Chapter 7 - the lawyer who betrayed a dying man)
Evelyn Shaw was arrested the following morning.
She never reached the airport.
Federal agents stopped her car three blocks from a private aviation terminal.
Florence was not with her.
But Evelyn carried two passports, one under another name.
She also carried documents granting Florence control over several family assets.
Every document contained Thomas Mercer's signature.
Every signature was dated after Thomas had privately recorded the video saying he planned to change his estate.
Aaron sat across from Ortiz and a federal financial investigator named Daniel Cho.
Cho placed copies on the table.
"These signatures may be forged."
"They are," Aaron said.
"We need forensic confirmation."
Aaron pointed toward one page.
"My father never signed Thomas A. Mercer like this."
Cho looked up.
"How did he sign?"
"Thomas Allen Mercer on legal documents. Always."
Cho made a note.
Ortiz asked, "What did Evelyn say?"
"Very little."
Cho turned another page.
"But she asked for immunity."
Aaron almost laughed.
"For what?"
"She hasn't specified."
"Then why would anyone offer it?"
Cho met his eyes.
"Because she may know where your mother is."
Hours later, Evelyn began talking.
The story she told was worse than Aaron expected.
Thomas had hired her to prepare divorce papers and restructure the family trust.
She did it.
Then Florence discovered the plan.
Florence confronted Evelyn with evidence of unrelated financial misconduct involving another client.
Blackmail.
Evelyn gave Florence copies of Thomas's documents.
After Thomas died, Evelyn helped produce substitute estate papers preserving Florence's control.
Lucas did not know that part.
Neither did Calvin.
Florence had always compartmentalized her crimes.
No one except Florence knew the entire story.
"What about my father's death?" Aaron asked.
Evelyn looked away.
"She never told me she killed him."
"Did you suspect it?"
Evelyn did not answer.
Aaron leaned forward.
"Did you suspect it?"
"Yes."
The room went silent.
"And you did nothing."
"I was afraid."
"My father was dead."
"I know."
"My wife and daughter nearly died because she was still protecting what you helped her steal."
Evelyn began crying.
Aaron felt no sympathy.
Ortiz stepped in.
"Where is Florence?"
Evelyn hesitated.
Then she gave them an address.
A private residence outside the city belonging to Calvin Reed's sister.
Police arrived within forty minutes.
The house was empty.
Florence had left less than an hour earlier.
But she had made a mistake.
She left behind a burner phone.
Technicians recovered several deleted messages.
One had been sent to Maya.
Maya had never received it because the number was blocked by hospital security.
The message read:
You took my sons from me.
You will not take the rest.
Aaron stared at the words.
"My sons?"
Ortiz nodded.
"She blames Maya."
"Lucas confessed because of what she did."
"People like Florence rarely see it that way."
Another recovered message had been sent to an unknown number.
TONIGHT. THE SCHOOL. BRING ORIGINAL.
Aaron frowned.
"What school?"
Ortiz shook her head.
"We're checking."
Aaron's phone rang.
Nina.
He answered.
Her voice was panicked.
"Aaron, Chloe's school just called."
His entire body stiffened.
"What?"
"Someone tried to pick up school records."
"Who?"
"They said it was Chloe's grandmother."
Aaron stopped breathing.
Chloe had not returned to school.
No one should have needed records.
Ortiz was already standing.
"Ask which records."
Aaron relayed the question.
Nina spoke to someone in the background.
Then came back.
"Emergency contact forms and enrollment documents."
Aaron's mind moved quickly.
Florence could not legally pick up Chloe.
Unless she was trying to prove some kind of guardianship.
The forged documents.
The offshore money.
The school.
"What did the message mean by bring original?"
Cho looked at the recovered texts.
"Could refer to a document."
Aaron suddenly remembered Maya's hidden camera.
"Rosie."
Ortiz frowned.
"The doll?"
"Maya said she installed the camera after I left."
"Yes."
"But the oldest recording came from before that."
Ortiz understood.
"So someone else put a camera in it first."
Aaron's heart began beating faster.
He called Maya.
"Where did Rosie come from?"
"Chloe's doll?"
"Yes."
"Your father gave it to her."
Aaron froze.
"What?"
Maya sounded confused.
"Not directly. Remember? We found the box in the attic after we moved into the house. There was a note saying it was for your first daughter."
Aaron sat down.
He had forgotten.
Thomas had purchased the doll before Chloe was born.
Before Aaron was even married.
It had been stored for years.
"Was there anything else in the box?"
"A card."
"What did it say?"
Maya paused.
"I don't remember exactly."
"Try."
Something moved in Aaron's memory.
His father had always loved riddles.
Maya said slowly, "Something about children seeing what adults miss."
Aaron's eyes went to the torn doll.
"Where is Rosie?"
"With Chloe."
"Check the doll."
"For what?"
"Anything. Another pocket. Another seam."
Maya put the phone down.
Aaron heard movement.
Then silence.
"Aaron."
"What?"
"There's something inside the other leg."
Ortiz moved closer.
"What is it?"
Maya pulled it free.
"A key."
Aaron stared at Ortiz.
A small brass key had been sewn into the doll for more than a decade.
May you like
And attached to it was a faded paper tag bearing two words.
Deposit 317.
