Chapter 10: The Doctor Who Declared My Mother Dead
"He's Eleanor's husband.""
My mother's words hung in the air.
I looked at her, then at the psychiatric evaluation on Margaret's phone.
The document claimed I had suffered from severe psychological instability for several months. It recommended that I be prevented from making independent financial decisions.
At the bottom was a doctor's signature.
Dr. Victor Whitmore.
Eleanor's husband.
My aunt's husband.
The same man who had supposedly certified my mother's death twenty years earlier.
"Mom, are you telling me that man helped fake your death?""
Claire nodded.
"Victor was the family physician during the final years of my marriage to your father. He had access to our medical records. He knew exactly how to make a disappearance look like a death.""
Dad stood abruptly.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?""
"Because I didn't have enough evidence. And because Victor threatened to make you believe I had been involved in the missing company money.""
Dad looked devastated.
Margaret placed her laptop on the table.
"There's another problem. If Daniel submits this psychiatric evaluation to the trust administrator, he could attempt to have Vivienne declared incapable of managing her inheritance.""
"Can he do that?"" I asked.
"Not legally on the strength of one questionable document. But he can use it to delay the transfer and create uncertainty.""
I touched my belly.
"So they're trying to stop my daughter from inheriting?""
"Exactly," Margaret answered.
Dad picked up his phone.
"Call the police. I want the forged documents investigated.""
Margaret nodded.
"I'll also contact an independent medical examiner to verify whether any legitimate examination was ever conducted.""
Mom suddenly grabbed my hand.
"There's something else.""
I looked at her.
"Victor kept copies of everything. He has a private office above the Whitmore family's townhouse. If he still has those records, we may find proof of the original fraud.""
Dad shook his head.
"You're not going anywhere near that man.""
"Richard, we have to expose him.""
"We'll handle it through the authorities.""
Mom looked at me.
"Your grandfather's original ledger is the key. Without it, they can continue claiming the old agreement was fraudulent.""
I stood.
"Then we find Thomas Reed.""
Margaret checked her phone.
"I've already contacted the care facility. Thomas is alive, but he has been refusing visitors.""
"Tell him Claire Bennett wants to see him.""
Mom nodded.
"He'll understand.""
Before we could leave, my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
"What do you want?""
His voice sounded unusually calm.
"Vivienne, please don't make any decisions until we talk.""
"You presented a fake medical report claiming I'm mentally unfit.""
"That's not what it is.""
"What is it, Daniel?""
"A precautionary assessment.""
"From your mother's husband?""
"He has known you for years.""
"He's never examined me.""
Daniel sighed.
"You're pregnant, exhausted, and under tremendous stress. Everyone is worried about you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone? Or everyone who wants access to my daughter's inheritance?""
He lowered his voice.
"Listen to me. If you cooperate, I can make this disappear.""
"How?""
"Sign the temporary trust authorization. Let me handle the company until after the baby is born.""
I stared at the phone.
There it was.
The real objective.
"You're asking me to sign away control of my daughter's inheritance.""
"I'm asking you to trust your husband.""
I looked at my father.
He was watching me with a mixture of anger and sadness.
"Daniel, you lost the right to ask me for trust when you helped your family frame me for theft.""
"Vivienne, don't be dramatic.""
"And you lost the right to call yourself my protector when you watched your mother tear my dress.""
His voice sharpened.
"You think your father will protect you forever? What happens when he's gone?""
I felt a chill.
"Is that a threat?""
"No. It's reality.""
Then he added something that made me sit down.
"Ask your mother what happened the night she disappeared. Ask her why she left you alone.""
I ended the call.
My mother closed her eyes.
Dad looked at her.
"Claire?""
She nodded slowly.
"He's using the past because he knows the truth will destroy them.""
"What truth?"" I whispered.
Mom reached into her handbag and removed a small photograph.
It showed a little girl sitting beside an elderly man.
I recognized the little girl.
It was me.
And the elderly man was my grandfather.
On the back was a date.
The night before he died.
Mom pointed to the man's hand.
"He gave me something that night. Something I hid before Eleanor and Victor could find it.""
"What?""
"A key.""
She placed a tiny brass key on the table.
Then she whispered:
"The original ownership ledger isn't with Thomas Reed anymore. Your grandfather hid it in the one place Eleanor would never think to search.""
"Where?""
Mom looked directly at me.
"In the nursery of this house.""
Dad stared at her.
"The nursery?""
Mom nodded.
May you like
"Behind the old wooden rocking horse.""
And for the first time in twenty years, my father looked toward the room where his father had once held his granddaughter.
