Chapter 3 - The Father Who Suddenly Wanted His Children Back
Arthur called the next morning.
Not to ask how Lucy and Emma slept.
Not to apologize.
He wanted the envelope.
Charles refused.
Three hours later, Arthur’s attorney called.
That got Charles’s attention.
By afternoon, Arthur’s position had changed completely.
He had never “abandoned” the girls.
He had been distraught after the funeral.
His statements were taken out of context.
He wanted his daughters home.
Charles almost drove straight to Arthur’s house.
Martin stopped him.
“Don’t give him another scene.”
“He threw their bag at me.”
“I know.”
“He said he’d find somewhere to get rid of them.”
“I know.”
“And now we’re supposed to pretend he wants them?”
“No.”
Martin leaned forward.
“We document what happened and let the process test his story.”
That was harder than hitting Arthur.
Charles did it anyway.
Lucy’s account was recorded by the appropriate professionals.
Charles did not coach her.
Emma, who had not witnessed the foyer argument, was not dragged into it.
Arthur requested immediate return of the girls.
Charles sought temporary guardianship based on Arthur’s stated refusal of care, the instability following Rose’s death, and evidence suggesting the girls’ financial interests could conflict with Arthur’s.
Nothing was decided instantly.
A temporary arrangement kept the girls with Charles while the court reviewed the circumstances.
Arthur received structured contact.
He hated that.
Lucy hated the contact more.
After the first video call, Charles found her sitting on the floor beside Rose’s old piano.
“He says you’re stealing us.”
Charles sat beside her.
“I’m not.”
“He says Mom was sick and didn’t understand money.”
Charles closed his eyes.
Rose predicted that exact sentence.
“What do you think?”
Lucy stared at the piano keys.
“Mom was sick.”
“Yes.”
“But she still knew when Dad was lying.”
Charles did not ask what lies.
He had learned something from Martin already.
Children were not depositions.
If Lucy wanted to talk, he would listen.
He would not turn her into an investigator.
Meanwhile, Rose’s estate attorney confirmed several important facts.
The life-insurance policy named two trusts for Lucy and Emma as primary beneficiaries.
Arthur was not the beneficiary.
Rose had changed the trustee from Arthur to an independent trust company three weeks before entering hospice.
Charles was successor family adviser but did not control distributions alone.
That relieved him.
Rose had protected the girls without handing him unilateral power.
Arthur could not simply take the insurance money.
But the joint accounts were more complicated.
The Aster Ridge transfers had occurred while Rose was alive.
Arthur claimed she knew.
Her notes said she didn’t.
The home-equity loan had both signatures.
Rose’s signature appeared genuine.
Charles wanted to call it fraud anyway.
Martin stopped him again.
“Did Rose say she never signed?”
“No.”
“Then don’t invent what we don’t know.”
Charles hated restraint.
But Rose had asked him to protect the girls, not rewrite facts.
Then the bank produced the loan application.
The stated purpose was:
Renovation and accessibility modifications related to spouse’s medical needs.
Charles stared at it.
Rose’s house had never received $240,000 in renovations.
A downstairs bathroom had been modified.
A ramp installed temporarily.
A hospital bed rented.
Total cost nowhere near the loan.
The bank’s records showed the $240,000 landed in the joint checking account.
Within eight days, $149,500 moved out.
Destination:
Aster Ridge Consulting.
Charles looked at Martin.
“Vanessa.”
Martin nodded.
May you like
Now they knew where Rose’s missing money went.
They still didn’t know why Arthur had needed his dying wife’s signature to send it there.
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