Chapter 7: The Woman My Mother Buried Twice
"Who did you say?""
My voice barely worked.
Margaret repeated the name.
"Your grandmother, Eleanor Carter.""
I gripped the kitchen counter.
"That's impossible. Grandma died when I was twelve.""
Across the room, Daniel stopped moving.
Caroline noticed his expression.
"Why does he look like that?"" she asked.
Margaret continued through the speaker.
"Emily, your grandmother's death was reported to the family, but the circumstances surrounding her estate were unusual. Your mother never received the original death certificate. She was told everything had been handled privately.""
I shook my head.
"You're telling me my grandmother might still be alive?""
"I'm telling you that your mother discovered evidence that Eleanor was alive. She spent the final months of her life trying to locate her.""
Brianna sank into a chair.
"Mom never told us.""
"Because she didn't know who she could trust," Margaret replied.
Daniel suddenly grabbed his jacket.
"I'm leaving.""
I turned toward him.
"You're not going anywhere.""
He gave me a cold look.
"You don't get to tell me what to do, Emily.""
"Then answer one question. Why does my grandmother's name scare you?""
He laughed, but his eyes betrayed him.
"Your mother was sick. She became paranoid near the end.""
Caroline stepped forward.
"Funny. You said the same thing about me when I discovered your accounts.""
Daniel pointed at her.
"Stay out of this.""
"No," Caroline replied.
"I've stayed out of your business for seven years. That was my mistake.""
Margaret interrupted.
"Emily, I have an address. Your mother wrote it inside the blue envelope. I want you to come to my office before visiting anyone.""
"Why?""
"Because there is another person involved. Someone who has been receiving payments from the trust.""
Daniel's face changed.
He knew exactly what she was talking about.
I ended the call and picked up my handbag.
"Brianna, you're coming with me.""
She looked startled.
"Why?""
"Because I want to know how much you knew.""
Daniel moved toward the door.
I stepped aside.
"Go ahead. But understand something. Every bank transfer, every forged signature, and every document you've hidden is going to be examined.""
He stopped.
For a moment, I thought he might say something threatening.
Instead, he smiled.
"You really think you're going to win this?""
I looked at him.
"I'm not trying to win anything. I'm trying to find out what happened to my family.""
He leaned closer.
"Then you'd better hope your grandmother stays dead.""
The words chilled me.
Caroline reached for her phone.
"Daniel, I suggest you leave before I call the police.""
He finally walked out.
Brianna watched him disappear down the hallway.
Then she whispered, "Emily, I think he knows where Grandma is.""
Margaret's office was on the fourth floor of a brick building downtown.
She was waiting with a blue envelope and several thick folders.
When she saw Brianna, she hesitated.
"Your mother specifically asked that Emily receive these documents alone.""
I looked at my sister.
"She stays.""
Margaret nodded reluctantly.
Inside the blue envelope was an old photograph of my grandmother standing outside a white house.
On the back, Mom had written:
Eleanor. Asheville. Ask about the orchard.
I looked up.
"What's in Asheville?""
"An old family property," Margaret explained.
"Your grandmother purchased it decades ago. It was transferred into a private trust shortly before her disappearance.""
"Disappearance?""
Margaret opened another folder.
"Your grandmother didn't die in a hospital. There was no funeral conducted with her body present. Your mother was given a sealed urn and told the burial arrangements had been handled.""
Brianna covered her mouth.
"That's horrible.""
"It gets worse," Margaret said.
She placed a financial statement in front of me.
The trust had been receiving monthly deposits for twenty-three years.
The amounts had grown considerably.
At the top was a beneficiary designation.
*Primary beneficiary: Eleanor Carter.*
*Secondary beneficiary: Emily Carter.*
I stared at the page.
"Why me?""
Margaret removed a handwritten note.
"Your mother changed the designation eleven months ago. She wanted you to receive everything if Eleanor couldn't be located.""
"How much is everything?""
Margaret hesitated.
"Approximately $3.8 million, including property and investments.""
Brianna inhaled sharply.
I barely heard her.
Three-point-eight million dollars.
And Daniel had been stealing from my wedding savings account.
"Does Daniel know about this?""
Margaret nodded.
"He discovered the trust six months ago. That's why he became interested in your mother's estate.""
Brianna began shaking her head.
"He told me he wanted to marry me because he loved me.""
I looked at her.
"Did you believe him?""
She didn't answer.
Margaret slid another document toward me.
It was a letter addressed to my mother.
The handwriting was unfamiliar.
Eleanor has agreed to meet Emily when the time is right. Please keep Daniel away from the property.
I looked at the date.
It was written three weeks before Mom died.
Then Margaret pointed to the signature.
"Emily, the person who wrote this letter is your grandmother's caregiver.""
"Where is she?""
Margaret looked directly at me.
"At the Asheville property.""
She handed me a small card.
An address.
And beneath it, a telephone number.
I was about to put it in my handbag when Margaret added something else.
"Your mother also left instructions. She wanted you to bring Brianna if possible.""
I looked at my sister.
"Why?""
May you like
Margaret's expression softened.
"Because Eleanor has been waiting to tell both of you something about your father.""
