Chapter 4 - THE CANE IN HIS BROTHER’S HANDMason called the police.
Lily begged him not to.
Then she looked at forged-looking document and stopped.
“Okay.”
That word cost her.
Mason knew.
He called a civilian attorney, his aunt Rebecca, before doing anything else.
Rebecca Reed arrived fast.
She was Jonathan Reed’s cousin? Wait no Jonathan not in this story. Let's make Rebecca Mason’s aunt, father’s sister, family attorney. Fine.
She read document.
“This appears to be durable power of attorney.”
“I never signed.”
“Do not write on it.”
“Don’t handle more.”
She photographed where found.
Then police arrived.
Brent’s expression changed from smug to offended.
“This is insane.”
Nicole became quiet.
Officer asked Lily:
“Were you locked in kennel?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
She looked at Brent.
Then Nicole.
“Both.”
Mason stood nearby but not touching.
Officer:
“Why?”
Lily swallowed.
“Because I said I was calling my husband.”
Brent interrupted:
“She was out of control.”
Officer raised hand.
“We’ll speak separately.”
Brent turned to Mason.
“You’re letting strangers interrogate your family?”
Mason said:
“You put my family in dog kennel.”
Nothing else.
The cane was collected.
Police photographed marks.
No one made dramatic arrest immediately without interviews and evidence, but officers ordered Brent and Nicole leave property pending further investigation after ownership/occupancy clarified and voluntary separation arranged through counsel.
Brent resisted.
“This is partly my house.”
Rebecca looked.
“No, it isn’t.”
Brent smiled.
“Check paperwork.”
Rebecca’s expression sharpened.
“Already am.”
Nicole grabbed Brent’s arm.
“Let’s go.”
He looked at her.
She whispered something.
They packed limited belongings under supervision.
Before leaving Brent looked at Lily.
Mason stepped between.
“No.”
Brent’s mouth curved.
“You think uniform makes you scary?”
Mason remained calm.
“No.”
“You should be scared of what I know.”
Brent walked out.
Nicole followed.
The car left.
House became silent.
Lily collapsed into chair.
Mason knelt.
“They’re gone.”
“For now.”
“Yes.”
She covered face.
“I’m sorry.”
He stared.
“For what?”
“For letting it get this far.”
Mason’s face changed.
“Don’t.”
“You were gone.”
“I should have—”
“No.”
He held her hands.
“You don’t apologize to me for what they did.”
Lily started crying.
Emma appeared in doorway.
Mason opened arm.
She joined.
Scout pressed against all.
For first time since arrival, Mason allowed himself to feel home.
Broken.
But home.
Later Rebecca reviewed documents.
The supposed power of attorney was dated six months earlier.
Mason had been overseas.
It claimed he authorized Brent to manage household real estate, banking, insurance and emergency guardianship arrangements if Mason became unavailable.
Rebecca frowned.
“Some language unusual.”
“Meaning?”
“It overreaches.”
“Could it be valid if signed?”
“Potentially some parts, but notarization matters.”
Mason pointed.
“Not mine.”
Signature looked convincing at first glance.
But Mason signed differently since early twenties.
This looked copied from mortgage papers.
Rebecca noticed.
“Who had old mortgage documents?”
Mason looked toward Brent’s former guest room.
“Brent.”
Because when Mason deployed, he had asked older brother to help Lily with household bills and repairs.
Brent had access to file cabinet.
Trust.
That word burned.
Rebecca turned pages.
A notary seal.
Nicole Sterling-Reed? Wait Nicole surname likely Reed. Could be Nicole Reed. A notary can't notarize spouse? Maybe possible with restrictions depending jurisdiction. Better seal belongs to Carla Jennings, a mobile notary service.
Rebecca:
“Need verify.”
Another document:
Change of mailing address for insurance.
Another:
Emergency property authorization.
Another:
Letter supposedly from Mason stating:
Brent Reed should act as primary household representative while I remain on active duty.
That one might be real.
Mason recognized.
“I wrote this.”
Rebecca nodded.
“Limited household representative.”
“Not ownership.”
“Someone may have used real letter as foundation.”
Mason stared.
How many legitimate permissions had Brent stretched?
Phone bills.
Insurance mail.
Maintenance.
Banking? Mason had separate account. Lily household account maybe.
Lily whispered:
“He kept saying you gave him authority.”
Mason looked.
“I gave him authority to fix leaking roof.”
Rebecca:
“Control often grows from small permission.”
Mason looked at aunt.
“When can we prove forgery?”
“Document examiner.”
“Not today.”
He hated waiting.
Rebecca continued:
“And do not contact Brent directly.”
“Everything through counsel.”
Mason nodded.
He walked to kitchen.
The cane was gone with police.
Counter looked empty.
Yet he could still see it.
Emma came.
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Are Uncle Brent and Aunt Nicole coming back?”
Mason crouched.
“Not tonight.”
“Ever?”
He hesitated.
“I don’t know.”
She looked afraid.
He said:
“You will not be locked in that kennel again.”
That promise he could make.
Emma nodded.
Then whispered:
“Scout tried to help.”
“What?”
“When they put us outside.”
“Scout barked.”
“Uncle Brent locked him in laundry room.”
Mason’s face changed.
“How did Scout get out?”
Emma smiled faintly.
“He opens door.”
Scout had learned lever handles.
Mason looked at dog.
The dog who led him.
May you like
Scout had not just found them that morning.
He had been trying to reach them before Mason ever arrived.
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