Chapter 14 - THE NAME IN THE WILL
The room seemed to stop breathing.
Jared looked at Helen.
"Who?"
Helen didn't answer.
Instead, she placed a small envelope on the table.
"Your mother left this for you."
Jared stared at it.
"Why didn't you give it to me before?"
"Because I was afraid."
"Of whom?"
Helen looked at Thomas.
"Everyone."
Thomas lowered his head.
Helen continued.
"Margaret knew someone inside the family was manipulating the company."
Jared opened the envelope.
Inside was a single page.
The handwriting was his mother's.
Jared read silently.
If you are reading this, then the person I feared has failed to stop you.
Your father believes I left him everything.
That isn't true.
I left it to the person who can expose what happened.
Jared looked confused.
At the bottom was a name.
His own.
But beneath it was another sentence.
Only if he chooses the truth over the family.
Jared looked up.
"What does that mean?"
Helen said, "Your mother believed the family would eventually turn against itself."
Oscar wasn't there.
He had remained at home.
Lauren wasn't there either.
Jared suddenly realized they were alone.
He called Lauren.
No answer.
He called Oscar.
No answer.
His phone rang.
Beverly.
"Jared, where are you?"
"I'm with Helen."
Silence.
Then Beverly said:
"Leave immediately."
"Why?"
"We found another transfer."
"From Dad's account?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"From your mother's trust."
Jared froze.
"How much?"
Beverly gave him the amount.
Jared felt sick.
The trust had just transferred nearly everything into a private account.
"Who authorized it?"
Beverly hesitated.
Then:
"Your signature."
Jared stared at his hand.
"I didn't authorize anything."
"I know."
"Then someone forged my signature."
"Yes."
"Who?"
Beverly's voice became quieter.
"That's the problem."
"Tell me."
"The authorization was made from your home."
Jared froze.
His home.
The place where Lauren was supposed to be.
He ran outside.
His car was already gone.
Helen followed.
Thomas stood at the diner door.
"Jared."
Jared turned.
Thomas held up the old photograph.
"There is one thing you still don't know."
"What?"
Thomas looked at him.
"Your mother wasn't the only person who knew about the inheritance."
"Who else?"
Thomas stared at Jared.
"Your father."
Jared's phone rang again.
This time it was Oscar.
Jared answered.
His father's voice was barely audible.
"Son..."
"What happened?"
Oscar whispered:
"I remember."
"What?"
"2009."
A long pause.
Then Oscar said:
May you like
"I know who killed your mother."
The call ended.
