Chapter 5 - THE ROOM BEHIND THE LOCKED DOORCharlotte returned to the house with Marcus Reed, a former sheriff's detective working as a private investigator.
Three cars were in the driveway.
Brandon.
Gertrude.
Hailey.
Brandon opened the door.
His expression changed when he saw Marcus.
"Why is he here?"
"Because I want a witness."
Gertrude appeared behind him.
"This is disgraceful."
Charlotte walked past her.
"My signature has been forged."
Gertrude's face changed.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But Marcus noticed.
Upstairs, Skylar packed her schoolbooks.
Charlotte went to her office.
The door was locked.
She stared at it.
"This was never locked."
Brandon looked away.
"Mom needed privacy."
Charlotte called a locksmith.
When the door opened, the truth was waiting.
Bank statements.
Passport copies.
Tax records.
Her mother's death certificate.
Property documents.
A portable scanner.
And a practice pad.
Hundreds of signatures.
Charlotte Whitaker.
Charlotte E. Whitaker.
Charlotte Elaine Whitaker.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Then she saw something worse.
A fake identification card.
Her name.
Her birth date.
Her address.
Her driver's license number.
But the photograph wasn't hers.
It was Hailey's.
Charlotte turned.
Hailey had gone white.
Marcus photographed everything.
Then the printer suddenly came alive.
A sheet slid out.
Closing Confirmation — Whitaker Family Property Trust
Friday.
11:00 a.m.
Attendees:
Brandon Whitaker.
Gertrude Whitaker.
Charlotte Whitaker.
Except Charlotte had never scheduled it.
Marcus looked at the fake ID.
Then at Hailey.
Then at Charlotte.
"I think we know who was supposed to play Charlotte."
Gertrude shouted:
May you like
"Don't say anything!"
And the room went silent.
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