He did not send it immediately.
Instead, he waited for one more piece of evidence.
The original authorization documents.
If he could establish that his signature had been forged, the case would become considerably stronger.
***
The opportunity arrived unexpectedly.
On Friday afternoon, Eleanor received a call from Mrs. Collins, the longtime housekeeper.
Mrs. Collins sounded distressed.
"Mrs. Whitmore, I'm sorry to bother you."
"Is something wrong?"
"I found something in the study."
Eleanor sat down.
"What did you find?"
"A folder. It was left behind the cabinet."
"What was inside?"
"Documents with Daniel's name."
Eleanor looked toward her son.
"Can you describe them?"
Mrs. Collins lowered her voice.
"I think they're the original papers."
Eleanor covered the phone briefly.
"Daniel, Mrs. Collins has found something."
He immediately took the phone.
"Mrs. Collins, this is Daniel. Where exactly are you?"
"In the house."
"Is my father there?"
"No. He left this morning."
"Is Vanessa there?"
"I haven't seen her."
"Can you leave the documents where they are?"
"I can."
"Please don't touch anything else. I'll come over."
After the call ended, Daniel collected his briefcase.
Eleanor stood.
"I'm coming with you."
He hesitated.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
They drove to the residence together.
Mrs. Collins met them at the front entrance.
She looked relieved to see them.
"I didn't know what else to do."
Daniel thanked her.
"Where are the documents?"
"In the study."
They walked upstairs.
Mrs. Collins opened the door.
The room looked almost exactly as Daniel remembered it.
Richard's desk was polished. The bookshelves were neatly arranged. A framed photograph of Richard and Eleanor stood beside a silver pen holder.
Daniel looked toward the cabinet.
"Where did you find the folder?"
Mrs. Collins pointed.
"Behind there."
Daniel crouched and examined the space.
A thin brown folder was partly concealed between the cabinet and the wall.
He carefully removed it.
The label on the front read:
DANIEL WHITMORE – COMPANY AUTHORIZATION.
He opened it.
Inside were several documents.
The first appeared to be a corporate authorization form.
It carried Daniel's name, address, and personal identification details.
At the bottom was a signature.
His signature.
Or an imitation of it.
Daniel examined the date.
The document had supposedly been signed four years earlier.
He remembered exactly where he had been at the time.
He had been working overseas.
He had not been anywhere near his father's office.
He examined the second document.
It authorized financial transactions on behalf of the company.
The third document contained a declaration that Daniel had reviewed and approved the relevant business arrangements.
He had never seen it before.
Eleanor looked over his shoulder.
"Is that your signature?"
"Someone copied it."
Mrs. Collins looked horrified.
"Why would anyone do that?"
Daniel closed the folder.
"Because they wanted to make it look as though I approved transactions I knew nothing about."
He examined the remaining pages.
Then he found something that made him stop.
A handwritten note had been attached to the back of the final document.
It was written in blue ink.
The handwriting belonged to Richard.
Daniel recognized it from birthday cards and letters he had received as a child.
The note contained only a few words.
"Keep Daniel away from the final review. Once the transfer is complete, we can explain everything."
Daniel read it twice.
Eleanor took the paper from him.
"Oh, Richard."
Her voice was barely audible.
The note suggested that Richard had known about the plan from the beginning.
Perhaps he had even intended to reveal the truth eventually.
But the documents showed that the arrangement had continued for years.
Daniel placed everything back inside the folder.
"We need to preserve this."
He turned to Mrs. Collins.
"Has anyone else seen it?"
"No."
"Did my father know you were in here?"
"I don't think so."
Daniel nodded.
"Thank you. You've helped us more than you realize."
Mrs. Collins looked uncomfortable.
"I just don't want anyone getting hurt."
Daniel understood.
She had worked for the Whitmores for decades. She had watched the family grow, witnessed their disagreements, and quietly endured the atmosphere Richard created.
Her decision to come forward had not been easy.
"You did the right thing," he assured her.
***
Daniel returned to his office and placed the documents in secure storage.
He contacted his lawyer and arranged for an independent examination of the signatures.
The initial assessment was encouraging.
The signatures showed inconsistencies in pressure, spacing, and stroke patterns.
They were likely reproductions.
But the examiner needed additional original samples before reaching a definitive conclusion.
Daniel provided copies of documents he had personally signed during the relevant period.
The examiner agreed to complete a full comparison.
Meanwhile, Thomas discovered something else.
Vanessa had recently attempted to transfer money from one of the intermediary companies.
The transaction had been blocked by a financial institution requesting additional verification.
Thomas sent Daniel the details.
"She's moving money," he said over the phone.
"How much?"
"Approximately eight hundred thousand dollars."
"Where was it going?"
"An account connected to Martin Reed."
Daniel looked at the date.
"When did the transfer request happen?"
"Yesterday."
"Then she knows we're getting closer."
"That's what I think."
Daniel stood.
"Can you identify the bank?"
Thomas gave him the name.
Daniel immediately contacted his lawyer.
They agreed that the next step would be to notify the appropriate authorities and request preservation of the relevant financial records.
But before Daniel could complete the paperwork, another call came through.
It was Eleanor.
Her voice was trembling.
"Daniel, your father is here."
He stopped.
"Where?"
"At the apartment."
"Is he alone?"
"No. Vanessa is with him."
Daniel grabbed his keys.
"Don't argue with them. I'm coming."
He ended the call.
Then he looked at Thomas.
"Something is happening."
Thomas stood.
"Do you want me to come?"
"Yes."
***
When Daniel reached the apartment, he found Richard standing in the living room.
Vanessa was beside him.
Eleanor sat on the sofa, her hands clasped tightly in her lap.
Richard looked exhausted.
His suit was wrinkled, and his face was pale.
But Vanessa looked composed.
She wore a dark jacket and carried a leather handbag.
Daniel entered.
"Why are you here?"
Richard looked at him.
"We need to talk."
"You could have called."
"This is a family matter."
Daniel glanced at Vanessa.
"Then why is she here?"
Vanessa gave a small smile.
"Because I believe I can help resolve this situation."
Daniel placed his keys on the table.
"You've had several opportunities to help. You chose to threaten my mother instead."
Her smile disappeared.
Richard stepped forward.
"Daniel, please. We need to find a way through this."
"Then tell me the truth."
Richard lowered his eyes.
"I didn't know it would become this serious."
"That's not an answer."
"I made some financial decisions that I regret."
"Which decisions?"
Richard glanced at Vanessa.
She gave him a warning look.
Daniel noticed.
"Don't look at her. I'm asking you."
Richard swallowed.
"The companies were created to protect certain investments."
"Why was my name used?"
"Because I needed someone with no connection to the company."
Daniel stared at him.
"Someone whose identity you could use without permission?"
Richard closed his eyes.
"I thought I could correct everything before anyone noticed."
"And when?"
Richard said nothing.
"Four years? Five years? How long were you planning to keep doing this?"
Vanessa interrupted.