Chapter 8: Patricia's Final Bargain
I immediately called the police.
Rachel and I stayed in the kitchen, watching the security cameras until officers arrived.
Daniel and Patricia were still upstairs.
They didn't appear to know that I was watching.
"Where did you get that envelope?"" Daniel demanded.
Patricia placed it on the bed.
"From the attorney who handled your father's business.""
"What's inside?""
"Something that could solve all our problems.""
Daniel opened it.
His face went pale.
"Mom, what the hell is this?""
Patricia folded her arms.
"Your father's old financial records.""
"These are documents about Emily.""
"Exactly.""
Daniel flipped through the pages.
"She was supposed to receive a separate share. You told me she had agreed to sign it over.""
"She changed her mind.""
"Then what am I supposed to do?""
Patricia leaned closer.
"Make her believe she has something to lose.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Sarah is already investigating everything. We can't afford another problem.""
Patricia's expression turned hard.
"Then stop making mistakes.""
The police arrived.
Within minutes, officers were escorting Daniel and Patricia downstairs.
Patricia immediately began shouting.
"This is my son's house!""
One officer corrected her.
"Ma'am, the property is registered in your daughter-in-law's name.""
Patricia turned toward the camera.
Her eyes narrowed.
"Sarah! I know you're watching!""
I stepped into the hallway.
"Yes, Patricia. I am.""
Her face changed.
"You set us up.""
I looked at the envelope in her hand.
"No. You broke into my house.""
Daniel approached me.
"Sarah, please. We can talk about this.""
"About what? The money? The affair? The forged documents?""
He looked toward the officers.
"Can we please not do this in front of everyone?""
I almost laughed.
"You had no problem humiliating me in front of thirty-two relatives at your mother's birthday party.""
Patricia interrupted.
"That was a family celebration!""
"Paid for with my money.""
"You offered!""
"I offered to pay for dinner. I never offered to fund an affair, steal from my company, or finance your attempts to take my father's house.""
The officer asked Patricia to hand over the envelope.
She refused.
"This is private family correspondence.""
He repeated the request.
After a brief argument, she surrendered it.
The officers documented the incident and instructed both of them not to return without permission.
Daniel lingered at the doorway.
"Sarah, you're destroying everything.""
I looked at him.
"No, Daniel. I'm finally seeing everything.""
He left without another word.
Once the police were gone, Rachel and I examined the envelope.
Inside were copies of old bank transfers, handwritten notes, and a letter from my father.
But the letter wasn't addressed to me.
It was addressed to Emily.
I called her immediately.
"Emily, Patricia was just here. She had documents with your name on them.""
Emily went quiet.
"Did you open the envelope?""
"Not yet.""
"Don't.""
"Why?""
"Because I think I know what she was trying to do.""
She explained that Patricia had once approached her with a story about a secret debt.
According to Patricia, my father had borrowed money from her years earlier and had promised to repay it through the family trust.
Emily had refused to believe her.
"She said she had proof," Emily continued.
"But she wouldn't show me anything unless I agreed to sign away my inheritance.""
I looked at the papers.
"There's a letter from Dad.""
"Don't read it without me.""
I hesitated.
"Why?""
"Because he wrote it after we met for the last time. He told me there was something about Patricia that could change everything.""
The following morning, Emily arrived at Michael's office.
She was shorter than I expected, with dark hair and a small silver necklace.
For a moment, we simply stared at each other.
Then she smiled sadly.
"You look like him.""
I felt tears rise.
"So do you.""
We sat across from one another.
Emily placed a sealed envelope on the table.
"I brought it.""
Michael examined the seal before allowing her to open it.
Inside was a letter and a photocopy of a bank agreement.
Emily began reading aloud.
My dear Emily,
I am sorry I didn't give you the family you deserved. I cannot change the past, but I can protect your future.
If Patricia approaches you again, remember that she has no legal claim against the trust. The debt she speaks about was settled decades ago.
Emily stopped.
Michael took the bank agreement.
His eyes widened.
"Sarah, this is a release of liability.""
"What does that mean?""
"Patricia signed away every financial claim against your grandfather's business interests after receiving her divorce settlement.""
I frowned.
"Then why does she keep talking about a debt?""
Michael examined the second page.
"Because the debt she's referring to appears to be entirely fabricated.""
Emily continued reading.
There is one thing I never told you. Patricia's connection to Daniel is not the only secret she has kept.
She looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Michael turned the page.
A name appeared beneath my father's signature.
*Charles Whitmore.*
The same man Patricia had married before Daniel's father.
But the next paragraph was even more disturbing.
Charles did not die in the accident everyone believes happened. He survived, and he has been living under another name.
I looked at Michael.
"That's impossible.""
Emily shook her head.
"Apparently not.""
A handwritten address appeared beneath the paragraph.
It was in Austin, Texas.
Michael studied the document.
"If this is genuine, Charles may be able to explain why Patricia has been pursuing the trust.""
Then Emily reached into her handbag.
"There was something else.""
She placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Patricia standing outside a hospital with a newborn baby.
A man stood beside her.
I recognized him immediately.
Daniel's father.
But the date printed on the back was almost a year after Daniel was supposedly born.
Emily turned the photograph over.
In my father's handwriting were six words:
The first lie was about Daniel's father.
I stared at the photograph.
"What does that mean?""
Emily looked at me.
"I think Patricia lied about who Daniel's real father is.""
Michael slowly closed the folder.
"If that's true, we need to find Charles Whitmore.""
But before we could discuss it further, Emily's phone rang.
She answered.
Her face changed.
"What do you mean he's missing?""
She listened for several seconds.
Then she looked at me.
"Sarah, that was my neighbor. Someone broke into my apartment last night.""
"Did they take anything?""
Emily swallowed.
"Only one thing.""
May you like
"What?""
"The original copy of my father's trust amendment.""
