Chapter 13: The Person Robert Feared Most
I stared at the photograph in the officer's hand.
Robert and I were standing beneath the oak tree in our backyard, celebrating our thirtieth wedding anniversary. His arm was wrapped around my waist, and I was laughing at something he had whispered into my ear.
It was one of my favorite photographs.
But the words on the back made my stomach tighten.
*The person closest to Evelyn.*
I looked at Marcus.
“Who could your father have been talking about?””
He shook his head.
“I don't know.””
Richard took the photograph from the officer and examined it.
“Was this recovered inside the notebook?””
“Yes,” the officer answered.
“There was also a handwritten note tucked into the back cover.””
He handed Richard a folded piece of paper.
Richard opened it.
His expression changed.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He read aloud.
If Gregory is exposed, look at the person who helped him gain access to the house. The person who knew where I kept the original will. The person who convinced Evelyn to trust them.
My throat tightened.
I thought about everyone who had entered my house during Robert's final months.
Marcus.
Diane.
Vanessa.
Patricia.
And then I remembered something.
The winter after Robert died, Diane had offered to help me organize his belongings.
She had spent three afternoons in his study.
She had sorted his papers, emptied drawers, and helped me pack his clothes.
At the time, I had been grateful.
I had cried so much that I could barely read the labels on the boxes.
Diane had told me not to worry.
She would take care of everything.
I looked at Richard.
“Diane.””
He nodded slowly.
“It's possible.””
Marcus shook his head.
“Mom, Diane was helping you after Dad died. She was practically living here.””
“Exactly.””
Richard examined the photograph again.
“We need to establish whether she had access to the original will and whether she communicated with Gregory.””
The officer nodded.
“We've already requested her financial records. There's something else you should know.””
He opened his folder.
“Vanessa agreed to give a statement.””
Marcus stiffened.
“What did she say?””
“She claims Diane arranged the original meeting between Gregory and Ethan Cole. She also says Diane introduced her to the person who prepared the fraudulent property documents.””
I felt sick.
“Why would Diane do that?””
The officer looked at me.
“Money, apparently.””
He showed us a bank statement.
A payment of $250,000 had been transferred into an account controlled by Diane Collins.
The transfer had been made eleven years earlier.
Three weeks after Robert's death.
I stared at the amount.
“Where did that money come from?””
Richard examined the transaction code.
“An account connected to the family trust.””
Marcus sank into a chair.
“So Diane took the money before Vanessa even married me?””
The officer nodded.
“According to the records, yes.””
I remembered the Christmas dinners.
The birthdays.
The family vacations.
Diane had sat at my table for years, smiling and accepting my hospitality.
All that time, she may have been helping someone steal from my husband's estate.
At four that afternoon, we entered the police station.
Vanessa was waiting in an interview room.
She looked exhausted. Her emerald-green confidence was gone. Her hair was tied back carelessly, and her makeup had smudged beneath her eyes.
When Marcus entered, she stood.
“Marcus.””
He remained near the door.
“Where is Lily's money?””
Vanessa looked at the table.
“I didn't take all of it.””
Marcus laughed bitterly.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I was trying to recover what belonged to my mother.””
“By framing my mother for theft?””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“I didn't think it would go that far.””
I pulled out a chair.
“You placed that bracelet in my purse.””
She looked at me.
“I know.””
“You accused me in front of my grandchildren.””
“I know.””
“You threatened Lily.””
Vanessa lowered her head.
“I never intended to hurt her.””
Marcus slammed his palm against the table.
“You put our daughter in a car with a man who threatened my mother!””
Vanessa flinched.
“I thought Ethan was helping me.””
“What did you think he was helping you do?””
She was silent.
Then she reached into the pocket of her jacket and removed a small photograph.
It showed a much younger Diane standing beside Gregory.
They were outside a bank.
On the back, Vanessa had written a date.
The date was eleven days after Robert died.
“Diane told me everything,” Vanessa said quietly.
“Everything about what?”” I asked.
“My mother. The trust. The money.””
She looked at Marcus.
“When I was a child, my mother told me that her family had abandoned her. She said Robert knew the truth and promised to help us.””
I frowned.
“Your mother was Elizabeth?””
Vanessa nodded.
“She died when I was eleven. Diane raised me. She told me that my grandfather's family had stolen the money that was supposed to belong to my mother.””
Richard leaned forward.
“Did Diane tell you that Robert had left a separate trust for you?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did you attempt to transfer Evelyn's house?””
Vanessa began crying.
“Because Diane said Robert had moved the property into the trust before he died. She showed me documents. She told me Evelyn was only allowed to live there until the estate was settled.””
“That was false,” Richard said.
Vanessa nodded.
“I know that now.””
Marcus stared at her.
“Why did you believe her?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because I wanted to believe her.””
That answer seemed to hurt him more than anything else.
She continued.
“Diane told me that if I recovered the property, the money would finally be returned to my family. She said Gregory had agreed to give me half.””
Richard placed the financial records on the table.
“Gregory and Diane had already received hundreds of thousands of dollars.””
Vanessa looked away.
“I didn't know.””
“Then why did Ethan receive eighteen thousand five hundred dollars from you?””
Her face went pale.
“Because he was helping me locate the original will.””
Richard leaned forward.
“Did you find it?””
Vanessa hesitated.
Then she nodded.
“Diane has it.””
My heart stopped.
“Where?””
Vanessa looked directly at me.
“Inside her house. In the locked cabinet in her bedroom.””
Marcus stood.
“Why didn't you tell the police this earlier?””
“Because Diane threatened to expose something about me.””
“What?””
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“She said if I betrayed her, she'd tell Marcus who his real father is.””
The room went completely silent.
Marcus stared at her.
“What did you just say?””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I looked at Richard.
He had gone pale.
“Vanessa,” I whispered, “what does Diane know?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know if it's true. But she showed me a document.””
Marcus gripped the edge of the table.
“What document?””
“A DNA report.””
He stepped backward.
“No.””
Vanessa began crying harder.
“She said Robert wasn't your biological father.””
I felt the floor disappear beneath me.
Marcus looked at me.
“Mom?””
I couldn't speak.
For twelve years, Robert had been the man I mourned as my husband.
For thirty-nine years, Marcus had been his son.
And now a woman who had already lied about everything was suggesting that our entire family history was another deception.
Richard stood.
“This interview is over until we can verify the allegation.””
But Vanessa caught his sleeve.
“Wait.””
She looked at me.
“There's one more thing.””
“What?””
“Diane didn't just help Gregory steal the trust money.””
May you like
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“She was the last person alone with Robert before he died.””
