Chapter 5: The Lawyer Who Buried the Truth
Our mother's lawyer was named Richard Cole.
He had handled our family's legal affairs for nearly twenty years. He had drafted my father's will, managed our mother's estate, and helped Emily and Ryan purchase their first house.
When Dad died, Richard had sat beside us at the funeral, holding a folded handkerchief while our mother cried.
He had been there when Emily married Ryan.
He had even helped establish the trust fund for Lily's education.
And according to Emily, he had helped Ryan make her disappear.
“Are you absolutely sure?”” I asked.
Emily nodded.
“I saw him.””
“Where?””
“The night Ryan took me away, Richard was standing in the driveway. He gave Victor an envelope and told him everything had been arranged.””
I felt sick.
“Why didn't you tell me this earlier?””
“Because Richard told me he controlled the trust fund. He said if I contacted you, he'd make sure Ryan received full custody of Lily permanently.””
I glanced toward the officers.
“Did Richard know you were coming tonight?””
“No.””
“Does he know you're alive?””
“I don't know.””
That answer made the room seem colder.
I pulled out my phone and searched for Richard's number. I had called him twice after Emily disappeared, asking for copies of documents related to the accident.
Both times, he had assured me everything had been handled properly.
The second time, he'd warned me against making accusations without evidence.
I had believed him.
“James,” Emily said quietly, “there's more.””
I looked at her.
“Of course there is.””
She winced at my tone.
I immediately regretted it.
“I'm sorry,” I said.
“I'm angry. Not at you.””
“I know.””
She looked down at Lily, who was sitting beside her, drawing little circles on the back of her mother's hand.
“I found out about Richard's involvement only six months ago. I had been living under another name in New Mexico. I was working at a small motel when a woman recognized me from an old photograph.””
“Who was she?””
“An investigator. She'd been hired by someone looking into Victor Hale's business records.””
“Did she know who you were?””
“Not at first. But when she realized I was Emily Mitchell, she told me Victor had disappeared after several of his clients accused him of fraud.””
I leaned forward.
“What happened then?””
“She showed me copies of financial records. There were payments from Ryan's company, but there were also payments from Richard's legal practice.””
My jaw tightened.
“So they were both involved.””
“I believe so.””
“Why didn't you go straight to the police?””
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was afraid they would send me back to Ryan before anyone listened. I had no identification, no money, and no proof that he had threatened me. Every document I had was either missing or in someone else's hands.””
She took a shaky breath.
“Then the investigator found a message Victor had sent Richard. It said that the arrangements were complete and that the family had accepted the accident story.””
My fingers curled into fists.
“What did the message say about you?””
Emily looked at the envelope.
“That I had been moved to a shelter in another state and would remain there until Ryan decided otherwise.””
“Until he decided otherwise?””
“He was supposed to send money every month. When the payments stopped, I realized he might be preparing to find me.””
I thought about the wedding invitation Ryan had sent me three weeks earlier.
He had called personally, insisting that Lily needed her uncle present for the ceremony. At the time, I had wondered why he suddenly seemed eager to reconnect after years of threatening to keep me away.
Now I understood.
Ryan hadn't invited me because he wanted peace.
He had invited me because he believed I was harmless.
He thought I had accepted Emily's death. He thought I had stopped asking questions.
And he had no idea how close I was to uncovering everything.
“Why come here tonight?”” I asked.
Emily looked toward the ballroom entrance.
“Because I received a message two days ago.””
“From whom?””
“Richard.””
My stomach dropped.
“What did it say?””
Emily reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded piece of paper.
She handed it to me.
The message was brief.
If you want your daughter to grow up safely, stay away from Ryan's wedding. You don't understand what he has planned.
I read it twice.
“Why would Richard warn you?””
“Maybe he felt guilty. Maybe he wanted me to disappear again. I don't know.””
“But you came anyway.””
Emily nodded.
“Because I heard Ryan planned to announce that Vanessa would become Lily's legal guardian. He wanted her to adopt Lily, and he was going to tell everyone I had left the child willingly.””
I stared at her.
“He was going to erase you completely.””
“He already tried.””
Across the ballroom, Ryan was speaking with another officer. He looked composed again, his hands moving in measured gestures as he explained his version of events.
He even managed a brief smile.
It made my skin crawl.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unfamiliar number had sent me a message.
Stop digging into Richard Cole. You have no idea who you're protecting.
A second message followed.
Check your mother's final bank statement. Look at the transfer made the day before she died.
I stared at the screen.
Emily read the messages over my shoulder.
“James?””
I looked at her.
“Someone knows we're here.””
Before she could respond, the wedding coordinator hurried toward us.
“I'm sorry,” she said breathlessly.
“There's a man outside asking for Mr. Mitchell. He says he needs to speak with the family immediately.””
“Who is he?”” I asked.
She glanced nervously toward the doors.
“He says his name is Richard Cole.””
Emily went white.
Then Ryan, who had overheard the conversation, smiled for the first time since Emily's arrival.
“Finally,” he said.
“Someone who can explain what really happened.””
The doors opened.
Richard stepped inside carrying a leather briefcase.
He looked at Emily.
May you like
Then he looked at me.
And the first words out of his mouth were, “James, I told you never to trust your sister's stories.””
