Chapter 20 - MARGARET ON THE STAND
Margaret testified.
Against advice? Her lawyer chose because authorship central.
She looked elegant.
Controlled.
Nothing like the woman with a red handprint in my sunroom.
“Did you forge Nora’s signature?”
“No.”
“Did you possess examples?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Family administrative files.”
“Did you write ‘I can handle the N’?”
“Yes.”
“What did you mean?”
“I would handle obtaining Nora’s signature.”
“Did Nora sign?”
“I believed Wesley had her agreement.”
“Then why did you tell Patricia you saw Nora sign?”
Margaret paused.
“I assumed.”
“You wrote ‘I saw her sign.’”
“I was trying to reassure Patricia.”
“With something false.”
“Yes.”
That hurt.
Then voice memo.
“Nora’s N looks fine.”
Margaret:
“I was looking at document Wesley sent.”
“Why evaluate how N looked?”
“No particular reason.”
Jury decides.
Then:
“Did you know Nora had said no?”
“I knew she had resisted initially.”
“Resisted?”
“She changes her mind.”
“Did she?”
“No.”
Then adult collar.
Judge allowed only limited question because it connected ratification timing.
“Did Wesley ask you not to present collar before Nora signed ratification?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He thought she would become upset.”
“And you did it anyway?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought she was being ridiculous.”
The word sounded ugly.
Then:
“Did you believe Nora’s house should support Crescent House?”
“Yes.”
“Even after she said no?”
“I believed marriage means families support one another.”
“Does support include signing another person’s name?”
“No.”
Silence.
Defense cross-examined Wesley.
“You pleaded guilty to reduce your exposure?”
“Yes.”
“You want custody access to June?”
“Yes.”
“You know blaming your mother helps Nora see you differently?”
“I don’t expect Nora to see me differently.”
Good answer.
“Did Margaret ever say, ‘I forged Nora’?”
“No.”
“Did you see her write signature?”
“No.”
“Could you have created it?”
“Yes physically. I didn’t.”
“Could Patricia?”
“Yes.”
“Could an employee?”
Maybe.
Reasonable doubt door.
Then Patricia.
She saw Margaret hand packet already signed.
Not see forging.
Again.
No one saw pen.
Forgery cases often rely circumstantial evidence.
Then expert.
Likely Margaret.
Defense expert:
Cannot conclusively identify.
Jury deliberated.
No answer yet.
Meanwhile Evergreen deadline:
Three days.
Corporate court would allow board vote without Margaret under emergency order unless appeal granted.
Margaret’s lawyers fought both rooms.
She refused consent.
Her control shrinking everywhere.
Then jury returned.
Guilty on mortgage/document fraud.
Guilty on conspiracy to obtain commercial credit through false instrument.
Not guilty on one identity-theft-related count because prosecution did not establish statutory intent to impersonate me for a separate personal benefit beyond instrument offense.
Mixed verdict.
Precise.
Margaret closed her eyes.
I felt no joy.
Just a strange quiet.
May you like
The collar had cost thirty dollars.
The signature had cost years.
