Chapter 5: The Funeral Nobody Paid For
"Who paid for my father's funeral?""
Agent Collins didn't answer immediately.
She looked toward the hallway, then closed the hospital room door.
Emily moved closer to my bed.
"Rebecca, what aren't you telling us?""
The agent opened her folder.
"Twenty years ago, your father's death was classified as an accidental fall at a construction site. His employer paid a settlement to your family.""
I frowned.
"My mother told me the company paid.""
"That's what the paperwork says.""
"Then what's the problem?""
Agent Collins removed a photocopy.
"The payment came from an account controlled by Ashford Global Holdings.""
My stomach tightened.
"Victor paid for my father's funeral?""
"Not exactly. The money was transferred through three companies. One of them was registered under your mother's maiden name.""
Emily stared.
"Why would Sarah's mother have a company?""
"That's what we're trying to determine.""
I remembered the little details from my childhood.
My mother never liked talking about my father's workplace.
Whenever I asked why he had died, she'd change the subject.
And after the funeral, she had packed away every photograph of him.
I'd thought she was grieving.
Now I wondered what she'd been hiding.
"Did my mother know Victor?"" I asked.
Agent Collins nodded.
"We found correspondence between them.""
"Show me.""
She handed me several printed emails.
The earliest was dated six months before my father's death.
*Victor,*
*I know what you did with the accounts. Daniel's father is not going to get away with this. If you contact my daughter again, I will go to the authorities.*
The message was signed:
*Helen Bennett.*
My mother's name.
I read it twice.
Emily sat down heavily.
"Your mother knew.""
I nodded.
Another document was attached.
A bank transfer.
$175,000.
The recipient was listed as Helen Bennett.
The sender was an account belonging to Silvergate Holdings.
"Why would Victor pay my mother?"" I whispered.
Agent Collins turned the page.
"Because she was apparently involved in the original investigation.""
I looked up.
"Involved how?""
"We believe she helped your father identify the fraudulent accounts. After his death, she may have taken possession of records Victor wanted destroyed.""
"The blue ledger.""
"Possibly.""
I stared at the ceiling.
My mother had died twelve years ago.
If she'd known about the Ashfords, why had she never told me?
Why had she allowed me to marry Daniel?
My phone vibrated again.
This time it was Emily's phone.
She checked the screen.
"Sarah, it's Daniel.""
"Don't answer.""
The phone rang again.
Emily declined the call.
A message appeared.
*Tell Sarah I need five minutes. This is about her mother.*
I felt my chest tighten.
"How does he know about the letter?""
Agent Collins took Emily's phone.
"Did you tell him?""
"No.""
"Then someone else has access to the investigation.""
Emily looked horrified.
"Are you saying there's someone inside the agency helping him?""
"I'm saying we need to be careful.""
A knock sounded at the door.
A hospital security officer stepped inside.
"Agent Collins? There's a visitor downstairs insisting he has to speak with Mrs. Ashford.""
"Who?""
The officer glanced at his clipboard.
"Mr. Victor Ashford.""
Emily stood.
"Absolutely not.""
Agent Collins shook her head.
"He isn't coming in.""
The officer nodded and left.
A few seconds later, my phone rang.
Victor.
I stared at the screen.
"Should I answer?""
Agent Collins considered it.
"Put it on speaker. Don't reveal anything about the investigation.""
I accepted the call.
"Hello?""
Victor's voice was surprisingly calm.
"Sarah. Thank God.""
I said nothing.
"Listen carefully. Your father was a complicated man. He made enemies, and your mother became involved in matters she didn't understand.""
"What do you want?""
"I want to help you.""
I almost laughed.
"Help me?""
"Yes. I know you're upset about Daniel, but none of that matters right now.""
"Then what matters?""
"The letter.""
I glanced at Agent Collins.
Victor continued.
"Your father left something behind. Something dangerous.""
"The blue ledger?""
Silence.
Then he exhaled.
"So you've seen the letter.""
"What's in the ledger?""
"Names. Accounts. Payments. Things that should never have existed.""
"Your payments?""
"Sarah, don't be childish.""
"Did you kill my father?""
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then Victor spoke.
"Your father was given every opportunity to walk away.""
My blood ran cold.
"What does that mean?""
"He refused to understand the consequences of his actions.""
Agent Collins immediately motioned for me to stop speaking.
But I couldn't.
"What happened to my mother?""
Victor sighed.
"Your mother was a good woman. She should have stayed out of it.""
Emily covered her mouth.
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Did you have something to do with her accident?""
Victor's voice became colder.
"Be careful what you accuse people of, Sarah.""
Then he hung up.
Agent Collins immediately took the phone.
"That conversation was recorded.""
"Can you arrest him?""
"Not for that statement alone.""
I looked at her.
"How many people have to die before you can prove it?""
She didn't answer.
Instead, she opened a secure message on her tablet.
Her expression changed as she read.
"What is it?"" Emily asked.
Agent Collins turned the screen toward me.
A photograph showed a blue leather ledger lying on a wooden desk.
Underneath it was a handwritten note.
*If Sarah asks about her mother, tell her to check the nursery.*
I stared at the photograph.
The nursery.
My nursery.
The room Daniel and I had prepared in the Ashford mansion.
May you like
The room Celeste had proudly announced she would take over.
And suddenly, I understood why Victor had been so desperate to get me out of that house.
