Chapter 10: The Assistant Who Knew Everything
My father read Vanessa's note three times before setting it on the kitchen table.
“Margaret?”” he whispered.
I had heard that name my entire life. Margaret Wells had worked for Dad since before I was born. She sent me birthday cards, remembered my favorite candy, and once drove across town to bring me a science project I'd accidentally left at her office.
She was practically family.
“Dad, do you think she really had something to do with Mom's trust?””
“I don't know.”” He rubbed his temples.
“But I'm going to find out.””
He called Margaret's office.
Her assistant answered.
“Carter Consulting. How may I help you?””
“This is Michael Carter. Is Margaret available?””
There was a pause.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Carter. Margaret left the office about an hour ago.””
“Where did she go?””
“She said she had a personal appointment.””
Dad looked at the clock.
It was barely noon.
“Did she say when she'd return?””
“No, sir. Actually, she asked me to forward her calls to her personal number for the rest of the day.””
Dad thanked her and ended the call.
Then he dialed Margaret directly.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Michael! I was just about to call you.””
Her voice sounded perfectly normal.
Dad leaned against the counter.
“Where are you?””
“I'm at home. Why?””
“Because I have a few questions about some financial records.””
A pause.
“What kind of records?””
“The ones involving my daughter's trust.””
Silence.
I watched my father's expression change as he listened.
Finally, Margaret spoke.
“Michael, I think you're making a serious mistake by listening to Vanessa.””
“I'm not asking about Vanessa.””
“Then you should speak to your attorney before making any accusations.””
“Margaret, did you access my executive account yesterday?””
“No.””
“Did you provide Richard with copies of Laura's trust documents?””
“Absolutely not.””
Dad closed his eyes.
“Then you won't mind meeting me this afternoon.””
“I have an appointment.””
“Cancel it.””
“Michael, you can't order me around outside the office.””
He straightened.
“No. But I can ask you to explain why your name appears in a note written by my late wife about someone trying to access Emily's inheritance.””
The silence that followed was longer.
Then Margaret whispered, “You found Laura's letter.””
Dad froze.
“How do you know about the letter?””
She didn't answer.
“Margaret?””
“I need to see you in person.””
“Where?””
“Not at your house. Not at the office. Somewhere private.””
Dad glanced at me.
“Why?””
“Because I don't think your phone is secure.””
The call ended.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then Dad looked at his phone as though it had become something dangerous.
“Emily, we're going to my attorney's office.””
“What about Vanessa?””
“The police have been notified that she's left with Noah. Until we understand what's happening, we'll let the authorities help establish where they are and make sure he's safe.””
I nodded, although my thoughts were racing.
“What if Margaret knows who took the second drive?””
“Then we're going to hear the truth.””
An hour later, we sat in a conference room at the law firm of Harrison and Cole. Dad's attorney, Susan Miller, listened while he explained everything that had happened since his unexpected return.
Susan was in her fifties, with short silver hair and a habit of taking notes without interrupting.
When Dad finished, she folded her hands.
“Michael, we need to separate what we know from what we suspect. We have evidence of unauthorized financial transactions, questionable signatures, and an attempted school withdrawal. We also have a missing person whose note makes an allegation about your assistant.””
“Margaret knew my wife,” Dad said.
“She was involved in our finances from the beginning.””
“Then we'll ask her to cooperate. We shouldn't assume she's guilty simply because Vanessa named her.””
Dad nodded.
Susan turned toward me.
“Emily, I understand that you've been through something frightening. I want you to know that your school situation can be addressed separately from the financial investigation.””
“Can I go back to school?””
“Yes. Your father can contact the school administration today. We'll provide documentation that the withdrawal is disputed and request that your enrollment be restored while the matter is reviewed.””
For the first time in weeks, I felt a small spark of hope.
Then Dad's phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared on the screen.
If you want to know what happened to Laura's trust, come alone to the old Carter warehouse at six. Don't bring your lawyer.
Susan immediately leaned forward.
“Don't respond.””
Dad stared at the message.
“Who sent it?””
“We don't know,” Susan replied.
“And the instruction to come alone is a reason to be cautious, not a reason to comply.””
Dad put the phone down.
“Could it be Margaret?””
“Possibly. It could also be someone trying to manipulate you.””
I looked at the message again.
“Dad, what if whoever sent it has the second flash drive?””
Susan's expression became serious.
“Then we preserve the message and arrange any meeting through appropriate channels. Nobody goes anywhere alone.””
Dad agreed.
We spent the next hour making calls. Susan contacted the school's administration, requested preservation of the disputed enrollment records, and began coordinating with the relevant financial institutions.
At 4:37 p.m., the school principal called Dad.
He put the call on speaker.
“Mr. Carter, we've reviewed Emily's attendance record. Her absences were reported as illness by a parent or guardian, but our office never received medical documentation.””
Dad's jaw tightened.
“Was the withdrawal approved?””
“The online system initially marked it as approved, but the final records require verification. We've suspended the transfer pending review.””
I closed my eyes in relief.
“Can I return tomorrow?”” I asked.
“Emily,” the principal replied warmly, “we'd be glad to have you back. Your teachers have been asking about you.””
After the call ended, Dad hugged me.
“You're going back to school, sweetheart.””
I buried my face in his shoulder.
For a few seconds, I allowed myself to imagine an ordinary morning: my uniform, my backpack, Lily waiting at the front gate.
Then Susan's office phone rang.
She listened, her expression growing increasingly troubled.
“Yes,” she said.
“I understand. Please send the information through the secure channel.””
When she hung up, Dad stood.
“What happened?””
“The company has confirmed that Margaret's credentials were used to access the trust correspondence.””
Dad's face fell.
“Does that mean she did it?””
“Not necessarily. Someone could have used her credentials without permission.””
Susan turned her monitor toward us.
“There is one more detail. The access occurred on a day when Margaret was recorded as being away from the office.””
Dad looked at the timestamp.
Then he went completely still.
The access had happened on the anniversary of my mother's death.
The same day Richard had claimed Dad was planning to sell his company.
The same day Vanessa had submitted the first request to remove me from school.
I stared at the screen.
Three people. One date. One inheritance.
And somewhere between them was a secret my mother had tried to protect me from.
Dad's phone rang again.
This time, Margaret's name appeared.
He answered immediately.
“Margaret, tell me the truth.””
Her voice was shaking.
“Michael, I didn't steal your daughter's money.””
“Then why did you access the files?””
“Because Laura asked me to protect Emily.””
Dad's expression changed.
“What did you just say?””
Margaret began to cry.
“Your wife discovered something before she died. Something about the trust that would have changed everything.””
“What did she discover?””
Margaret took a trembling breath.
“She found out that the person who originally tried to gain control of Emily's inheritance wasn't Richard.””
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A pause.
“It was someone in your own family.””
