Chapter 12 - What Thomas Knew)
Margaret stared at the photograph for nearly a minute.
Thomas had never told her he met Eric privately.
Sophie looked at her.
"You didn't know?"
"No."
"Why would Dad meet him?"
"I don't know."
Margaret enlarged the image.
Thomas sat stiffly.
Eric leaned forward.
Between them lay a folder.
Margaret recognized it.
Thomas's blue estate binder.
The one he kept locked in his desk.
The one containing trust documents.
She felt betrayed by a dead man for approximately ten seconds.
Then she remembered who Thomas had been.
Careful.
Methodical.
Protective.
If he had met Eric secretly, there had been a reason.
Margaret went to the study.
Thomas's old files remained inside a wooden cabinet.
She had not touched most of them since his death.
Sophie followed.
Margaret opened drawer after drawer.
Tax records.
Insurance.
Property deeds.
Medical bills.
Then she found a thin envelope taped beneath the bottom shelf.
Her name was written across it.
Margaret.
Her hands shook.
Sophie whispered.
"Open it."
Margaret did.
Inside was a handwritten note.
Margaret,
If you are reading this, either I finally remembered to show you or I didn't get the chance.
I had questions about Eric.
Nothing I could prove.
He asked too much about Sophie's trust. He also asked what would happen if you were unable to serve as trustee.
I told him the answer was none of his business.
He laughed.
I didn't.
I asked Jonathan to add another safeguard. Any attempt to remove you, declare Sophie incapacitated, or transfer control to a spouse triggers an independent review and freezes distributions for ninety days.
I did not tell Sophie because I did not want to create a fight before I had evidence.
That may have been a mistake.
If I am wrong about Eric, burn this and call me paranoid.
If I am right, trust your instincts.
Thomas
Margaret sat down.
Tears filled her eyes.
Sophie read the note twice.
Then pressed it against her chest.
"Dad knew."
"He suspected."
"He protected us."
Margaret nodded.
Thomas had not been perfect.
He had waited too long.
So had she.
But he had built a final lock into the trust.
One Eric had not known about.
Sophie looked at the photograph again.
"What happened at that restaurant?"
Jonathan provided the answer.
Thomas had called him the following morning.
Jonathan had taken notes.
Eric asked whether a spouse could become trustee.
Thomas said no.
Eric asked what happened if Margaret died.
Thomas ended the meeting.
Then Thomas ordered the additional freeze provision.
Six days later Thomas suffered a fatal heart attack.
There was no reason to believe Eric caused it.
The timing, however, had clearly convinced Eric he had lost the only person actively watching him.
He was wrong.
Margaret had inherited more than Thomas's role as trustee.
She had inherited his suspicion.
That afternoon Detective Martinez called.
"We found Eric."
Margaret stood.
"Where?"
"Bus terminal in Syracuse."
Sophie came closer.
"Is he in custody?"
"Yes."
Sophie closed her eyes.
Margaret asked the question that mattered.
"Did he have the memory card?"
Martinez paused.
"He had the silver key."
"And?"
"No card."
Margaret looked at Sophie.
"Then where is it?"
"We don't know."
Eric refused to speak after requesting an attorney.
His key was examined.
A strip of black adhesive remained beneath the head.
Something had indeed been attached there.
But the memory card was missing.
Vanessa denied having it.
Police searched the house again.
Nothing.
Then Jonathan called Sophie.
"There's been another filing."
Sophie felt her stomach drop.
"From Eric?"
"His attorney."
"What does he want?"
"Access to the house."
"Why?"
"Personal property."
Margaret laughed.
"He wants the card."
Jonathan agreed.
Sophie looked toward Emma sleeping nearby.
"Can we refuse?"
"Yes."
"Do it."
Jonathan hesitated.
"But there's a problem."
"What?"
"Eric claims there are business records inside."
"So?"
"If they're legitimately his, we may eventually have to inventory them."
Margaret looked at Sophie.
"Let the police do it."
Jonathan agreed.
The following morning investigators began cataloging the basement room.
Every shelf.
Every drawer.
Every device.
Sophie returned with Margaret because the house remained hers.
She did not bring Emma.
Laura came too.
Standing in the kitchen made Sophie shake.
The pot was gone.
The floor had been cleaned.
But she could still see the scene.
Eric holding her daughter.
Margaret running toward him.
The key sliding through the puddle.
Sophie walked to the refrigerator.
She stared at it.
Then frowned.
"Mom."
Margaret turned.
"What?"
"The key came from underneath here."
"Yes."
"But the card wasn't attached when I picked it up."
Margaret approached.
"You're sure?"
"I think so."
Sophie crouched.
The refrigerator had been moved slightly during the police search.
A narrow strip of floor was visible behind it.
Sophie looked at the gap.
Something black rested against the baseboard.
Her heart stopped.
"Don't touch it."
Margaret called Detective Martinez.
Ten minutes later a forensic technician carefully removed the object.
A microSD card.
Sophie stared at it through the evidence bag.
Margaret whispered.
"Vanessa's insurance."
The technician took it away.
Two hours later Detective Martinez returned.
Her expression was different.
Margaret stood.
"What was on it?"
May you like
Martinez looked at Sophie.
"Everything."
