He remembered telling her that he was busier than ever.
He remembered her saying that money could make life comfortable but could never make a person decent.
At the time, he had laughed.
Now the memory felt like a warning.
His phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
Daniel: Everything okay? You haven't answered my calls.
Marcus stared at the screen.
Another message arrived.
Daniel: Need you to sign something tomorrow. Important.
Marcus looked at Andre.
Andre noticed his expression.
“Who is it?”
“Daniel.”
Andre closed his laptop.
“What does he want?”
Marcus showed him the message.
Andre read it twice.
“Don't respond yet.”
Marcus shook his head.
“He knows something.”
“Maybe.”
“Why would he be texting me about signatures at one in the morning?”
Andre leaned back.
“Because he may think you haven't discovered anything.”
Marcus looked at the screen again.
Then he typed.
Marcus: What needs signing?
He sent it.
The reply came almost immediately.
Daniel: Just some estate paperwork. Nothing major. I'll explain tomorrow.
Marcus felt his pulse quicken.
He looked at Andre.
“Estate paperwork.”
Andre nodded slowly.
“Ask him where.”
Marcus typed again.
Marcus: Which estate paperwork?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally, Daniel replied.
Daniel: The property transfer. Your mother wanted it completed before she died. Don't worry about the details.
Marcus felt his hands go cold.
His mother had never mentioned a property transfer.
He looked at the photocopy on the desk.
The date.
The forged signature.
The name.
Everything was beginning to fit together in a way he didn't like.
He typed one final message.
Marcus: I'll look at it tomorrow.
Daniel responded with a thumbs-up.
Marcus put the phone down.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he looked at Andre.
“He knows.”
Andre nodded.
“I think so.”
Danielle stood.
“What do we do?”
Andre looked at the clock.
“Tomorrow morning, we go to the office.”
Marcus frowned.
“And tonight?”
Andre closed his laptop.
“Tonight, nobody touches those files. Nobody contacts Daniel. And nobody tells him that we know what happened.”
Marcus looked toward the bedroom door.
For the first time that evening, he wondered whether the person he had invited into his life had been standing beside him for years while quietly taking pieces of it away.
At 7:30 the following morning, Marcus arrived at the office.
He had barely slept.
His eyes were bloodshot, and the collar of his shirt was slightly wrinkled.
Daniel was already there.
He stood near the reception desk, speaking to an assistant.
When he saw Marcus, his face brightened.
“There he is.”
Daniel approached with a smile and extended his hand.
Marcus shook it.
“Morning.”
“You look terrible.”
“Didn't sleep.”
“Everything okay?”
Marcus studied his face.
For eight years, he had known Daniel's expressions.
He knew when he was joking.
He knew when he was irritated.
He knew when he was hiding something.
But that morning, Marcus couldn't tell.
“Just dealing with some family paperwork,” he said.
Daniel nodded.
“Yeah. I heard there were some estate issues.”
Marcus's stomach tightened.
“Who told you?”
Daniel smiled.
“Small world.”
“Who?”
“Your attorney's office. Someone called the company yesterday.”
Marcus stared.
“Why would they call the company?”
“Probably checking the old records.”
Daniel waved a hand.
“Don't worry about it. I'll handle everything.”
Marcus looked at him.
“No. I'll handle it.”
For the first time, Daniel's smile weakened.
“Of course.”
He glanced toward the elevator.
“Listen, I have a meeting in twenty minutes. We can discuss it later.”
Marcus nodded.
Daniel walked away.
He watched him disappear down the corridor.
Then he turned toward the reception desk.
“Has anyone accessed the archive room recently?”
The assistant looked up.
“Not that I know of.”
“Who has the key?”
“Mr. Brooks.”
Marcus stared at her.
“Only him?”
She hesitated.
“I'm not sure. I think you have one too.”
Marcus nodded.
He walked toward the archive room.
The door was locked.
He used his key.
Inside were rows of filing cabinets, old computers, and boxes of documents.
The room smelled of paper and dust.
He began searching through the estate records.
After nearly twenty minutes, he found a folder labeled Evelyn Reed.
It was thinner than he expected.
Inside were copies of the original will, several bank statements, and a property transfer application.
The application had been signed by Evelyn.
But the signature was clearly different from the one on the other documents.
Marcus took a photograph.
Then he noticed something behind the folder.
A small white envelope.
His name was written on the front.
He opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
If Daniel tells you everything was signed before my death, ask him why he needed a second witness.
Marcus stared at the sentence.
His mother's handwriting.
He read it again.
Then he looked at the document.
There were two witness signatures.
One belonged to Daniel.
The other belonged to someone he didn't recognize.
He took a photograph.
Then he heard footsteps outside the room.
He quickly slipped the note into his pocket.
The door opened.
Daniel stood in the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
Marcus turned.
“Looking for something.”
Daniel glanced at the open cabinet.
“What?”
“Estate documents.”
Daniel stepped inside.
“I told you I'd handle that.”
Marcus closed the folder.
“Why?”
Daniel frowned.
“Why what?”
“Why did my mother need a second witness?”
For a fraction of a second, Daniel's face changed.
It was almost invisible.
But Marcus saw it.
“What are you talking about?”
“The property transfer.”
Daniel laughed.
“Man, you're digging through old paperwork for no reason.”
“Then explain the signatures.”