Chapter 38 - The Missing Document
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While I was staring down Arthur Pendelton in the deposition room, Marcus was three hundred miles away, driving down a winding, heavily wooded road in upstate New York. He finally pulled up to a massive, secluded Victorian estate surrounded by overgrown gardens and tall iron gates.
This was the residence of Eleanor Vance, the original co-founder of the arts trust and the key to destroying Pendelton’s entire case.
Marcus rang the brass bell at the front door. An elderly woman with sharp, intelligent eyes and a shock of white hair answered. She leaned on a wooden cane, inspecting Marcus with a mix of curiosity and deep suspicion.
"Ms. Vance? My name is Marcus," he said respectfully, holding up his identification. "I am here on behalf of Maya, the young artist whose exhibition is currently being threatened by Richard Sterling's lawyers."
Eleanor’s expression softened immediately. "Come in, young man. I saw the dreadful articles online. It is exactly the kind of venomous tactic Richard’s people would use."
Marcus followed her into a study filled with antique books and beautiful landscape paintings. He carefully laid out the legal documents and the blank affidavit.
"Arthur Pendelton is trying to claim the foundation belongs entirely to Richard," Marcus explained. "He omitted your name from the filing. We need you to swear on record that the morality clause in the original charter reverted sole ownership of the trust to you when Richard was convicted."
Eleanor scoffed, a fiery spark igniting in her eyes. "Richard Sterling was a brilliant businessman once, but he let greed rot his soul. I insisted on that morality clause ten years ago because I knew he was walking down a dark path. He has absolutely no legal right to that foundation."
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She picked up a heavy fountain pen and signed the affidavit with a bold, confident flourish.
"Take this to the judge," Eleanor commanded, handing the document back to Marcus. "And tell that brilliant young girl to paint the stars out of the sky. Richard’s shadows have no place in her light."
