She cross-referenced addresses from the note, middle names from filings, and archived articles to fill gaps. The real Charles lay in a grave years cold; this one had stepped into his life, twisting trust into chains. Mabel’s confusion, the pills—tools for inheritance. Truth settled, cold and clear.
Lauren dug deeper into company records, fingers flying over keys. Changes leaped out only after Arthur’s death and then Charles’s death abroad; this “Charles” had gained sweeping authority over her holdings, powers of attorney filed neatly.