Chapter 3 - THE WIDOWS WHO HAD BEEN ROBBED
Tobias did not spend the remaining hours preparing a confrontation.
He prepared a case.
Leah moved Joshua into the home of Evelyn Shaw and her husband, where two off-duty officers remained nearby. Joshua protested at first.
“I don’t want you here when they return,” Tobias told him.
“You think they’ll hurt me?”
“I think people become unpredictable when the truth costs them money.”
“Are you coming with me?”
“After I finish here.”
Joshua looked toward the guest apartment.
“Don’t let Grandma take Mom’s locket.”
“She never will again.”
Before leaving, Joshua wrapped the chain around his neck and tucked the cameo beneath his shirt.
By morning, investigators had identified six living victims among the folders.
The first, Eleanor Price, lived in a modest retirement community outside Annapolis.
Tobias and Detective Hale visited her together.
Eleanor was eighty-two, sharp-minded, and furious when shown the will discovered in Bernice’s wardrobe.
“I have never heard of the Wilkins Family Charitable Foundation,” she said. “My house goes to my granddaughter.”
“Did Bernice help with your estate?” Hale asked.
“She sold my sister’s belongings after she died. She kept calling afterward, saying I should simplify my affairs.”
“Did you sign anything?”
“A release allowing her to arrange donations.”
The forged will contained phrases copied from that release.
Eleanor led them to a desk containing her original estate documents. Tobias compared the authentic signature to the forgery.
The differences were obvious under magnification.
“I trusted her,” Eleanor whispered. “She prayed with me.”
Bernice had made faith part of the fraud.
The second victim was Martin Bell’s daughter, Renee.
Her father had died nine months earlier. She had been told his house was consumed by medical debts and administrative fees.
In reality, Wilkins Heritage Services had sold the property below market value to a company owned by Bernice’s nephew, then resold it at a profit.
“My father taught school for forty-three years,” Renee said. “He saved every dollar because he wanted to leave something for his grandchildren.”
Tobias showed her the forged will.
Renee began crying.
“How many families did they do this to?”
“We don’t know yet.”
“Will we get anything back?”
Tobias could not promise restitution.
But he promised the truth would be documented.
By afternoon, three victims had agreed to testify.
Another family identified a diamond ring from the wardrobe as an heirloom removed before an estate inventory.
The ninth folder belonged to a retired physician named Dr. Samuel Kerr.
He had died two months earlier after changing his will to leave twelve million dollars to a private medical charity managed by Bernice.
Dr. Kerr’s longtime housekeeper insisted he had intended to fund a children’s clinic.
When investigators examined his medical records, they discovered Bernice visited him twice during his final week.
The signing witnesses on his new will were both Wilkins Heritage employees.
The notary was Bernice’s cousin.
The deeper investigators looked, the more the network expanded.
At four that afternoon, Samantha called again.
This time, Tobias answered from his home office while Hale’s team listened from an unmarked van nearby.
“We’re getting off the ship,” she said. “Our flights were changed. We’ll be home tonight.”
“Did something happen?”
“Mom isn’t feeling well.”
In the background, Bernice’s voice sounded strong enough to command three people at once.
“Should I pick you up?”
“No. We rented vans.”
“Eleven people?”
“Twelve.”
“You counted Joshua?”
Silence.
Then Samantha sighed.
“Can we not start this again?”
“You left him alone.”
“He is twelve.”
“You took two nephews younger than him.”
“They are part of the Wilkins family.”
“And Joshua is not?”
“That isn’t what I said.”
“It was on the refrigerator.”
“I didn’t write that note.”
“Your mother did.”
“Then discuss it with her.”
“I plan to.”
Samantha’s tone softened suddenly.
“Tobias, I know this looks insensitive, but you have to understand what the last two years have been like for me. Joshua compares everything I do to Arianna. He keeps her pictures everywhere. He barely speaks to my family.”
“He speaks when people treat him kindly.”
“He needs discipline.”
“He needed an adult in the house.”
Samantha lowered her voice.
“Are you trying to make me sound like a bad wife?”
“I’m asking why you abandoned a child.”
The call ended.
At six, Tobias received a notification from his bank.
Someone had attempted to transfer six hundred thousand dollars from a joint investment account to Wilkins Heritage Services.
The transfer required his approval.
He denied it.
Thirty seconds later, Samantha called.
He did not answer.
A message appeared.
BANK ERROR. APPROVE THE TRANSFER.
Then Bernice wrote:
THIS IS AN EMERGENCY BUSINESS MATTER.
Tobias saved the messages.
Leah examined the account records.
“They are moving money before they return.”
“Why six hundred thousand?”
Detective Hale checked the ledger recovered from the wardrobe.
“That amount matches the payment due on a private auction facility Bernice is purchasing.”
“With my money?”
“With money Samantha apparently promised.”
Tobias reviewed the original joint-account agreement.
Samantha had no authority to make a transfer above fifty thousand dollars without his consent.
Yet attached to the attempted transaction was a notarized amendment granting her full authority.
His signature was forged.
Again.
The notary seal belonged to the same cousin who had witnessed Dr. Kerr’s will.
By eight, police had enough evidence to arrest Bernice for possession of forged documents and suspected financial fraud.
They did not yet arrest Samantha.
Hale wanted to hear what she would say inside the house.
Tobias agreed to wear a recording device.
At 10:16 p.m., two rental vans pulled into the driveway.
The Wilkins family spilled onto the lawn carrying matching cruise bags, shopping packages, and souvenir cups.
They were laughing.
Bernice stepped from the second van wearing white pants, gold sandals, and the key to the cedar wardrobe around her neck.
She saw Tobias standing on the front porch.
Her smile disappeared.
“Where is Joshua?” Samantha asked.
“Safe.”
“With whom?”
“Someone who did not leave him alone for four days.”
Colleen rolled her eyes.
“He is twelve, Tobias. We were staying alone at that age.”
“Not without food or an emergency contact.”
Bernice pushed past him.
“I need to check my apartment.”
“You cannot.”
She turned slowly.
“Excuse me?”
“It is part of an active investigation.”
For the first time, the relatives stopped talking.
Samantha stared at him.
“What investigation?”
Tobias held up the plastic sleeve containing the refrigerator note.
“This began with child abandonment.”
Bernice laughed.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Then Joshua opened your wardrobe.”
The color vanished from her face.
Behind her, Samantha whispered one word.
“No.”
Tobias watched her.
She knew exactly what the wardrobe contained.
Bernice recovered first.
“That boy broke into my private home and stole confidential client documents.”
“He found his mother’s locket.”
Several relatives looked confused.
Samantha stepped closer.
“Tobias, we can explain.”
“Then explain why Arianna’s locket was registered for auction under your name.”
Her lips parted.
Bernice grabbed Samantha’s arm.
“Say nothing.”
That was all Detective Hale needed to hear.
Police vehicles entered the driveway from both directions.
Officers stepped onto the lawn.
Bernice looked toward the guest apartment, calculating whether she could reach it before them.
May you like
Then a flame appeared behind the apartment window.
Someone had already set the cedar wardrobe on fire.
