Cooper stepped forward, drawing everyone’s attention. “I find myself curious what type of employment you held before you began working for James, Mrs. Wagner.”
“I don’t believe that has any relevance to anything.”
“She came from Chicago,” Aunt Hazel said, earning a scowl from Mrs. Wagner. “She worked as a maid in an established household but was fired when her employer learned she dabbled in theft on the side, more specifically, signing her employer’s name to bank drafts she then deposited in her account.” Aunt Hazel inclined her head in Eunice’s direction. “That’s why I suggested having everyone write down their favored suspect.”
Eunice’s lips began to curve. “You just may have a career in the inquiry agency ahead of you, Aunt Hazel.”
As Aunt Hazel took to looking remarkably pleased with herself, whereas Mrs. Wagner began eyeing the door, Eunice plucked up the piece of paper with Aunt Hazel’s name written on it before she gestured for Georgette and Judith to join her.
“I need you, Mother, along with Judith, because you’re both artists with an eye for detail, to examine Mrs. Wagner’s handwriting and then compare it to the notes Grandfather clearly had someone forge to keep you and Douglas apart.”
“IknewI’d eventually become useful to the agency,” Judith said, hurrying forward.
“You’ve always been useful,” Ivan replied, settling a warm smile on Judith that had her face turning pink.
“This is a rather unusual time for that type of business, Ivan,” Eunice muttered.
“There’s never an unusual time for a bit of flattery,” he returned with a wink before he sobered and began looking intimidating again.
As the minutes ticked away while Georgette and Judith pored over the letters, Hester hurried out of the room and returned almost immediately with Doris and Alice, who’d clearly been listening at the keyhole. To Eunice’s surprise, Alice sent her a cheeky wink before she squished herself on a fainting couch between Doris and her mother.
“I think I found something,” Georgette said, leaning close to Judith as she pointed something out.
“Yes, I noticed that as well,” Judith said. “It appears, upon close inspection, that the person who forged these was good, except for with the letterE. There’s a rather odd curve to theEon all these pages, which suggests they were written by the same hand.”
As everyone turned their attention to Mrs. Wagner, Vincent rose to his feet, shock stamped all over his face. “Do not say they could be right about this, Mother. Tell them—tell them they’re wrong.”
Mrs. Wagner considered Vincent for a long moment before she reached out and took hold of his hand. “I wish I could deny everything but, darling, given that they’re holding indisputable evidence because, well, I’ve always had trouble with the letterE, I’m afraid I’ve been found out.”
“You forged those letters to Georgette and Douglas?” Vincent asked, pulling his hand away from his mother.
“I’m afraid I did, but I only did it because James told me to do so. How could I refuse? He’d provided me with a position that paid me a more than handsome salary, and James would have thought I didn’t appreciate all he’d done for me if I’d turned down his little request.”
Eunice frowned. “But how could Grandfather have possibly known you had a gift for forgery?”
Mrs. Wagner shrugged. “He was a very difficult patient while he was recovering from the carriage accident. I thought it would lessen his boredom, as well as amuse him, to show him how I can copy almost anyone’s handwriting. He was a man with a memory like a steel trap and remembered my talent after learning Georgette had married without his express permission.”
“You don’t seem to me to be very remorseful about your actions,” Douglas began, sitting forward. “You played a large part in ruining two lives, and for what? Because you couldn’t say no to James Mason or because you knew he’d be generous to you if you complied?”
Mrs. Wagner turned her head, ignoring Douglas’s questions.
“I’m curious how you were able to get a sample of Douglas’s handwriting,” Georgette said, her eyes hard as they never wavered from Mrs. Wagner, who turned her attention to Georgette.
“I traveled with James to New York. It didn’t take much to pay a maid to have a look around that tiny little room where the two of you were staying while you were out in Central Park one day. She very kindly snatched one of those lovely little notes Douglas enjoyed tucking under your pillow. After I had that, I took a few hours to practice Douglas’s handwriting, and that was it.”
Cooper flipped to a fresh page in his notepad and arched a brow at Mrs. Wagner. “May I assume you’re also behind the investigation report since I have a feeling no investigator was ever hired to look into Eunice and Georgette’s whereabouts?”
Mrs. Wagner shot a look to Uncle Raymond. “I see no reason to deny it, especially since I’m sure Georgette and Judith will pour over that report next and find the same issue with the letterE. Raymond knew he needed proof of the deaths after someone pointed out that the discovery of all of that glorious copper on the old Green farm wasn’t going to benefit the family much since no one except Eunice and Georgette had actual ownership of Mason Mines.” She shrugged. “Georgette and Eunice had been gone without a word for over seven years. That seemed like a reasonable amount of time to assume they were dead, but Raymondunderstood, given the extent of the estate, that some sort of proof of their deaths would be expected.”
“I don’t think you should say any more, Mother,” Vincent said.
She sent Vincent a small smile. “You may be right, dear. But for the record, I had relatively little to do with having Eunice and Georgette being declared dead.” She nodded to Uncle Raymond. “That was mostly Raymond’s doing.”
Uncle Raymond’s face began to mottle. “You know that’s not true. You’re the one who suggested I start taking steps so that the family would be able to access the money that was certain to be lining the Mason coffers once operations began at the Green farm. And”—he continued when Mrs. Wagner opened her mouth, cutting her off—“you’re also the one who decided I should get an official investigation report made up to prove Georgette and Eunice were dead, and then”—he settled a glare on her—“you told me you’d be happy to write up that report because you have some ability with forgery.”
“If you think for one minute you’re going to put all of this on me,” Mrs. Wagner spat, rising to her feet, “you’re sadly mistaken. I’m certainly not going to stand here and wait for you to accuse me next of killing James, especially when you should be at the top of the suspect list for that.” She nodded to Cooper. “You should ask him how he felt after he learned James had drawn up a new will not long before James died.”
Cooper swung his attention to Uncle Raymond. “Were you angry about that?”
