Chapter 5: The Missing Million
Dad reached Linda before she made it three steps.
"Stop!""
She twisted away from him.
"Don't touch me!""
"Then don't run.""
"I'm not running.""
Daniel closed the back door and stood in front of it.
Linda glared at him.
"You think you can trap me here?""
"No," Daniel said.
"But I think leaving right after hearing about missing money would look interesting to anyone investigating this.""
Linda stopped.
Dad released her.
"Sit down.""
"I don't take orders from you.""
"Then stand. I don't care anymore.""
Something in Dad's voice silenced her.
I looked at Daniel.
"One million dollars?""
He nodded.
"Possibly more.""
"From where?""
"Your mother's estate.""
I laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
Because the number was impossible.
"My mother was a teacher.""
"Yes.""
"She drove a twelve-year-old Honda.""
"I know.""
"She clipped coupons.""
"I know.""
"So where would she get a million dollars?""
Andrew answered.
"Her parents.""
I turned toward him.
"My grandparents?""
"They owned land outside Portland.""
"I knew that.""
"What you may not know is that most of it was sold to a development company shortly before your grandfather died.""
My childhood memories flashed through my mind.
Apple trees.
An old red barn.
Grandpa letting me ride on his shoulders.
I'd been nine when he died.
"How much?""
Andrew looked at Daniel.
Daniel answered.
"The sale was worth several million.""
I sat down.
My knees wouldn't hold me anymore.
"And Mom inherited it?""
"A portion," Andrew said.
"She invested conservatively. Her estate records indicate that after taxes, debts, charitable gifts, and your father's share, a trust worth roughly nine hundred thousand dollars was created for you.""
I couldn't speak.
Dad stared at the floor.
"I didn't know.""
Linda gave a bitter laugh.
"Convenient.""
Dad spun toward her.
"Don't.""
"What? You're pretending Susan hid nearly a million dollars from you?""
Andrew interrupted.
"She didn't.""
He held up the letter Dad had just received.
"The trust was disclosed.""
Dad looked down at it.
His voice cracked.
"I never got this.""
"That's possible.""
Linda rolled her eyes.
"Of course it is.""
Andrew looked directly at her.
"We also have a certified delivery record.""
Linda's face changed.
"The letter was delivered to this address eleven months after Susan's death.""
Dad frowned.
"Who signed for it?""
Andrew slowly turned the page.
The signature wasn't Dad's.
It was Linda's.
Dad stared at her.
"You weren't even living here then.""
Silence.
My skin prickled.
That was true.
Officially, Dad and Linda didn't start dating until almost a year and a half after Mom died.
At least, that's what I'd always been told.
"Why were you signing for mail at our house?"" I asked.
Linda folded her arms.
"I helped Robert occasionally.""
Dad looked confused.
"You what?""
"You were grieving.""
"I barely knew you.""
"You knew me.""
"From where?""
Linda said nothing.
Dad stepped closer.
"Linda. From where?""
Her eyes darted toward Madison.
Madison looked terrified.
"Mom...""
"Don't.""
Daniel moved beside me.
His hand touched mine.
Usually that would have calmed me.
Tonight, it reminded me of the photograph.
I looked at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
His face fell.
"Emily—"
"You knew about the trust.""
"Not at first.""
"How long?""
"Six weeks.""
"Six weeks?""
"I was trying to verify it.""
"You should've told me.""
"You're right.""
The immediate answer disarmed me.
No excuses.
No defensiveness.
Daniel continued.
"I found the first clue when we submitted preliminary financial documents for the house we were considering buying.""
I remembered.
Two months ago we'd looked at a small colonial house outside the city.
We hadn't even made an offer.
"The mortgage adviser found something attached to my name?""
"An old tax identification record connected to a trust.""
"And you investigated without telling me.""
"I thought it might be an error.""
"You still should have told me.""
"I know.""
Madison suddenly said, "That's why Mom panicked.""
Everyone turned.
She was staring at Daniel.
"She heard you talking.""
Daniel frowned.
"Where?""
"At Emily's birthday dinner.""
I remembered that night.
Daniel had stepped onto the back patio to take a phone call.
Linda had disappeared for ten minutes.
"You listened to him?""
Madison shook her head.
"Mom did.""
Linda laughed.
"This is becoming absurd.""
Madison's fear hardened into anger.
"You came upstairs afterward and told me Daniel was trying to steal Emily's inheritance.""
I looked at Linda.
"You told her that?""
"He was investigating private family finances!""
"Because you stole them!""
"You don't know that.""
Daniel opened the folder.
"Actually, we know quite a bit.""
He spread several statements across the kitchen table.
"These transfers originated from accounts connected to Emily's trust.""
Andrew leaned closer.
Dad stood beside him.
Daniel pointed.
"Fifty thousand.""
Another statement.
"Seventy-five thousand.""
Another.
"One hundred and twenty thousand.""
I followed the dates.
Some were years old.
Then I saw one from eighteen months ago.
$68,000.
Recipient: M. CARTER.
I looked at Madison.
Her face went blank.
"What is that?""
"I don't know.""
"Your initial. Your last name.""
"I swear I don't know.""
Linda immediately said, "It was for her education.""
Madison turned toward her.
"What?""
Linda realized her mistake.
I stood.
"Education?""
Madison stared at her mother.
"You said my tuition came from Grandma.""
Linda didn't answer.
"Mom.""
"You needed college money.""
"My grandmother left me money.""
"Not enough.""
Madison's voice rose.
"So you used Emily's?""
"It was family money.""
"No," I said.
"It was mine.""
Linda turned on me.
"You would have wasted it!""
My mouth fell open.
There it was.
Not denial.
Justification.
Dad stared at her in horror.
"You took my daughter's inheritance.""
"I kept this family alive!""
"With her money?""
"I paid bills! I paid taxes! I paid for vacations you all enjoyed!""
My stomach twisted.
"Vacations?""
"Yes, Emily. That trip to London? The lake house every summer?
Madison's car? Where did you think money came from?""
Dad's face became gray.
"You told me those came from your investments.""
"They did.""
"In Emily.""
Linda realized what she'd said.
Nobody moved.
Then Madison stood.
"How much of my life did she pay for?""
"Sit down.""
"No.""
"Madison—"
"No!""
She swept the statements off the table.
Papers scattered across the floor.
"You made me hate her!""
Her voice broke.
"You told me Emily got everything because Dad loved her more. You told me I had to fight for my share.""
Linda grabbed her arm.
"I gave you everything.""
Madison ripped free.
"With her money!""
Dad stepped between them.
"Enough.""
Then Daniel bent down.
He picked up one of the fallen statements.
His expression changed.
"Andrew.""
Andrew looked over.
"What?""
Daniel pointed at a transaction.
"I missed this.""
Andrew took the paper.
His face tightened.
"What is it?"" I asked.
Neither answered.
"Daniel.""
He looked at me.
"This transfer happened eight years ago.""
"So?""
"It didn't go to Linda.""
He handed me the statement.
The recipient's name made my stomach drop.
ROBERT CARTER.
My father.
I slowly lifted my eyes.
"Dad?""
He stared at the page.
"I've never seen that account.""
Linda smiled.
For the first time since Andrew arrived, she looked confident.
"Really, Robert?""
Dad turned toward her.
"What did you do?""
She leaned against the counter.
"You wanted the truth.""
May you like
Her smile widened.
"Maybe you should ask your father why he received two hundred thousand dollars from your trust.""
