Chapter 7 - THE APPRAISER’S QUESTION
Claire found the appraiser through the company logo Vanessa remembered from his clipboard.
She called expecting voicemail.
Instead, a man named Peter Collins answered.
Claire identified herself as the owner of the West Paces Ferry property and asked why he had inspected it.
There was a pause.
“Mr. Morgan authorized access.”
“He isn’t an owner.”
Another pause.
Longer.
Peter became careful.
“I was retained to prepare a market valuation in connection with a prospective business financing package. I wasn’t conducting a title examination.”
“What did Brandon tell you?”
“I’d prefer to respond formally.”
“That’s fair. Can you tell me who hired you?”
A consulting company.
Claire recognized the name from one of the dinner place cards.
Halcyon Capital Partners.
The name changed everything.
These were not friends considering putting fifty thousand dollars into Brandon’s landscaping company.
Halcyon arranged private commercial financing.
Peter said something else before ending the call.
“There was one thing I found unusual.”
“What?”
“Your mother.”
Claire straightened.
“What about her?”
“She asked whether I was there to take the house.”
Evelyn had known enough to be afraid.
After the call, Claire went upstairs.
Her mother was sitting on the edge of the guest-room bed.
“You knew an appraiser came.”
“I knew a man took pictures.”
“You asked if he was there to take the house.”
Evelyn looked down.
“Brandon said if Greenline failed, the credit union could come after me because of the loan I cosigned.”
“That has nothing to do with my house.”
“I know that now.”
“No, Mom. You knew it then too.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
“I was scared.”
Claire sat across from her.
“What exactly did Brandon tell you?”
“That investors needed to see stability.”
“What does that mean?”
“He said they wouldn’t trust him if they knew he was living in his younger sister’s house.”
“So he pretended it was his.”
Evelyn hesitated.
“He said it was temporary.”
Claire gave a tired laugh.
“A temporary lie about real estate ownership?”
“I didn’t understand the details.”
“That’s what you keep saying every time the details become inconvenient.”
Evelyn recoiled.
Claire regretted the cruelty immediately.
But not the point.
“Mom, did you sign anything?”
“No.”
“Did he ask?”
Evelyn nodded.
Claire’s stomach tightened.
“What?”
“A statement saying your father had promised Brandon an ownership interest before he died.”
Claire stared at her.
“Did you sign it?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because it wasn’t true.”
Relief lasted only a second.
“Where is it?”
“I tore it up.”
“Did Brandon keep a copy?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire went downstairs and opened the trash drawer beneath the kitchen island where mail and junk papers were often tossed before recycling.
Nothing.
Then Vanessa appeared behind her.
“What are you looking for?”
“A statement Brandon wanted Mom to sign.”
Vanessa’s expression changed.
“What kind of statement?”
Claire explained.
Vanessa sat down heavily.
Then she said something Claire had not expected.
“I saw it.”
Claire turned.
“Where?”
“In Brandon’s laptop bag.”
“Signed?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.”
Then she looked toward the dining room where the final place settings waited.
“But there was another page behind it.”
“What page?”
“A financial statement.”
May you like
Vanessa swallowed.
“And your house was listed under Brandon’s assets.”
