Chapter 5: Rachel Knew Her
Daniel pulled into an empty gas station.
Rain swept across the windshield in silver sheets.
He couldn't keep driving.
"What do you mean Rachel knew Melissa?""
Martin breathed heavily through the phone.
"Not personally. Not at first.""
Daniel looked at his sleeping children.
"Then explain.""
"Rachel contacted me three days before she was hospitalized. She said she'd found irregularities connected to the trust.""
"How? The trust existed before she died?""
"Yes.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
He had never understood the full arrangement.
Rachel's father had died when Lily was a baby. Daniel knew he'd left something for his granddaughter, but Rachel always said they would discuss it later.
Later never came.
Martin continued.
"Rachel's father created the trust for Lily. Rachel was trustee. You were named successor trustee if anything happened to her.""
"Then why didn't I know?""
"You were supposed to.""
Daniel's voice turned cold.
"Supposed to?""
"I altered the paperwork.""
Daniel almost crushed the phone.
"Why?""
"Money.""
At least Martin didn't pretend.
"I had gambling debts. Melissa found out.""
Daniel opened his eyes.
"How did Melissa know you?""
Silence.
"Martin.""
"She worked for the bookkeeping company my office used.""
Daniel stared through the windshield.
Melissa had told him they'd met at a charity fundraiser almost a year after Rachel died.
Another lie.
"She had access to records?""
"Some.""
"And she found Lily's trust?""
"Yes.""
Daniel felt sick.
"Before Rachel died?""
"Yes.""
The word sat between them.
Daniel whispered, "How long before?""
"About six months.""
Daniel thought back.
Six months before Rachel died, she'd started behaving differently.
Checking the mail herself.
Asking questions about passwords.
Once, Daniel had found her crying over paperwork at midnight.
He'd asked what was wrong.
"Nothing," she'd said.
"I just need to make sure Lily is protected.""
Daniel had assumed she was worried about her illness.
Now that memory had a different shape.
"Rachel discovered Melissa?""
"She discovered someone had accessed the trust records. She traced it back to my office.""
"And you?""
"I confessed part of it.""
"Part?""
"I told her I'd made mistakes.""
"You mean you stole from my daughter.""
"Yes.""
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"What did Rachel say?""
"She said she was going to report me.""
"Good.""
"She also said she'd found emails between me and Melissa.""
Daniel looked toward the back seat.
Lily shifted in her sleep.
"Did Rachel ever meet her?""
"Once.""
Daniel's skin prickled.
"When?""
"At my office.""
Martin hesitated.
"Rachel confronted us both.""
Daniel's mind filled with an image he had never known existed.
Rachel standing in Martin's office.
Melissa sitting there.
The woman who would later marry Rachel's husband and raise Rachel's daughter.
"Tell me exactly what happened.""
"Rachel walked in with printed records. She knew transfers had been attempted.""
"Attempted?""
"At that point, none had gone through.""
Daniel frowned.
"So Lily's money wasn't stolen until later?""
"Not until after Rachel died.""
Daniel went silent.
That distinction somehow made everything worse.
Melissa had known the money existed.
Then Rachel died.
Then Melissa entered Daniel's life.
"How soon after Rachel died did Melissa contact you?""
"Eleven days.""
Daniel's stomach twisted.
"Eleven days?""
"She said the opportunity had changed.""
"What opportunity?""
Martin didn't answer.
Daniel's voice sharpened.
"What opportunity?""
"Getting close to you.""
Daniel stared at nothing.
He remembered meeting Melissa.
The fundraiser.
Her accidental bump into his shoulder.
The spilled drink.
Her apology.
The coffee a week later.
She had seemed kind.
Patient.
She never pressured him when he talked about Rachel.
She brought Lily coloring books.
She learned Lily's favorite songs.
She made Daniel believe she understood that his daughter came first.
None of it had been accidental.
"She targeted me.""
"Yes.""
Daniel covered his mouth.
For two years, he had shared a bed with a woman who had selected him because of his dead wife's money.
But another question terrified him more.
"Martin.""
"Yes?""
"You said Rachel confronted Melissa before she got sick.""
"Yes.""
"Three days before the hospital?""
"Yes.""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"What happened after that meeting?""
Martin was quiet too long.
"Martin.""
"Rachel threatened to go to the police Monday morning.""
"But she went to the hospital Sunday night.""
"I know.""
Daniel's heartbeat accelerated.
Rachel had collapsed at home.
Severe abdominal pain.
Vomiting.
Fever.
Doctors initially suspected food poisoning, then discovered a rare bacterial infection that had spread aggressively.
She died five days later.
Daniel had spent years believing it was a freak tragedy.
Now he heard Martin breathing on the other end.
"Are you suggesting Melissa had something to do with Rachel getting sick?""
"No.""
The answer came quickly.
Too quickly.
Daniel closed his eyes.
"What aren't you telling me?""
"I don't know what happened to Rachel.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Martin sighed.
"There was another recording.""
Daniel looked at the memory card.
"Carol's?""
"No.""
"Whose?""
"Rachel's.""
Daniel sat upright.
"What?""
"Rachel recorded our confrontation.""
"Where is it?""
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not. She told me she'd made copies.""
"Copies of what?""
"Emails. Account records. Audio. Everything.""
Daniel's pulse pounded.
"Where?""
"She said she'd hidden one copy somewhere nobody would think to look.""
Daniel thought of the house.
Rachel had lived there.
The same house Melissa now occupied.
"Did Melissa know?""
"She knew there was a copy.""
Daniel suddenly understood.
Melissa hadn't simply wanted Lily out because of trust statements.
Maybe she'd been searching for something.
For years.
"Why would Lily matter?""
Martin went quiet.
Then said, "Because Rachel told Melissa something during that confrontation.""
"What?""
"She said, 'If anything happens to me, Lily will lead Daniel to the truth.''"
Daniel stared at the rain.
Lily would lead him to the truth.
But Lily had been one year old.
How?
His thoughts were interrupted by a tiny voice.
"Daddy?""
Daniel turned.
Lily was awake.
"Hey, sweetheart.""
"Are we at Uncle Ben's?""
"Almost.""
She rubbed her eyes.
Then she looked at the stuffed dog.
"Can we get my other puppy tomorrow?""
Daniel smiled faintly.
"What other puppy?""
"The one Mommy Rachel gave me.""
Daniel froze.
Rachel had given Lily dozens of toys.
"Which puppy?""
"The old one.""
"Where is it?""
Lily yawned.
"In my wall.""
Daniel's smile disappeared.
"What wall?""
"My bedroom.""
Daniel slowly turned toward her.
Lily hugged the new stuffed dog.
"Melissa couldn't find it.""
Daniel's heart began pounding.
"Why was Melissa looking for it?""
May you like
Lily looked confused.
"Because she said Mommy Rachel hid something inside.""
