Chapter 7: The Night She Died
“Daniel,” I said, barely recognizing my own voice, “what happened the night Mom died?””
He didn't answer.
That silence was enough to make my hands shake.
Margaret looked between us.
“Daniel?””
He stared at the message on my phone.
“I knew this day would come.””
I took a step toward him.
“You knew?””
“I knew someone might eventually ask.””
“Then answer me.””
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
“Your mother called me at 11:43 that night.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“The accident happened at 12:17.””
“I know.””
“What did she say?””
“She said she was leaving.””
“Leaving where?””
“Columbus.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“She'd found out Richard had taken money from her.””
Margaret's expression sharpened.
“How much?””
“Almost seventy thousand dollars.””
I looked at the phone in my hand.
“That was before the trust?””
“Yes.””
“Where was she going?””
“To a friend's house outside the city.””
“Was Richard there?””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not when she called.””
“Then why did she leave?””
“Because he had been following her.””
I felt a chill move down my arms.
“What?””
“Your mother told me Richard had been waiting outside her office. She saw his car twice that day.””
Margaret frowned.
“Did she report it?””
“She called the police.””
“Was there a report?””
Daniel nodded.
“There should be.””
Margaret immediately pulled out her phone.
“I'll check.””
I couldn't take my eyes off Daniel.
“Did Mom tell you to come get her?””
“Yes.””
“Did you?””
His eyes filled.
“I was on my way.””
“Then why weren't you there?””
He looked down.
“My truck broke down.””
I stared at him.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I called a tow truck.””
“When?””
“11:58.””
“And Mom?””
“She said she couldn't wait.””
My throat tightened.
“So she drove away alone.””
“Yes.””
“And then she died.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I've lived with that every day since.””
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I whispered, “You let her go alone?””
“I didn't let her do anything.””
His voice cracked.
“I begged her to stay where she was. She said she had to get to you.””
“What does that mean?””
“She said she had one more thing to do before leaving.””
“What thing?””
Daniel looked at Margaret.
Margaret's face had gone pale.
“She was going to move the trust documents,” she said.
I turned toward her.
“Why?””
“Because she believed Richard knew about them.””
A car horn sounded outside.
All three of us looked toward the street.
A black SUV was parked at the curb.
Richard's car.
Daniel stepped in front of me.
“Stay behind me.””
The SUV's driver's door opened.
But Richard didn't get out.
Instead, a woman stepped onto the sidewalk.
She was in her late forties, wearing a beige coat and holding a manila folder.
She looked directly at me.
“Emma Carter?””
“Yes.””
“My name is Susan Hale.””
Daniel's face changed.
“Who are you?””
Susan ignored him.
“I was your mother's closest friend.””
She held out the folder.
“Your mother gave me this the afternoon she died.””
I didn't take it.
“Why are you giving it to me now?””
“Because she told me not to unless Richard came back into your life.””
Margaret stepped closer.
“What does it contain?””
Susan looked at Daniel.
“Proof.””
“Proof of what?”” I asked.
“That your mother's accident wasn't an accident.””
My knees nearly gave out.
Daniel caught my arm.
“No.””
Susan's eyes filled with tears.
“I wish I were wrong.””
Margaret opened the folder.
Inside was a photograph.
A grainy image of a dark sedan parked outside my mother's office.
The license plate was visible.
I recognized the car.
I'd seen it in Richard's old photographs.
I looked at him.
Richard was still sitting inside the SUV across the street.
He raised his hand.
Then he started the engine.
Susan grabbed my wrist.
“Don't let him leave.””
But the SUV was already moving.
And before it disappeared around the corner, I saw the person sitting in the passenger seat.
It wasn't Richard.
It was a woman.
A woman I recognized from one of my mother's old family photographs.
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My mother had once called her *Aunt Claire*.
Except Claire had supposedly been dead for twelve years.
