Chapter 6: The Letter
I stared at my father.
He looked like someone had pulled the floor out from under him.
“Dad?””
He didn't respond.
I put Daniel on speaker.
“Say the name again.””
Daniel hesitated.
“Michael, are you sure you want her to hear this?””
Dad covered his face.
“Tell her.””
Daniel's voice came through the phone.
“Your grandfather believed Karen knew more about your mother's death than she admitted.””
My eyes moved slowly toward my stepmother.
Karen was crying.
Not pretending.
Not performing.
Actually crying.
I whispered,
“What did you do?””
She shook her head.
“I didn't kill your mother.””
“I didn't ask if you killed her.””
Her face crumpled.
“What did you know?””
Dad finally stood.
“Karen.””
She looked at him.
“Michael…”
“You told me you didn't know anything.””
“I didn't know everything.””
“You told me she lost control of the car.””
“She did.””
“You told me the police said it was an accident.””
“They did.””
I looked at Daniel.
“What does Grandpa's letter say?””
Daniel answered carefully.
“He wrote that your mother had been investigating financial irregularities involving the family business.””
“What kind of irregularities?””
“Missing funds.””
My heart pounded.
“From the trust?””
“No. From your grandfather's company.””
I looked at Dad.
“Was Mom investigating you?””
“No.””
“Karen?””
Dad's face tightened.
“Not exactly.””
I turned toward him.
“What does that mean?””
Dad sat down again.
“Your mother believed someone was stealing from my father's company.””
“Who?””
“She didn't know.””
Karen whispered,
“She was getting close.””
I looked at her.
“How?””
Karen wiped her face.
“She found bank records.””
“Whose?””
“Robert's.””
Daniel said, “That name is in your grandfather's letter.””
I closed my eyes.
Suddenly, everything felt connected.
Robert.
The trust.
The forged documents.
The missing money.
My mother's death.
The car.
But I still couldn't see the whole picture.
I asked Daniel,
“Why would Robert care about my trust?””
“Because your grandfather's assets became inaccessible to him after your mother died.””
I looked confused.
“What does my mom have to do with my inheritance?””
“Your mother was named as your guardian and beneficiary representative.””
Daniel continued.
“After her death, your father became the person responsible for administering your interests.””
I looked at Dad.
“And Karen?””
“She married your father later.””
“So she gained access.””
“Eventually.””
Karen whispered,
“I never wanted the money.””
I laughed.
“Then why did you take it?””
“Because Robert threatened Madison.””
Madison looked up.
“What?””
Karen covered her face.
“I'm sorry.””
Madison stepped backward.
“Mom?””
“He knew about the loan.””
“What loan?””
Karen didn't answer.
Madison looked at me.
“What is she talking about?””
Karen finally said,
“I borrowed money from Robert before the SUV.””
“How much?””
“Twenty thousand.””
“For what?””
Karen looked at Dad.
“Your father's medical bills.””
Dad frowned.
“My medical bills were covered.””
“I know.””
“Then what did you spend it on?””
She started shaking.
“Investments.””
Dad stared at her.
“You invested with Robert?””
“He promised he'd double it.””
Daniel interrupted.
“He was running a fraudulent investment scheme.””
Karen nodded.
“I lost everything.””
“So you borrowed more?””
“Yes.””
“How much?””
“Forty thousand.””
“And then?””
“Another thirty.””
I stared at her.
“You were seventy thousand in debt to him.””
She nodded.
“And he demanded repayment.””
“With what?””
“Anything I could get.””
I thought about the car.
“And you gave him my car.””
“I gave the dealership the money.””
“For Robert?””
Karen nodded.
I couldn't believe it.
“You stole from me because you made a bad investment.””
“I was trying to fix it.””
“You didn't fix anything.””
“I thought if I paid him, he'd leave us alone.””
“Us?””
She looked at Madison.
“He threatened to expose her.””
Madison looked terrified.
“What does he have on me?””
Karen said nothing.
Madison grabbed her arm.
“Mom, what does he have?””
Karen whispered,
“The account.””
“What account?””
“The one you used.””
Madison's face went white.
I looked at her.
“What account?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Karen answered for her.
“The account your grandfather set up for Emily.””
I froze.
“What?””
Madison stepped back.
“I didn't know.””
“You said you didn't know where the money came from.””
“I didn't!””
Karen started crying.
“I moved the money through Madison's account because Robert said it would look like a legitimate family transfer.””
I felt dizzy.
“So the money was never really for Madison.””
“No.””
“She was a cover.””
Karen nodded.
I looked at my father.
“And you?””
Dad stared at the floor.
“I signed some transfers.””
“Why?””
“Karen told me they were repairs.””
“You didn't check?””
“I trusted her.””
I shook my head.
“You keep saying that.””
Dad looked up.
“I know.””
His voice broke.
“I failed you.””
The words hung in the room.
I wanted to yell.
I wanted to forgive him.
I wanted my mother.
Instead, I said,
“You failed Mom too.””
He closed his eyes.
Daniel suddenly spoke.
“Emily, there's one thing we haven't discussed.””
“What?””
“The letter.””
“What about it?””
“Your grandfather didn't just accuse Robert.””
My heartbeat quickened.
“Who else?””
“He named someone inside the family.””
Karen stopped crying.
Dad looked up.
Daniel continued.
“He wrote that if anything happened to your mother, he believed the person closest to the family would be responsible for helping Robert conceal what happened.””
I looked at Karen.
Then Dad.
“Who?””
Daniel said,
“Michael.””
The room went silent.
I stared at my father.
“No.””
He didn't move.
“Dad?””
He looked at me.
“I didn't kill your mother.””
“I didn't say you did.””
“But that's what you're thinking.””
“I don't know what to think.””
Daniel's voice softened.
“Emily, your grandfather's letter was written before your mother's death. It says Michael was being pressured by Robert.””
“Why?””
“Because Robert had evidence of financial misconduct.””
My father's face went pale.
I whispered,
“What kind of misconduct?””
Daniel answered,
“Your father's signature appeared on several transfers.””
Dad stood suddenly.
“That wasn't me.””
I looked at him.
“Then who signed?””
He stared at me.
“I don't know.””
Daniel said,
“That is precisely the problem.””
Dad's breathing became heavier.
Then Karen spoke.
“I know.””
Everyone turned toward her.
She looked at me.
“I know who signed those documents.””
My heart began pounding.
“Who?””
Karen swallowed.
“I didn't understand what Robert was doing at first.””
“Who?””
She looked at Dad.
Then at me.
“It was someone who had access to your father's office.””
Dad's face changed.
“Karen…”
She whispered,
“Your mother.””
I froze.
“My mother?””
“She discovered the signatures.””
“What?””
“She found documents with your father's name on them that he never signed.””
I stared at her.
“Then why didn't she go to the police?””
“Because Robert threatened her.””
“With what?””
Karen looked down.
“He told her if she went to the police, he'd make sure you disappeared.””
My breath caught.
“Me?””
“You were twelve.””
I could barely speak.
“What happened next?””
Karen closed her eyes.
“Your mother confronted him.””
“And?””
“He followed her.””
Dad whispered,
“No.””
Karen nodded.
“That night, your mother called me.””
I stared at her.
“You talked to my mother that night?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
“She told me she was afraid.””
“Why didn't you tell Dad?””
“I tried.””
Dad looked at her.
“You never told me.””
“I was scared.””
“What did Mom say?””
Karen looked directly at me.
“She said if anything happened to her, I had to protect you.””
Tears filled her eyes.
“And I promised.””
I felt a strange, hollow ache in my chest.
“You promised my mother.””
“Yes.””
“And then you spent years treating me like I was a burden.””
Karen couldn't answer.
I looked at Dad.
“Where is the original police report?””
He shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Daniel said,
“I might.””
I looked at the phone.
“Where?””
“I found a reference to it in your grandfather's file.””
“What does it say?””
“It says your mother's car was inspected twice.””
“Twice?””
“Yes.””
“The second inspection was requested by someone in the family.””
“Who?””
Daniel paused.
Then said,
“Karen.””
Karen's eyes closed.
I stepped toward her.
“Why?””
She whispered,
“Because I found something in your mother's car.””
“What?””
She looked at me.
“A second set of keys.””
My heart stopped.
“To what?””
Karen's voice trembled.
“Your grandfather's private office.””
Dad stared at her.
“That office was locked.””
“I know.””
“Who had the keys?””
Karen looked at me.
“Your mother.””
Then she reached into her purse.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled out a small envelope.
She placed it on the table.
“I kept this for fourteen years.””
I stared at the envelope.
My name was written across the front.
In handwriting I knew immediately.
My mother's handwriting.
*Emily.*
I couldn't breathe.
Karen whispered,
“She told me to give this to you when you were old enough to understand.””
I reached for it.
But before my fingers touched the envelope, someone knocked hard on the front door.
Three times.
Dad froze.
Karen went white.
Madison whispered,
“It's him.””
I looked toward the door.
“Robert?””
Nobody answered.
Then a man's voice came from the other side.
“Michael.””
A pause.
“Open the door.””
Dad looked at me.
May you like
And for the first time that night, I saw genuine terror in his eyes.
“Emily,” he whispered, “do not open that door.””
