Daniel turned.
“My wife just slapped my mother and I found out I signed something different from what she told me.”
He pointed toward the folder.
“Emotional seems appropriate.”
Charles’s jaw tightened.
Margaret looked toward Hannah.
“Conference room.”
The event director nodded.
Then Margaret’s phone vibrated.
A message from Elaine Foster.
Her attorney.
CALL ME IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE TO REMOVE THE ORIGINAL PACKET.
Margaret looked at the folder.
Copies.
Original packet.
She looked at Charles.
“Where is the original?”
He said nothing.
Margaret repeated:
“Where?”
Lauren answered:
“Safe.”
“What safe?”
No answer.
Margaret took out her phone.
Lauren laughed through tears.
“There. Of course.”
Margaret looked at her.
“What?”
“The call.”
“Which call?”
“The one where you remind everyone you have more money.”
Margaret stared.
“You think that’s what this is?”
“You always do it.”
“When?”
“Every time something goes wrong, you call someone.”
Margaret almost smiled.
“Should I not call my attorney about a fraudulent trust document?”
Charles said:
“Be very careful using that word.”
Margaret looked directly at him.
“I was.”
Then she pressed Elaine’s number.
Lauren stepped closer.
“Do not.”
Margaret raised one finger.
Not dramatically.
Simply asking for silence.
Lauren’s mouth fell open.
The call connected.
“Margaret?”
“I have the copies.”
“Where are you?”
“Ballroom.”
Elaine paused.
“Still?”
“Unfortunately.”
“Original?”
“Not here.”
“Who has it?”
Margaret looked at Charles.
“Unknown.”
Elaine said:
“Listen carefully. I spoke with Nathan.”
Nathan Weiss, the Hale family’s estate attorney.
“He did not prepare or authorize any transfer document. His electronic signature appears on page twenty-six.”
Margaret’s stomach tightened.
“Forgery?”
“Potentially.”
Charles interrupted.
“That is false.”
Margaret held the phone away.
Elaine heard him.
“Is Charles Ashford there?”
“Yes.”
“Tell him not to destroy anything.”
Margaret did.
Charles’s expression hardened.
Elaine continued.
“Also, Margaret, there is a second issue.”
“What?”
“The Grand Bellmont called our accounting office forty minutes ago.”
Margaret frowned.
“Why?”
“A request was made to move the remaining wedding balance and gratuity authorization from your card guarantee to Hale Industrial Holdings.”
She stared.
“What?”
Lauren stopped crying.
Charles looked toward her.
Interesting.
Elaine continued.
“About eighty-two thousand dollars in additional charges.”
Margaret slowly looked around the ballroom.
“What additional charges?”
“Private after-party. Premium liquor extension. Two overnight hospitality suites. Transportation. Apparently a casino-night installation for tomorrow.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
None of those were in the wedding plan she approved.
“Who authorized them?”
“The hotel says Lauren submitted a signed amendment yesterday.”
Margaret looked at Lauren.
Her face confirmed enough.