Chapter 3: The Woman in the Call Log
“Who is Margaret?””
Richard stared at his phone.
Nobody spoke.
It rang a third time.
Daniel looked at the screen.
His face drained of color.
“Don't answer that,” he said.
I turned toward him.
“You know her?””
Daniel hesitated.
“Yes.””
Richard snapped, “Daniel.””
I stepped between them.
“Who is she?””
Daniel looked at me.
“Your mother's attorney.””
My pulse jumped.
“My mother had an attorney?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't I know that?””
Richard shoved his phone into his pocket.
“Because she handled private matters.””
I laughed bitterly.
“My mother has been dead for years, and you're telling me she had a private attorney whose calls you both recognize?””
Richard grabbed his keys.
“We're leaving.””
“No.””
He stopped.
I held up my phone.
“You transferred thirty-eight thousand six hundred dollars from my account.””
“I told you, you're misunderstanding.””
“Then explain it.””
“I was securing the money.””
“For who?””
“For you.””
“Then why did you send it to yourself?””
He said nothing.
Daniel quietly pulled out his own phone.
“I think it's time.””
Richard's face hardened.
“Don't.””
Daniel opened an email.
He turned the screen toward me.
The subject line read:
*Regarding Emma Carter — Confidential Estate Instructions*
My hands went numb.
“When was this sent?”” I asked.
“Three days after your mother died,” Daniel said.
Richard shook his head.
“You don't understand what she wanted.””
“Then let me read it.””
Daniel handed me the phone.
The email was from Margaret Lewis.
It referenced my mother's estate.
My mother's life-insurance policy.
And something called the *Carter Education Trust*.
I scrolled.
The trust had been established before I graduated high school.
Its purpose was simple: cover my college education and provide me with a financial reserve when I turned twenty-two.
My birthday had been two weeks earlier.
I stared at the screen.
“Twenty-two?””
Daniel nodded.
“That money was supposed to become yours on your twenty-second birthday.””
I looked at Richard.
“And you knew.””
He didn't deny it.
“How much was in the trust?””
Daniel took a breath.
“Your mother deposited fifty thousand dollars.””
My chest tightened.
“That can't be right.””
“It grew.””
“How much?””
Daniel looked at Richard.
Richard's silence answered first.
“Daniel.””
“About fifty-one thousand.””
I stared at my banking app.
My savings account should have contained more than twelve thousand.
“Where is the rest?””
Richard stepped closer.
“I used some of it.””
“For what?””
He rubbed his forehead.
“Legal expenses.””
“My legal expenses?””
“No.””
His answer came too quickly.
I froze.
Daniel whispered, “Ask him what he means.””
I looked directly at Richard.
“What legal expenses?””
Richard's eyes flicked toward the exit.
“I had debts.””
The hallway seemed to tilt.
“You stole my trust money to pay your debts?””
“I borrowed it.””
“You didn't ask.””
“I knew you would say no.””
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through.
“Emma?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Margaret Lewis. I represented your mother.””
I looked at Daniel.
He nodded.
Margaret continued.
“I've been trying to reach you since your birthday.””
“Why?””
There was a pause.
“Because the trust was supposed to transfer into your sole control two weeks ago.””
“I know.””
“No,” she said softly.
“I don't think you do.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“What am I missing?””
Another pause.
Then Margaret said, “The trust wasn't worth fifty-one thousand dollars.””
I looked at Richard.
His face had gone completely white.
Margaret continued.
“It was worth *$214,783.19*.””
Richard suddenly lunged for my phone.
Daniel caught his arm.
“Don't you dare.””
Margaret's voice came through the speaker.
“Emma, there's something else you need to know.””
I backed away from both men.
“What?””
Her voice dropped.
“Your mother left instructions specifically in case Richard ever contacted you.””
I swallowed.
“What instructions?””
Margaret took a breath.
“She didn't want him anywhere near your money.””
May you like
Then she said the words that made the entire graduation day feel like a lie.
“Because, Emma, your mother believed Richard was the reason she had to disappear from his life in the first place.””
