Chapter 8: The Lawyer Who Knew My Husband's Secret
Helen Parker arrived at my house the following morning at precisely nine o'clock.
She was in her late fifties, with short silver-blond hair and a navy-blue briefcase. I remembered seeing her at Thomas's funeral, although we had spoken only briefly.
Daniel opened the door.
"You're Mrs. Parker?""
She nodded.
"And you must be Daniel. Your father spoke about you often.""
He stepped aside.
"Please come in.""
Helen entered the study and stopped when she saw the wooden box on the desk.
Her expression changed.
"Where did you find that?""
"My husband gave it to me before he died.""
She slowly placed her briefcase on the table.
"Then he trusted you more than he trusted anyone.""
I frowned.
"What exactly did Thomas leave me?""
Helen removed a thick folder.
"Before I explain, I need to ask you something. Have you spoken to Richard Bennett recently?""
"He appeared at the wedding last night.""
She closed her eyes.
"I was afraid of that.""
Daniel pulled out a chair.
"Why is everyone afraid of my uncle?""
Helen opened the folder.
"Because Richard has spent six years trying to obtain control of your father's estate.""
She removed a document bearing Thomas's signature.
"Your father owned a controlling interest in Bennett Construction, several commercial properties, and a substantial investment portfolio. The combined value was approximately $4.8 million when he died.""
I stared at her.
"Four point eight million?""
Daniel looked equally stunned.
"Mom, Dad never told us he had that much.""
"Your father was a private man," Helen explained.
"He preferred reinvesting his profits rather than displaying his wealth.""
She continued.
"Before his death, Thomas discovered that Richard and Robert Whitaker had been using shell companies to move money out of Bennett Construction.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"How much?""
"Initially, the missing amount was estimated at $230,000. But the investigation uncovered transactions involving several properties. We suspected the total exposure could be much higher.""
I remembered Richard's words about the land.
"Was my property part of it?""
Helen nodded.
"Yes. The land was held within a family trust. Thomas transferred his beneficial interest to you, but he added protections to prevent anyone from forcing a sale without proper authorization.""
"Then how did I sell it?""
Helen studied me.
"Did you sign an original deed?""
I shook my head.
"I signed documents with the real estate agent. Everything looked legitimate.""
"Did you receive a copy of the final deed?""
"No.""
Helen wrote something down.
"That's important.""
Daniel pointed toward the wooden box.
"What about the blue ledger?""
Helen's expression became serious.
"That ledger contains the original transaction records and the names of the companies used to move the money. It also contains a record of a transfer Richard made shortly before your father's death.""
"Where is it?"" I asked.
Helen looked inside the box.
"It should have been here.""
Daniel picked up the USB drive.
"Then maybe this contains it.""
Helen shook her head.
"No. Your father would never have stored the entire ledger electronically. The USB contains a digital key that helps verify the original records.""
I looked at her.
"Then where is the ledger?""
Helen hesitated.
"Thomas told me he had hidden it somewhere he believed nobody would think to search.""
I thought about our house.
The garage.
The attic.
The old workshop.
Nothing came to mind.
Then I remembered the small wooden cabinet in Thomas's office at Bennett Construction.
He had built it himself. He used to keep old photographs and business awards inside.
"Could it be at his office?""
Helen nodded slowly.
"Possibly.""
Daniel stood.
"Then let's go.""
Helen raised her hand.
"Not so quickly. There's something else you need to understand.""
She removed a second document.
"This is the original trust agreement.""
I looked at the signature.
Thomas Bennett.
Below it was my name.
Margaret Bennett.
And beneath mine was a clause explaining the conditions of the estate.
Helen read it aloud.
"Upon the death of Thomas Bennett, his entire beneficial interest shall pass to his wife, Margaret Bennett, provided that no unauthorized transfer or financial manipulation has occurred during the final period of his life.""
I looked confused.
"But I thought you said he left everything to me.""
"He did. However, if evidence of fraud is established, the trust can be frozen to protect the assets until the investigation is complete.""
Daniel frowned.
"So who controls it now?""
Helen turned the page.
"An independent trustee.""
She pointed to a name.
*Eleanor Brooks.*
I recognized it immediately.
Eleanor had been Thomas's oldest business associate. She was a retired accountant who had helped him establish Bennett Construction.
"She's still alive?"" I asked.
"Very much so. And she's been waiting for this day.""
Daniel looked at the USB drive.
"Why didn't she contact us?""
"Because Richard convinced her that your mother had knowingly approved the transfers.""
I felt sick.
"How could he say that?""
Helen placed another document on the table.
"Because he submitted a statement claiming that Thomas had given him authority to manage the estate after his death.""
Daniel stood abruptly.
"That's a lie!""
"I know," Helen replied.
"But until we obtain the original ledger, proving it will be difficult.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was a photograph of our house.
Taken from across the street.
Underneath it were seven words:
*Stop looking for what your husband hid.*
Daniel read the message over my shoulder.
"Who sent that?""
I shook my head.
Helen immediately took a photograph of the screen.
"Don't delete this.""
Daniel went to the window.
A black SUV was parked across the street.
Its engine was running.
Before I could say anything, it pulled away.
Helen closed her briefcase.
"Mrs. Bennett, I strongly recommend that neither of you go anywhere alone.""
Daniel looked at her.
"Are you saying we're being watched?""
"I'm saying someone knows you've found the box.""
She turned toward me.
"And whoever sent that message is almost certainly connected to the people your husband was investigating.""
I looked down at the photograph.
For six years, I had believed Thomas's greatest secret was that he had hidden his illness from me.
Now I was beginning to understand that he had been hiding something much bigger.
Then Helen said something that changed our plans.
"There's one more person we need to speak to.""
"Who?""
She answered without hesitation.
"Your husband's former accountant. The man who disappeared from the investigation.""
Daniel frowned.
"What was his name?""
Helen opened her folder.
"James Miller.""
I recognized the name.
James had attended our family Christmas dinner years ago. He had always been polite, quiet, and uncomfortable around Richard.
"Where is he now?"" I asked.
Helen looked at me.
"He's been living in Savannah under police protection.""
I stared at her.
"Police protection?""
May you like
She nodded.
"Because six years ago, someone tried to kill him after he discovered where the missing money had gone.""
