Chapter 10 - THE DEAL THAT BROKE THE BLAKES
Fallon’s cooperation did not erase her role.
She admitted:
she knew Savannah had not been personally asked,
she pressured for fast closing,
she used sale proceeds to repay personal and business debt,
she told Emily to “make Savannah’s consent usable.”
That phrase was bad.
She denied knowing Emily would literally paste a signature.
Maybe.
The prosecutor believed there was enough for a fraud plea, not necessarily trial certainty on every count.
Fallon accepted:
felony fraud-related offense,
restitution,
community supervision,
temporary business restrictions.
No prison under the negotiated framework.
Savannah felt angry.
Then asked herself what prison would fix.
Nothing.
Margaret, meanwhile, took the case closer to trial.
She still insisted she had acted for family preservation.
Then Daniel found one final Andrew document.
A letter to Margaret.
Written two years before death.
MARGARET,
EVERY TIME FALLON FALLS, YOU MOVE THE FLOOR UNDER HER SO SHE NEVER FEELS THE IMPACT. ONE DAY YOU WILL MOVE SOMEONE ELSE'S FLOOR TO DO IT.
Savannah cried reading it.
Andrew knew exactly.
Then:
SAVANNAH WILL LEAVE IF YOU KEEP MAKING HER PAY FOR BEING THE EASIER CHILD.
Margaret read the letter in mediation.
Her face collapsed.
Not because Andrew was right.
Because he had seen her before he died.
Then she accepted settlement.
Plea to a reduced document-fraud offense.
Restitution.
Removal from any trust fiduciary role.
Financial monitoring.
No prison.
Public record.
Title rescission proceeded.
Prescott Development returned the house to the Blake Residence Trust.
The trust repaid legitimate outstanding advance:
approximately $1.6 million after offsets.
Where did the money come from?
Sale of two investment accounts Andrew had left for house maintenance.
Fallon owed the trust the portion she diverted.
Margaret owed part.
Long repayment schedules.
The family house survived.
But not untouched.
The trust had less money.
Relationships had less too.
Then Daniel reinstated as trustee.
He asked Savannah and Fallon one question.
“What do you want done with the house after Margaret’s life tenancy?”
Fallon said:
“Sell.”
Savannah paused.
Then:
“Probably.”
Margaret stared.
All that war for a house neither daughter wanted.
May you like
That was almost funny.
Almost.
