Chapter 7 - THE WOMAN IN THE RECORD
Sienna arrived the next morning.
She brought a folder.
“I found something.”
Nora closed the office door.
“What?”
Sienna opened the folder.
“The Bennett Trust was established twenty-three years ago.”
“Who created it?”
“Your father.”
“And who was the beneficiary?”
Sienna slid over a document.
“Claire Bennett.”
Nora stared.
“That can't be right.”
Sienna nodded.
“That's why I kept digging.”
She placed another document on the desk.
“The beneficiary was changed two years later.”
“To whom?”
“Chloe Bennett.”
Nora felt her stomach drop.
“Chloe wasn't born.”
“I know.”
Sienna opened another page.
“The change was signed by someone using your father's legal authority.”
Nora whispered:
“Who?”
Sienna pointed.
“Eleanor Bennett.”
Nora closed her eyes.
“Why would my mother put the trust in Chloe's name?”
“Because Claire disappeared.”
Nora looked up.
“You said disappeared.”
“That's what the records say.”
“But my mother told me Claire died.”
“She may have lied.”
Nora stood.
“What about David?”
Sienna hesitated.
“His name appears everywhere.”
“What does that mean?”
“He represented Claire's interests.”
Nora stared at her.
“Then David wasn't working against her.”
“Maybe not.”
“Why would he be working with Julian?”
“I don't know.”
Sienna handed Nora another page.
“There’s one more thing.”
“What?”
“The trust has a secondary administrator.”
“Who?”
Sienna looked uncomfortable.
“Julian Bennett.”
Nora felt as if the room had gone silent.
“My husband?”
“Yes.”
“So Julian controls the trust belonging to my daughter?”
“Technically, yes.”
Nora's thoughts raced.
The tea.
The trust.
David.
Claire.
Julian.
Her mother.
Everything was connected.
But she still didn't know how.
That afternoon, Nora confronted Julian.
“You administer Chloe's trust.”
Julian looked stunned.
“Who told you?”
“Sienna.”
He closed his eyes.
“I was going to tell you.”
“When?”
“When I knew what was happening.”
“You've had years.”
“I was trying to protect Chloe.”
“From David?”
“Yes.”
“Then why are you talking to him?”
“Because he has evidence.”
“Evidence of what?”
Julian looked at her.
“Your sister is alive.”
Nora's breath stopped.
“No.”
“I've seen the records.”
“You said she died.”
“My mother told me that.”
“And you believed her?”
“I was nineteen.”
Nora stepped closer.
“Where is Claire?”
Julian's voice dropped.
“I don't know.”
“Then how do you know she's alive?”
May you like
Julian looked toward the window.
“Because someone has been making withdrawals from her trust.”
