Chapter 10: The Attorney Who Sold Our Family Out
"Richard Hayes?""
Dad repeated the name as if saying it aloud might somehow make it less real.
The investigator held up the wallet.
"Do either of you recognize this man?""
Dad nodded slowly.
"He's been our family attorney for almost fifteen years.""
I looked at the photograph again.
Richard had been sitting beside us for days. He had reviewed my mother's documents, explained the trust, and promised to protect my inheritance.
He had even told me that none of this was my fault.
And now his wallet had been found outside the cabin.
"Where is he?"" Dad demanded.
The investigator reached for her radio.
"We're checking his office and residence.""
Dad took out his phone.
"Call him.""
"Sir, I don't recommend—"
"I want to hear what he has to say.""
He dialed.
The call connected after two rings.
"Michael," Richard answered.
"Have you found the ledger?""
Dad looked at the investigator.
"Why are you asking?""
A brief silence followed.
Richard cleared his throat.
"Because it's important evidence, and I need to know whether you've secured it.""
Dad's voice became cold.
"Your wallet is outside the cabin.""
Nothing.
Then Richard said, "That's impossible.""
"Is it?""
"Michael, listen carefully. Rebecca is manipulating you. You need to bring that ledger to my office immediately.""
Dad tightened his grip on the phone.
"Why?""
"Because I am the only person who understands the legal arrangements.""
Dad looked at me.
"Tell me something, Richard. Did you sign the original transfer?""
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then Richard sighed.
"I did what I had to do.""
Dad's face hardened.
"You stole from my daughter?""
"I protected the family.""
"By forging my signature?""
"You don't understand the situation.""
"Then explain it.""
Richard lowered his voice.
"Rebecca had evidence against you, Michael. Evidence that could have destroyed your company and taken Emily away from you.""
Dad went completely still.
"What evidence?""
"Ask yourself why Laura never told you the truth about Daniel.""
I felt my stomach twist.
Richard continued.
"Your wife was hiding things long before she died. I helped her because I believed it was necessary. But after her death, Rebecca wanted everything settled.""
Dad stared at the phone.
"Settled how?""
"Emily was supposed to inherit the assets. The trust was supposed to remain untouched until she turned eighteen. Vanessa was supposed to manage the household, and you were supposed to keep working. Nobody needed to know about the other accounts.""
"Except you started moving the money.""
"I was entitled to compensation.""
Dad laughed bitterly.
"Three hundred thousand dollars?""
"Michael, don't pretend you haven't benefited from Daniel's estate.""
The investigator gestured for Dad to end the call.
Instead, he asked one final question.
"Did you arrange for someone to frighten Emily at the cabin?""
Richard didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Dad disconnected.
Within minutes, the investigators had contacted additional officers. They secured the ledger and began documenting the scene.
Thomas Reed stood near the porch, looking sick.
"I told Laura Richard couldn't be trusted.""
Dad turned toward him.
"You knew?""
"Not everything. But I knew he had been meeting Rebecca behind Daniel's back.""
I looked down at my mother's letter.
There was one sentence I couldn't stop thinking about.
Someone you trusted.
"Was Richard the person Mom meant?"" I asked.
Thomas shook his head.
"No. Your mother knew Richard was involved, but she was afraid of someone else.""
"Who?""
Thomas hesitated.
"She believed the person closest to your father was feeding Rebecca information.""
Dad frowned.
"Vanessa?""
Thomas nodded.
"She wasn't the only one.""
Before anyone could ask another question, an investigator approached.
"Mr. Carter, we found something in the vehicle that left the property.""
She showed us a photograph of a black SUV.
Dad recognized it immediately.
"That's Brittany's car.""
My heart sank.
"Why would Brittany be here?""
The investigator looked toward the road.
"We're checking that now.""
Dad called Brittany.
She didn't answer.
He tried again.
Voicemail.
Then a message arrived.
*I'm sorry, Dad. Mom said we had to get the book before Emily found out everything.*
Dad read it twice.
"She knew about the ledger.""
I looked at the cabin.
"Does that mean she was working with Vanessa and Rebecca?""
Thomas shook his head.
"Not necessarily. Brittany may have been following instructions without understanding the whole arrangement.""
Dad looked at me.
"Either way, she needs to answer for what she's done.""
The investigator's radio crackled.
A second officer had located Brittany's vehicle outside a shopping center.
But Brittany wasn't alone.
She was sitting in the passenger seat of a black sedan.
And the driver was Richard Hayes.
Dad immediately moved toward the investigators.
"That's him.""
The officer raised a hand.
"Mr. Carter, stay here.""
We watched as the officers approached the sedan.
Richard stepped out first.
He held his hands up, but his expression remained strangely calm.
Brittany climbed out after him.
She was crying.
Then Richard said something that made the officers immediately separate them.
"Before you arrest me, you should know that Brittany has the original documents.""
Dad looked at me.
"What documents?""
Brittany began shaking her head.
Richard smiled faintly.
"The documents proving that Emily was never supposed to receive the money.""
And as the officers took him away, Brittany reached into her purse and pulled out a sealed envelope.
It had my mother's handwriting on it.
May you like
But this time, the name written across the front wasn't mine.
It was Vanessa's.
