Chapter 7 - The Trap)
Margaret wanted Sophie out immediately.
Jonathan wanted patience.
Laura wanted proof.
Sophie wanted Emma safe.
Eric wanted the trust.
Those competing needs collided over the next twenty-four hours.
Jonathan reviewed the photographs.
The guardianship documents were disturbing.
But drafts were not enough.
The forged statement could be challenged.
The trust remained frozen.
For the moment, the money was safe.
Sophie and Emma were not.
Margaret asked Laura to travel to Connecticut.
Laura refused at first.
Then Margaret sent her one photograph.
The page bearing Laura's name.
Laura called within two minutes.
"Where did she find this?"
"Eric's office."
"That's from my case."
"You recognize it?"
"Yes."
"What is it?"
"A draft he used against me."
Margaret looked at the image.
"Why does he still have it?"
"Because I told you. He keeps everything."
"Will you come?"
Silence.
Then Laura said, "Tomorrow."
Margaret made another decision.
She bought a small digital recorder.
Not because she wanted to spy.
Because she knew Eric did.
That evening she went to Sophie's house.
This time Eric invited her inside.
His friendliness frightened her more than hostility.
"Dinner?"
Margaret looked at the table.
Four plates.
Eric.
Vanessa.
Sophie.
Margaret.
Emma slept in a portable bassinet nearby.
"I thought I was banned."
Eric smiled.
"I think we all need to calm down."
Vanessa poured wine.
Margaret did not touch hers.
Sophie barely looked at anyone.
Eric raised his glass.
"To family."
Margaret said nothing.
Dinner began.
For ten minutes Eric acted charming.
He asked Margaret about gardening.
Complimented her cardigan.
Told a story about work.
Then he casually said, "Sophie told me you've been worried about your memory."
Margaret looked at him.
Sophie looked up sharply.
"I never said that."
Eric smiled.
"Maybe I misunderstood."
Margaret understood immediately.
The recorder inside her purse was running.
"So now my memory is failing?"
"I didn't say that."
"You just did."
"No."
Vanessa sighed.
"Margaret, nobody is attacking you."
"Interesting, because your legal filing says I'm cognitively impaired."
Sophie stared at Eric.
He had not expected Margaret to know that.
"What legal filing?" Vanessa asked.
Margaret almost laughed.
"You're listed as a witness."
Vanessa's face tightened.
Eric leaned back.
"Jonathan Reese should not have shared confidential documents."
"He shared documents about me."
"You need help."
There it was.
Margaret stayed calm.
"What kind?"
"Grief counseling, maybe."
"For what?"
"Thomas."
Sophie whispered.
"Don't."
Eric continued.
"You haven't been the same since he died."
Margaret looked across the table.
Thomas had been dead eight months.
She missed him every day.
But grief had not made her stupid.
"You know very little about my marriage."
"I know Sophie worries about you."
Sophie stood.
"I never said that."
Eric turned.
"Sit down."
Something shifted in Sophie's face.
Margaret saw it.
So did Vanessa.
Eric had used the wrong tone in front of the wrong witness.
Sophie remained standing.
"Don't tell me to sit down."
Eric's expression hardened.
"I said sit down."
Emma woke and began crying.
Sophie reached for the baby.
Vanessa moved first.
"I'll take her."
"No."
Vanessa stopped.
Sophie lifted Emma.
Eric stood.
"You're emotional."
Sophie laughed once.
"Of course I am."
"Exactly."
Sophie stared at him.
"You've been writing that down, haven't you?"
Silence.
Margaret's heart pounded.
Eric looked at her.
"What did you tell her?"
Margaret said nothing.
Eric stepped around the table.
Sophie backed away.
"You went through my office."
"No."
"Don't lie."
Vanessa moved toward the doorway.
Margaret stood too.
Eric pointed at her.
"This is your fault."
Margaret finally spoke.
"No."
Her voice was quiet.
"This is the first thing in this house that isn't my fault, Sophie's fault, Laura's fault, or some imaginary doctor's fault."
Eric froze.
Laura's name landed like a gunshot.
Vanessa went pale.
Sophie stared at Eric.
Margaret continued.
"You lied about your first wife."
Eric looked at Sophie.
"She contacted your mother because she's obsessed."
Margaret laughed.
"After six years?"
"You have no idea what she did."
"I have her court documents."
That was a bluff.
Eric believed it.
His face changed.
Vanessa whispered.
"Eric."
He turned on her.
"Shut up."
Margaret watched them.
A crack had appeared.
Small.
But real.
Eric looked back at Margaret.
"You need to leave."
"I am."
She looked at Sophie.
"Come with me."
Sophie held Emma.
Eric stepped in front of the door.
"No."
Margaret felt the recorder in her purse.
"Move."
"This is my house."
Sophie spoke from behind him.
"No."
Eric turned.
Sophie held Emma tightly.
"This is my house."
For the first time, Eric looked uncertain.
Then he smiled.
"You need sleep."
Sophie stared at him.
"Don't ever give me those pills again."
Eric's smile vanished.
Margaret stepped closer.
"Move."
He did.
Margaret left.
Sophie stayed.
Margaret hated leaving her.
But Sophie had whispered three words while hugging her goodbye.
Tomorrow at noon.
That was when Eric planned to be at work.
Vanessa had a dental appointment.
Sophie would take Emma and leave.
Margaret would arrive at eleven forty-five.
Jonathan would have documents ready.
Laura's flight landed at ten.
Everything had finally been arranged.
Margaret slept for three hours.
At nine the next morning Sophie texted.
Change of plan.
Eric stayed home.
Then another message.
Don't come.
Then another.
Mom please.
At eleven twenty, Margaret received one final message.
It contained only three words.
May you like
Emma won't stop.
Margaret grabbed her keys.
