Chapter 12: The Secret Patricia Tried to Bury
Nobody spoke.
I stared at the transfer authorization.
Thirty-five thousand dollars.
Paid by Patricia Collins.
Sent directly to Daniel.
And marked as payment for silence.
Helen took the document.
"Emily, do you know what this payment was for?""
Emily shook her head.
"Not exactly. But I found the email exchange connected to it.""
She removed two printed messages.
The first was from Patricia.
The money has been transferred. Make sure your father never hears about the original agreement.
The second was from Daniel.
He already suspects something. I'll handle him.
My hands went cold.
"What original agreement?""
Emily looked at Thomas.
He slowly removed his glasses.
"Margaret, I think it's time you heard what happened fifteen years ago.""
I looked at him.
"You mean the argument about Daniel stealing money?""
Thomas nodded.
"That was only part of it.""
He leaned forward.
"Daniel didn't just take money from Walter's company. He was involved in an arrangement with Patricia's former business partner.""
I frowned.
"Patricia had a business partner?""
"Yes. A man named Robert Collins. He was Patricia's first husband.""
I looked at Emily.
"Wasn't Patricia married to Richard?""
"Yes," she replied.
"But before Richard, she was married to Robert. They ran a property investment company together.""
Thomas continued.
"Fifteen years ago, Walter discovered that Robert and Daniel had been using company records to make unauthorized property transactions.""
I felt my heart beating faster.
"What kind of transactions?""
"They were transferring land options and collecting deposits before the owners had approved the sales.""
Helen looked up.
"That sounds very similar to what's happening now.""
"Exactly.""
Thomas opened his briefcase.
He removed an old newspaper clipping.
Robert Collins had died in a car accident sixteen years earlier.
I remembered hearing about it.
At the time, Patricia had told everyone that Robert had left her with debts and disappeared from her life.
Thomas pointed to the article.
"Robert died before Walter discovered the scheme. But Daniel continued working with Patricia.""
I shook my head.
"Why would Walter keep this from me?""
"Because he believed Daniel could still be saved. He thought the arrangement would end if he separated Daniel from Patricia's influence.""
I stared at the transfer.
"Then what was the thirty-five thousand dollars for?""
Emily answered.
"According to the emails, Patricia paid Daniel after he agreed not to disclose her involvement in the original property transactions.""
Helen's expression hardened.
"Do we have enough to verify this?""
Emily nodded.
"I have the original correspondence and bank records.""
Thomas looked at me.
"There's something else Walter discovered. He believed Patricia had kept copies of Robert's old business records. Those records could expose the entire arrangement.""
I felt exhausted.
Every time I thought we'd reached the bottom, another secret appeared.
"Where are those records?""
Thomas shook his head.
"Walter never found them.""
My phone began ringing.
This time, the caller ID showed Daniel.
Helen gestured for me to answer.
"Hello?""
"Mom, we need to meet.""
"Why?""
"Alone.""
I glanced at Helen.
"There's nothing left to discuss privately.""
"Please. I'm begging you.""
His voice cracked.
"Tiffany has left the house. Her father is threatening to report everything. I don't know what to do.""
I closed my eyes.
"Tell the truth.""
"I am trying.""
"Then start with the money.""
He went quiet.
Finally, he whispered, "Patricia has something.""
"What?""
"The original agreement from fifteen years ago.""
I looked at Thomas.
He immediately leaned closer.
"Daniel, what agreement?""
My son took a shaky breath.
"Mom, Patricia has the original contract showing who really owned the land before Dad bought it.""
I frowned.
"Your father bought that property forty years ago.""
"I know what he told you.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"What are you saying?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Dad didn't buy all of it.""
The room went completely silent.
He continued.
"Part of that land was transferred to him through a private agreement with Robert Collins. And Patricia says the original contract proves Dad never had full ownership.""
Helen immediately signaled for me to put the call on speaker.
"Daniel," she said, "are you suggesting the title to your mother's property is defective?""
"I don't know. That's what Patricia told me.""
Thomas stood abruptly.
"That's impossible.""
Daniel continued.
"Patricia said Walter knew. She said he hid the agreement because it would have destroyed his reputation.""
I looked at Thomas.
His face had gone pale.
"Daniel, where is Patricia now?"" I asked.
"At her house.""
"Does she have the contract?""
"Yes.""
"Then why haven't you given it to Helen?""
He hesitated.
"Because she told me something else.""
"What?""
"She said if that contract becomes public, the entire development deal collapses.""
I waited.
Then Daniel whispered:
"And she says you're not the rightful owner of the property.""
The call ended.
Helen immediately began writing down the details.
Thomas remained standing, staring at the old newspaper clipping.
I looked at him.
"Thomas, tell me the truth. Did Walter really own that land?""
He slowly sat down.
"Margaret, Walter owned the property. But there was one parcel he never fully resolved.""
My heart sank.
"How large?""
Thomas looked directly at me.
"Nearly half the land.""
Before I could respond, Helen's phone rang.
She answered, listened for several seconds, and then looked at me.
"Margaret, the title company just sent over a notice.""
"What notice?""
She turned her screen toward me.
It was a new property claim.
Filed that morning.
The claimant was Patricia Collins.
And attached to it was a document bearing Walter's signature.
A document that appeared to transfer half my husband's land to Patricia's former husband.
*Robert Collins.*
But Robert had supposedly been dead for sixteen years.
May you like
And according to the filing, the agreement had been witnessed by someone who was still very much alive.
*My son, Daniel Bennett.*
