Chapter 9: The Charges
The district attorney's office moved faster than Patricia had expected.
The audit of the Hale family trust took eleven days.
When the findings came back, the scope was larger than what Eleanor had found in the lobby.
Vivian Cross had filed seven documents over fourteen months.
Four carried signatures attributed to Edward Hale, Marcus's father.
Two carried a signature attributed to Marcus.
One carried Eleanor's name — a signature Eleanor stated under oath she had never made.
Patricia called me on a Thursday morning while I was at Dana's kitchen table eating toast.
"They're filing charges today," she said.
"Vivian Cross.
Forgery, fraud, and one count of elder financial @buse related to the use of Edward Hale's signature."
I set down my toast.
"All of it."
"All of it.
Her attorney has already been in contact with the DA's office.
She's going to try to negotiate, but the documentary evidence is substantial.
The handwriting analysis alone covers four of the seven documents."
"And Marcus?"
A pause.
"The DA reviewed his involvement.
His position — that he authorized the concept but not the specific documents — is consistent with the evidence.
He's not being charged.
He is, however, a named witness."
"He'll have to testify."
"Almost certainly.
Against the woman he left his marriage for." Patricia's voice was neutral, but I heard something in it.
"Gerald Foss tells me Marcus has been cooperative with the investigation.
He provided his own records voluntarily."
"Is that supposed to make me feel something?"
"No," Patricia said.
"I'm reporting facts.
What you feel about them is your own business."
I looked out Dana's kitchen window.
The tree in the backyard had started to show the first thin green of spring.
I had been staying with Dana for ten days.
My daughter was due in eight weeks.
"What about the assault?" I asked.
"Vivian Cross was served with a civil complaint yesterday.
Her attorney called mine this morning.
They want to settle."
"How much?"
Patricia named a number.
"That's not enough," I said.
"I agree.
I told them we'd consider a counter.
But Nora — the more important outcome here is the criminal case.
A conviction on the forgery and elder @buse charges will follow her for the rest of her professional life."
"I know," I said.
"I still want the civil case to go forward unless the number changes significantly."
"Understood.
I'll go back to them."
I hung up and sat for a while with my hands around my mug.
Dana came in from the hallway.
She had heard enough.
"Charges filed?" she asked.
"This morning."
Dana poured herself coffee and sat down across from me.
"How do you feel?"
"Like it's real now," I said.
"Yesterday it was still documents and meetings.
Today it's charges."
"Is that good or bad?"
I thought about it.
"It's clarifying," I said.
"It means it actually happened.
It means I'm not going to wake up and find out I misunderstood something."
"You didn't misunderstand anything."
"I know." I looked at my mug.
"I keep having to remind myself of that.
That I didn't imagine it.
That I wasn't too sensitive or too suspicious.
That what I saw was what was actually happening."
"That's what they do," Dana said quietly.
"They make you doubt the evidence of your own eyes.
And then when the evidence is undeniable, you still have to unlearn the habit of doubting yourself."
I looked at her.
"That's very specific."
"I've been reading," she said simply.
I laughed — a short, real one.
"Eight weeks," I said.
"I need to find an apartment before she comes."
"You could stay here."
"I know.
But I need my own space.
For both of us." I pressed my hand against my stomach.
"She needs to come home to something that's ours."
Dana nodded.
"Then we'll find you something.
This weekend, if you want.
I'll drive."
"You don't have to—"
"Nora." Dana gave me a look.
"Let me help.
You're terrible at letting people help."
"I know," I said.
May you like
"I'm working on it."
Outside, a bird landed on the branch of the green-tipped tree and sat there for a moment, very still, before it flew away.
