardianship.”

“Prepared by?”

“I can’t tell.”

“Look at the template code.”

Arthur leaned closer.

His face went blank.

“What?”

“That’s ours.”

“Family Office template?”

“Yes.”

Marcus sat back.

“So someone used internal templates.”

Arthur whispered, “Oh God.”

“Who had access?”

“Me. Legal operations. Voss during transition review.”

“Sabina?”

“Not directly.”

“Through Voss.”

Arthur looked sick.

Marcus’s phone rang.

Chadworth.

He answered.

“What?”

Chadworth’s voice was controlled.

“Sabina is asking where the girls are.”

“What did you tell her?”

“School project and playdate.”

“Did she believe you?”

“No.”

“What is she doing?”

“Calling people.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know.”

Marcus looked at Arthur.

“I may.”

He ended the call.

“Arthur, unlock your phone.”

Arthur stared.

“Why?”

“Because if Sabina calls you in the next five minutes and you ignore her, she’ll know.”

“I don’t work for Sabina.”

“Then prove it.”

Arthur unlocked the phone.

Two missed calls.

SABINA.

Marcus looked at him.

Arthur whispered, “I can explain.”

“Please do.”

“She called sometimes.”

“About?”

“Planning.”

“Which planning?”

“Household expenses.”

“Trust expenses?”

“Sometimes.”

“Why?”

“She said Chadworth wanted her involved.”

“Did Chadworth ever say that?”

“No.”

“And you never checked?”

Arthur looked ashamed.

“She was going to be his wife.”

Marcus said, “That is not an authorization category.”

“I know.”

“Answer when she calls again.”

“What do I say?”

“The truth, carefully.”

Arthur’s phone rang.

Sabina.

He answered.

“Hello?”

Marcus activated recording.

Sabina did not bother greeting him.

“Where are the girls?”

Arthur blinked.

“I’m sorry?”

“Don’t play stupid. Is Chadworth moving them?”

“I don’t know.”

“Has he asked you to freeze anything?”

“No.”

“Has he contacted Voss?”

“I don’t know.”

Marcus mouthed: Keep her talking.

Arthur swallowed.

“What’s happening?”

Sabina lowered her voice.

“He canceled Canada.”

“I heard.”

“He’s acting strange.”

“How?”

“He had Rosamund eat dinner with us.”

Arthur looked confused.

Marcus signaled: respond.

“That’s unusual.”

“He’s watching me.”

“Why would he?”

“Because that maid is poisoning him.”

Marcus’s expression turned cold.

Sabina continued.

“Listen to me. If Chadworth asks about the continuity models, you tell him they were requested by legal.”

Arthur looked at Marcus.

“And if he asks which legal?”

“Voss.”

“What if he asks why?”

“Tax transition.”

Arthur’s voice shook.

“Sabina, what exactly are we doing?”

Silence.

Then her tone changed.

“What do you mean, we?”

Arthur understood too late.

“I mean the planning.”

“Don’t get nervous now.”

“I’m not.”

“You sound nervous.”

“I just don’t want misunderstandings.”

“There won’t be any if you stick to what you were told.”

Marcus wrote on a pad: Ask about petition.

Arthur’s eyes widened.

He shook his head slightly.

Marcus underlined it.

Arthur swallowed.

“Voss sent me something yesterday.”

“What?”

“A petition.”

Silence.

Sabina’s voice became almost inaudible.

“He wasn’t supposed to.”

“What is it?”

“You didn’t open it.”

“I saw the title.”

“Delete it.”

“Why?”

“Arthur.”

“Why is my template on a guardianship filing?”

“Delete it.”

“For Lorelai and Gemma?”

Sabina snapped, “You were never supposed to see that.”

Marcus looked at Arthur.

There it was.

Arthur whispered, “Sabina—”

“Delete it. Now.”

The call ended.

Nobody moved.

Marcus saved the recording twice.

Arthur stared at his phone.

“I didn’t know.”

Marcus looked at him.

“I believe you didn’t know about the girls.”

Arthur’s eyes filled with relief.

“That doesn’t mean you’re innocent.”

The relief vanished.

“You gave access you had no right to give.”

Arthur nodded.

“You ignored authorization.”

“Yes.”

“You supplied signature exemplars.”

“Yes.”

“You helped create the door.”

Arthur whispered, “I didn’t know what she would walk through.”

“No.”

Marcus stood.

“But now you’re going to help close it.”

Back at the estate, Chadworth listened to the call.

Rosamund sat opposite him.

When Sabina’s voice said, “You were never supposed to see that,” Chadworth stopped the recording.

“Again.”

Marcus replayed it.

Rosamund closed her eyes.

Chadworth said, “That is enough for law enforcement.”

“Yes.”

“Call them.”

Marcus nodded.

“This time, yes.”

Chadworth looked at Rosamund.

“I want the girls out of the estate tonight.”

“They’re safe at the cottage.”

“Out.”

“Where?”

“Somewhere Sabina cannot find.”

Rosamund said, “My sister has a house outside the city.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because this is my security failure. You do not put your family at risk.”

“Then where?”

Marcus answered.

“Prescott aviation residence.”

Chadworth frowned.

“The hangar apartment?”

“Separate security. Private access. Nobody uses it.”

“Good.”

Rosamund stood.

“I’ll take them.”

Chadworth stopped her.

“Rosamund.”

“Yes?”

“Thank you.”

She looked at him for a long moment.

“Thank them when they trust you again.”

He nodded.

“That too.”

Sabina came home at six.

She found Chadworth in the music room alone.

“Where are the girls?”

“Out.”

“With Rosamund?”

“Yes.”

“I told you I don’t want that woman taking them places without permission.”

Chadworth looked up.

“Whose permission?”

“Mine.”

“Why yours?”

Sabina stared.

“Because I’m responsible for them when you’re gone.”

“I’m not gone.”

“Not today.”

Chadworth stood.

“Sabina, why do you hate Rosamund?”

She laughed.

“I don’t hate her.”

“You accuse her constantly.”

“Because you refuse to see what she is.”

“And what is she?”

“A woman who wants to replace me.”

Chadworth almost smiled.

“Replace you as what?”

Sabina’s face sharpened.

“The person closest to this family.”

“You mean the girls.”

“I mean you too.”

Chadworth walked closer.

“Did you accuse her of stealing my bracelet?”

“My bracelet.”

“You wore it after you reported it missing.”

Sabina froze.

Only for a fraction of a second.

Then she smiled.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“I have a photograph.”

“Then the timestamp is wrong.”

“Is that your answer?”

“It’s the truth.”

Chadworth studied her.

He wanted to show her the audio.

The petition.

Voss.

Arthur.

He wanted to destroy the performance.

Instead he said, “Maybe.”

Sabina’s shoulders relaxed slightly.

“You’re tired.”

“Yes.”

“You’re grieving your wife again.”

Chadworth’s face went cold.

“Don’t use Amelia.”

“I’m not.”

“You just did.”

“I’m trying to understand you.”

“No. You’re trying to explain me.”

She stepped back.

“Fine.”

“Where did you go last night?”

“Charity meeting.”

“Everlock Storage is a strange venue for charity.”

The color left her face.

This time she could not hide it.

Chadworth watched.

Sabina whispered, “You followed me.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I finally learned to pay attention.”

She said nothing.

Then the front doorbell rang.

Not the usual chime.

The security tone.

Marcus entered the room with two detectives.

Sabina looked at them.

Then at Chadworth.

“What is this?”

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Chadworth’s voice was quiet.

“The part where pretending ends.”