The Unsent Appeal novel · Chapter 14 of 24

Chapter 14: The Wrong Sister

I called my mother nine times that night, and she let every call ring out.

The study shelf had held my father's ashes since the funeral.

Elliott took the phone out of my hand at midnight and said we would go to Wellesley in the morning, with a lawyer's letter if it came to that.

Finley's text came at noon the next day, before we could go.

My father looked at the photos. Dean got to him first. Call me when you can.

I called from the stairwell at work, with my forehead against the cold cinderblock.

"Dean went to my father's office before breakfast," Finley said. "He had a folder."

"What was in it?"

"Your court record. A police report your mother filed in August, saying you came to the Wellesley house at night and frightened her."

"I haven't been to that house at night."

"I know. It's dated the week you stopped paying."

I closed my eyes.

"He told my father you're violent, and you're fixated on the family, and you'd forge anything to get back in."

"The statement," I said.

"He says you've had your father's handwriting for twenty years and the body shop receipt is easy to fake."

"It has Dean's name on it."

"He says anyone can write a name." Finley took a breath. "My father wants a handwriting expert. That takes weeks. The party is Saturday."

"So I'm off the list."

"I put you on it myself. My father had you taken off. I'm sorry, Rose."

"Don't be. You sent it to him, and you were right to."

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