Melissa’s voice softened.
“So I checked the date.”
February 20.
Two days after the fire.
“Then I looked at the notary.”
Grace asked, “What did you discover?”
“The notary was Denise Krawczyk. Victor’s office manager at the time.”
“Did you speak with her?”
“Yes.”
Victor opened his eyes.
Melissa continued.
“She denied notarizing the document.”
Gerald’s shoulders sagged.
“She said Victor kept an electronic image of her notary stamp for vendor paperwork.”
Judge Monroe’s expression grew colder.
Grace displayed Denise’s sworn affidavit.
Melissa continued.
“After that, I knew Claire’s ownership had been stolen.”
“And you immediately contacted Mrs. Hale?”
“No.”
I looked at her.
Grace asked, “Why not?”
“Because I still didn’t know everything.”
Melissa stared at Victor.
“And because I wanted him to trust me.”
There it was.
The affair.
Her access.
The expensive dinners.
The hotel reservations.
The photographs I had found.
