Chapter 5 - MARK’S REAL SIGNATURE
The debt agreement was not fake.
At least not entirely.
Dana had a copy.
Mark signed a document seven months earlier acknowledging Richard once contributed $410,000 toward the purchase of our first home.
That was true.
But the version Mark signed did not say the house transferred at death.
It was a historical accounting memorandum related to family estate equalization.
Same first page heading.
Different later pages.
Richard’s document incorporated Mark’s genuine signature page.
“How?”
Dana said:
“Mark believed blank signature pages from family-business documents were being reused.”
“Believed?”
“He had evidence.”
“Why didn’t he go to police?”
“He was gathering it.”
“While dying?”
“Yes.”
I stood.
“That sounds insane.”
“It made him angry enough to stay busy.”
“Dana.”
She softened slightly.
“He discovered irregular documents thirteen months ago.”
Before the trust.
“What irregular documents?”
“Loans.”
“Whose?”
“His.”
“Mark didn’t have debt except mortgage and medical bills.”
“Exactly.”
A lender had recorded a personal guarantee supposedly signed by Mark for $1.2 million.
Beneficiary:
Bennett Development Group.
Richard’s company.
Mark denied signing.
Richard said he forgot.
Family-business paperwork.
Old forms.
Misunderstanding.
Mark began looking.
Then found the house-debt paperwork being drafted.
“He knew Richard wanted the property?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Richard’s company was in trouble.”
There.
Money.
“How much trouble?”
Dana looked toward my children in the next room.
“Enough that the house mattered.”
Then:
“But the house is not the largest thing Richard thought Mark controlled.”
“What is?”
“His family trust interest.”
May you like
I closed my eyes.
Of course there was a trust.
