Chapter 9 - The Notary's Story
Nora Price agreed to meet Maya the following morning.
By then, it was Thursday.
Twenty-four hours before the shareholder meeting.
Nora arrived with an attorney of her own.
She was in her forties, nervous, and dressed in an ordinary gray cardigan.
Nothing about her resembled the criminal mastermind I'd imagined while staring at the forged document.
That made what she said even more disturbing.
"Ms. Rowan brought the paperwork to my office," Nora explained.
"She said Mrs. Vale had already signed it."
Maya leaned forward.
"Did you personally witness Emma Vale sign?"
"No."
"Did Emma appear before you to acknowledge the signature?"
Nora looked at her attorney.
"No."
"Then why did you notarize it?"
Nora's eyes filled with tears.
"I was told the document was urgent. Celeste said Nathan had already confirmed Emma's identity and authorization."
Maya's voice remained controlled.
"That was not sufficient."
"I understand that now."
I sat beside Maya, gripping my notebook.
"Did Celeste tell you I was in Portland?"
Nora shook her head.
"She said you were recovering from a medical procedure and couldn't come in."
I stared at her.
"I was walking through a botanical garden with my aunt."
"I'm sorry."
Her apology sounded frightened rather than dishonest.
I couldn't tell whether she was ashamed of what she'd done or simply afraid of what would happen to her.
Maya continued questioning her.
Nora acknowledged that the notarial journal entry hadn't been completed in the usual way.
There was no signature from me.
No record of my appearing in person.
Only identifying information copied from a document Celeste had provided.
After the meeting, Maya looked serious.
"This helps. She has admitted the notarization was improper."
"So we've won?"
"No. It strengthens our request for emergency relief. We still need the original document and a full determination of its validity."
"What happens to Nora?"
"That depends on the investigation. She has legal exposure of her own."
I looked through the glass doors of the conference room.
Nora sat with her attorney, crying quietly.
I didn't feel sorry enough to excuse her.
But I understood something I'd been missing.
Nathan's plan hadn't required a room full of brilliant conspirators.
It had required people willing to cut corners, accept easy explanations, and look away when something seemed wrong.
At noon, Janine sent her sworn statement.
She included photographs from Portland and the ticket receipts from the garden.
One photograph showed us laughing beside an enormous flowering tree.
The timestamp matched the morning I had supposedly signed the proxy in Manhattan.
Maya attached the records to our emergency application.
Then she received a call from Nathan's lawyer.
He was offering a settlement.
If I withdrew my challenge, Nathan would arrange a payment to me over three years.
I could keep some royalty income from the Vale designs.
The sale would proceed.
"How much?" I asked.
Maya told me.
It was more money than I had ever personally held.
Enough to buy a beautiful apartment.
Enough to travel.
Enough to stop worrying about bills for years.
For one terrible moment, I understood why Nathan thought I might accept.
Then I pictured Ana standing beside her workbench.
I pictured the apprenticeship tools Mom kept in labeled drawers.
I pictured the envelopes promising eleven people severance if they stopped objecting.
"Tell him no."
Maya nodded.
"All right."
My phone buzzed.
A message from an unfamiliar number.
You don't know what Nathan promised me.
A second message followed.
We need to talk before Friday.
The sender identified herself.
May you like
Celeste Rowan.
And for the first time, the woman who had smiled while my husband assaulted me sounded afraid.
