Chapter 5: The Woman Who Knew My Mother's Last Secret
I locked the garage door before calling Margaret Ellis.
My hands were shaking so badly that I entered the number incorrectly twice. On the third attempt, the phone rang.
A woman answered after four rings.
“Ellis Law Office. This is Margaret.””
“My name is Emily Hayes. My mother was Eleanor Hayes.””
There was a pause.
Then I heard a chair scrape against the floor.
“Emily?””
“Yes.””
“Oh, sweetheart.””
Her voice cracked on the last word.
I pressed the phone closer to my ear.
“You know who I am?””
“Of course I know who you are. I've been trying to reach you for years.””
My knees weakened.
“Why didn't you?””
Silence.
Then she said, “Because every letter I sent came back, and every phone number I had for your father stopped working. Eventually, I was told you had moved away.””
“I live in the same house.””
Margaret exhaled sharply.
“Then someone has been lying to me.””
I looked toward the garage entrance.
“Did my mother leave me a trust?””
“Yes. A substantial one.””
“Was it worth six hundred and eighty thousand dollars?””
“That figure sounds consistent with the last valuation I received. The assets included investments and property interests. But I need to examine the complete records before I can tell you what remains.””
“What remains?””
“Emily, the trust was supposed to be preserved for your benefit. I received indications that funds had been moved without the proper authorization. Your mother became concerned shortly before she died.””
I closed my eyes.
“Did my father take the money?””
“I cannot accuse anyone without reviewing the evidence. But Eleanor believed someone was attempting to gain control of her assets.””
“Was it Vanessa?””
Margaret didn't answer immediately.
“Your mother asked me to investigate a woman who had recently become involved in your father's life. I was never able to establish the full extent of that woman's involvement.””
My stomach twisted.
“Vanessa married him.””
“I know.””
“She threw away my mother's photograph tonight. She slapped me and demanded two thousand dollars to stay in the house. Then she tried to take the envelope.””
Margaret's voice sharpened.
“Did you sign anything?””
“No.””
“Good. Don't sign anything until you've received independent legal advice. Don't hand over the original documents, either. Keep them somewhere safe.””
I glanced at the envelope beneath my sweater.
“There's a man named Daniel Price. Someone told me he has records.””
Margaret went completely silent.
“Emily, who gave you that name?””
“I don't know. An unknown number has been messaging me.””
“Did you receive photographs?””
“Yes.””
“Send them to me, but don't delete the original messages. And please, don't meet this person alone.””
I remembered the dark sedan outside the garage.
“I think someone is watching my house.””
“Then go somewhere safe. Is there a trusted friend or relative who can take you in tonight?””
“My father is inside.””
“Is he someone you feel safe with?””
I looked toward the house.
I wanted to say yes.
Instead, I whispered, “I don't know.””
Margaret's voice softened.
“Then trust that feeling for now. I'm going to review my old files tonight. Can you come to my office tomorrow morning?””
“Yes.””
“Bring the envelope. Bring every document you have. And Emily?””
“Yes?””
“Your mother left instructions that I should tell you something if you ever contacted me directly.””
I stopped breathing.
“What?””
“She believed the trust was only one part of what had been hidden from you.””
I gripped the edge of the workbench.
“What was the other part?””
“I can't tell you until I examine the documents. But Eleanor was very specific. She wanted you to know that the house you grew up in was connected to the trust.””
I stared at the concrete floor.
“The house?””
“Yes. The title records may be important. Your mother had concerns about who would control the property if something happened to her.””
My mind raced.
Mom had chosen the curtains, planted the roses, and measured the height marks on the kitchen doorframe. She had always called it our home.
Dad had told me that after her death, the house belonged to him.
I'd never questioned it.
“Did she own the house?”” I asked.
“I need to verify the deed before answering that.””
The call ended with Margaret promising to contact me in the morning.
I stayed in the garage for another minute, trying to absorb everything I'd heard.
Then I returned to the house.
Dad sat alone at the kitchen table. Two untouched cups of coffee stood in front of him.
“Who were you talking to?”” he asked.
“Margaret Ellis.””
He closed his eyes.
“What did she say?””
“That Mom left me a trust. And that the house may be connected to it.””
He stared at me.
“Your mother wanted you to have security,” he said.
“I promised her I'd take care of you.””
“Then why did you tell me she left nothing?””
His eyes filled with tears.
“Because I thought I could fix it before you ever needed to know.””
“Fix what?””
He pushed one of the coffee cups away.
“I made mistakes, Emily.””
“What kind of mistakes?””
“The kind I thought I could undo.””
I waited.
Finally, he looked at me.
“When your mother died, I was struggling financially. My business was failing. I had loans I couldn't repay, and the bank was threatening to take everything.””
“Did you use my inheritance?””
He nodded.
The admission landed harder than Vanessa's slap.
“How much?””
“I don't know the exact amount anymore.””
“You don't know?””
“I borrowed against some assets. I moved money between accounts. I intended to replace everything.””
“And did you?””
He looked down.
“No.””
I stepped away from the table.
“Did you tell Vanessa?””
Dad's silence answered me.
A key turned in the front door.
Vanessa walked into the kitchen carrying a white envelope.
She looked at my father, then at me.
“I've decided to give you another chance,” she announced.
She placed the envelope on the table.
“Two thousand dollars by Friday. After that, you can stay.””
I stared at her.
“Why would I pay you to live in a house that might belong to my mother's estate?””
Her face changed.
Dad stood abruptly.
“Vanessa, don't.””
But she had already opened the envelope.
Inside was a document with my name at the top and a signature line at the bottom.
“It's a simple agreement,” she said.
“You acknowledge the household expenses, agree to pay rent, and confirm that you have no claim against the property.””
I didn't touch it.
“Why does it say I have no claim against the property?””
“Because you don't.””
“Then why do you need me to sign it?””
Vanessa's fingers tightened around the paper.
“Because your father wants peace in this house.””
I looked at Dad.
He couldn't meet my eyes.
I picked up my phone and photographed every page.
Vanessa snatched the document back.
“You have no right to do that!””
“Then you shouldn't have shown it to me.””
I turned toward the staircase.
Behind me, Vanessa said something in a voice so low I almost missed it.
“If she talks to Margaret, we're finished.””
Dad answered, “You told me Margaret was out of the picture.””
“She was supposed to be.””
I stopped on the stairs.
They hadn't noticed me listening.
May you like
And for the first time, I understood that my mother's attorney wasn't merely an old name in an envelope.
She was someone Vanessa had spent years trying to keep away from me.
