The receptionist’s face changed the second she saw Robert enter with a hospital wristband still around his arm.
Franklin came out himself.
“Robert?”
“We need privacy.”
Ten minutes later, the three of us were sitting inside Franklin’s office with the door closed.
Robert placed the bank statement on his desk.
Franklin studied it silently.
Then he removed his glasses.
“Did you authorize Daniel to make these withdrawals?”
“No.”
“Did you give him permission to move the money into his company?”
Robert frowned.
“I didn’t even know that’s where it went.”
Franklin turned the statement around and pointed to an abbreviated transfer code.
“This account belongs to Harrison Development Group.”
Daniel’s construction company.
Robert closed his eyes.
Daniel’s business had been struggling for years.
Two failed projects.
Disputes with subcontractors.
Increasing borrowing costs.
At every family gathering, Daniel had another explanation for why the problems were temporary.
Apparently, they weren’t.
Franklin immediately called Robert’s bank and investment manager.
Because Robert was still mentally competent, he revoked Daniel’s financial power of attorney that same afternoon.
Then Franklin showed us something even more disturbing.
Three days earlier, Daniel had emailed him a proposed amendment to Robert’s family trust.
Under the new document, Daniel would become sole trustee immediately.
Melissa would receive Robert’s lake property.
Emily—my wife—would receive almost nothing except a small educational trust for our daughter.
Robert stared at the document.
“I never approved this.”
“I know,” Franklin said. “That’s why I didn’t prepare it.”
“Then who did?”
“Daniel hired someone else.”
Franklin turned his computer screen toward us.
Attached to the email was a message from Daniel.
Dad wants this finished immediately after discharge. His health is declining quickly.
Robert’s jaw tightened.
“My cardiologist told him I’m recovering.”
Franklin nodded.
“Which makes his urgency troubling.”
At that moment, I understood exactly why Robert had refused to go home.
This wasn’t simply a family argument.
Money had already been moved.
Legal paperwork had already been prepared.
And everyone except Emily seemed to know something was happening.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Daniel.
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