Chapter 4
Rebecca found the estate documents on Monday.
Nothing had been forged.
Nothing had been filed.
That restraint made the situation more dangerous, not less.
Estelle had signed a durable financial power of attorney nine years earlier.
Cassian knew that.
He had forgotten one provision.
The document named Brennan as successor agent if Estelle became incapacitated.
Cassian was not the first-choice agent.
His father had advised Estelle years ago that naming Cassian could create conflicts because he already controlled most family businesses.
So she chose an independent accountant first.
The accountant died three years earlier.
Brennan became next in line.
The power activated only after two physicians certified that Estelle could no longer manage financial decisions.
Rebecca placed the document in front of Cassian.
“Brennan cannot just declare her incompetent.”
“I know.”
“He needs medical support.”
Cassian looked at the name of Dr. Coyle on another page.
Rebecca nodded.
“That’s what bothers me.”
The cognitive evaluation scheduled for Saturday could have become one piece.
Not enough by itself.
But a beginning.
“What would Brennan control?”
“Her personal accounts. Certain trust decisions. Her voting rights where the documents permit an agent to act.”
Cassian looked up.
“Her Morretti Holdings shares?”
“Potentially.”
There it was.
Estelle owned fourteen percent of the voting stock personally and served as trustee over another nine percent held for younger family members.
Her support made Cassian’s restructuring plan nearly impossible for the old guard to defeat.
If Brennan controlled her voting authority, the numbers changed.
Still, Rebecca cautioned him.
“That does not prove this was the goal.”
“No.”
“It gives us a possible motive.”
Cassian nodded.
He wanted more than motive.
At home, Estelle insisted on coming downstairs for dinner.
Greta wanted her to rest.
Estelle refused.
“I have eaten in my own dining room since before half these people were born.”
Cassian smiled.
“You’re referring to furniture.”
“Some relatives qualify.”
He helped her down anyway.
The leash had been removed.
The spilled basket was gone.
The dining room had been cleaned.
Estelle stopped at the exact spot where she had fallen.
Cassian saw her hand tighten around his arm.
“Want to go back upstairs?”
“No.”
She stood there another second.
Then walked to her chair.
That night, she ate soup, bread, chicken, and half a piece of lemon cake.
No one asked her a single memory question.
When dinner ended, she looked at Cassian.
“That was better.”
He smiled.
“It was.”
Then her expression changed.
“They said Brennan would take care of everything when I couldn’t.”
Cassian stopped.
“Who said that?”
“Lavinia.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“What exactly?”
Estelle thought carefully.
“That I wouldn’t have to worry about votes or money once the doctors agreed.”
May you like
Second clue.
Lavinia already seemed to know what the doctors were supposed to agree about.
