"I have the eviction notice right here, signed by a judge. They have until midnight to vacate. If they don't, the sheriff will remove them. And you, my friend, will go to jail for assault."
Danny clung tighter to his mother, terrified of losing their home. Megan looked defeated, knowing she didn't have the money to fight Thomas's expensive lawyers in court. But Clay wasn't about to let a corrupt piece of paper ruin a family's life. He recognized the name of the law firm printed on the envelope. It belonged to a prestigious firm downtown—one where his own estranged father, a retired senior partner, used to work.
Clay realized that his troubled past, the very reason he had fled this town years ago, might be the only weapon he had left to save this family.
A Battle of Wills
Clay took a step closer to Thomas, his towering presence forcing the man to take a step back.
"Let me see that,"
Clay demanded, snatching the papers from Thomas's hand. He scanned the document, spotting the signature of the notary and the law firm's stamp. It was a bluff, an unauthorized draft meant to scare Megan into leaving without a fight.
Clay pulled out his phone and made a call he swore he would never make. He dialed his father. After a tense few moments, the older man answered. Clay explained the situation, reading the names on the document. His father’s voice grew serious.
"That notary was dismissed for fraud last month, Clay. That document is entirely illegal."