Chapter 6: The Man Who Knew My Husband's Secret
Richard's office suddenly felt too small.
Diane's words kept repeating in my mind.
Your father-in-law's estate is involved, too.
I had known Diane for nearly fifteen years. She had always been difficult, but I never imagined she could be involved in anything concerning Robert's estate.
Marcus paced beside the desk.
“I'm calling her back.””
Richard shook his head.
“Don't. Let me investigate the estate records first.””
“But she knows something.””
“And she just gave us a reason to believe this goes beyond Vanessa.””
I looked at Richard.
“What exactly are you suggesting?””
He returned to his desk and opened the original estate file.
“Your husband had a business arrangement with a man named Gregory Bennett.””
I frowned.
“Robert never had a business partner named Gregory.””
Richard looked at me carefully.
“Gregory was his older brother.””
I felt a strange pressure in my chest.
Robert had never spoken much about his brother. I knew they had argued when they were young, and that Gregory had moved away years before Robert and I married.
But I had never heard his name connected to our property.
“What does his brother have to do with this?””
Richard removed another folder.
“Robert and Gregory inherited several assets from their father. One of those assets was a small investment property in Connecticut. It was sold before Robert died, but the proceeds were never fully distributed.””
Marcus stopped pacing.
“How much money?””
Richard turned a page.
“Approximately $1.8 million, including investment returns.””
I stared at him.
“Are you telling me Robert had nearly two million dollars that I didn't know about?””
“Not exactly. The money was held in a family trust. Robert was the managing trustee.””
“Where is it now?””
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he placed a document in front of me.
It listed several beneficiaries.
Robert Bennett.
Gregory Bennett.
And one additional name.
Diane Collins.
I blinked.
“Diane?””
Richard nodded.
“Robert and Gregory's father had remarried late in life. Diane was the daughter of his second wife.””
Marcus looked confused.
“Wait. Diane isn't related to my father?””
“Not by blood,” Richard explained.
“But she was included in the original trust as a beneficiary.””
I leaned back.
For years, I had believed Diane was simply Vanessa's mother.
I had never known she had a connection to Robert's family.
“Why did Robert never tell me?””
Richard turned to another page.
“Because he suspected the trust was being mismanaged.””
He showed me a letter dated four months before Robert died.
The letter was addressed to Gregory.
I have reviewed the latest distributions. The figures do not match our agreements. I will not approve another transfer until every beneficiary receives a full accounting.
I recognized Robert's handwriting.
He had written those words with the same blue fountain pen he used for our Christmas cards.
“What happened after that?””
Richard sighed.
“Robert planned to confront Gregory. But his health deteriorated before they could meet.””
Marcus looked at the letter.
“Did Uncle Gregory take the money?””
“We don't know. But there were several unexplained withdrawals.””
I felt sick.
“And Vanessa?””
Richard looked toward the flash drive.
“It's possible she learned about the trust through Diane.””
Marcus shook his head.
“My wife barely knew my father's family.””
“Then we need to ask how she obtained this information.””
Richard called his assistant and requested a search of the old trust correspondence.
While we waited, I remembered something.
“Robert had a safe deposit box.””
Richard looked up.
“Where?””
“At the bank on Main Street. He told me there were papers inside that I should only open if something happened to him.””
Richard became very still.
“Evelyn, why haven't you mentioned this before?””
“Because I forgot about it. After Robert died, I was overwhelmed with paperwork. I thought the bank had transferred everything to his estate.””
“Did you ever open the box?””
“No.””
Richard immediately reached for his phone.
“We need to check whether it still exists.””
Within twenty minutes, he had confirmed that the box remained active under Robert's estate account.
The bank could arrange access with the proper documentation.
Marcus looked at me.
“Do you think Dad left something there?””
“I don't know.””
But I suddenly remembered the last time Robert had mentioned the box.
It was during the final week of his life.
He had held my hand and said, “Evelyn, if anyone ever tries to take the house from you, don't trust the first explanation you hear.””
At the time, I thought he was confused because of his medication.
Now those words seemed like a warning.
Richard arranged an appointment at the bank for that afternoon.
Before leaving, he made one more call.
This time, it was to a financial investigator.
He gave the man Vanessa's name, Ethan Cole's name, and the information about the $18,500 transfer.
The investigator promised to examine the connections.
Then Marcus's phone vibrated.
A text from Vanessa.
We need to talk. Come home alone. I can explain everything.
Marcus stared at it.
Richard shook his head.
“Don't respond.””
But another message appeared.
If you care about Lily, you'll come.
Marcus immediately called her.
No answer.
He called Diane.
No answer.
Then his phone rang again.
This time, it was Lily.
“Daddy?””
Marcus put the call on speaker.
“Sweetheart, where are you?””
“Grandma's house.””
“Are you okay?””
There was a long pause.
Then Lily whispered, “Daddy, Mommy is packing.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“Packing what?””
“Her clothes. She said we're going somewhere.””
“Where?””
“I don't know. But Grandma Diane said we can't tell you.””
I moved closer to the phone.
“Lily, sweetheart, is your mommy there?””
“Yes.””
“Can you tell her Grandma wants to speak with her?””
A rustling sound followed.
Then Vanessa's voice came through.
“Evelyn, what do you want?””
I kept my voice steady.
“I want my granddaughter safe.””
“She is perfectly safe.””
“Then let Marcus speak to her.””
Vanessa laughed.
“Marcus can speak to his daughter when he stops listening to you.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“Vanessa, what are you doing?””
“I'm protecting my children.””
“From what?””
“From you and your mother's endless drama.””
“Where are you taking Lily?””
“Somewhere you can't interfere.””
Richard raised his hand, signaling Marcus not to escalate the conversation.
I took the phone.
“Vanessa, listen carefully. We have the recording. We have the forged documents. And Patricia has already spoken to my attorney.””
Silence.
Then Vanessa's voice changed.
“You shouldn't have involved Patricia.””
“Why? What are you afraid she'll tell us?””
A sharp breath came through the speaker.
Then Vanessa said something that chilled me.
“Ask your lawyer what happened to Robert's original will.””
The call ended.
Marcus stared at the phone.
Richard immediately began searching through the estate records.
“What does she mean?”” I asked.
He didn't answer.
Instead, he opened the original file again.
He checked the document inventory.
Then another folder.
Finally, he looked up at me.
“Evelyn, I need you to listen carefully.””
“What?””
“The original will was never returned to my office after Robert's death.””
I frowned.
“You told me you handled his estate.””
“I handled the probate process using a certified copy. Robert's original will was supposed to remain in his personal possession until the estate was closed.””
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“Where was it?””
Richard looked at the old inventory sheet.
“According to this record, it was last seen in your husband's study.””
Marcus whispered, “The room Vanessa helped organize.””
Richard nodded.
Then he pointed to a handwritten note at the bottom of the inventory.
It contained a name.
*Gregory Bennett.*
Underneath it was a date.
The date Robert died.
I stared at the paper.
“My husband's brother came to our house the night Robert died?””
Richard nodded slowly.
“And according to this record, he signed for the original will.””
I felt the room spinning.
I had been there that night.
I remembered the ambulance, the doctors, the unbearable silence afterward.
But I had never seen Gregory.
Or so I thought.
Then another memory surfaced.
A man standing near the hallway outside Robert's study.
A man wearing a dark coat.
I had assumed he was one of the hospital staff who had come to collect Robert's personal belongings.
I looked at Richard.
“Can you find Gregory?””
Richard picked up his phone.
“I'll try.””
But before he could dial, Marcus received another message.
It was from Vanessa.
A photograph.
Lily was sitting in the back seat of a black SUV.
Her eyes were red from crying.
Under the photograph were seven words:
*Your mother should stop looking for Gregory.*
May you like
Marcus dropped his phone.
And for the first time in my life, I realized that the woman who had tried to steal my house might not be the most dangerous person in our family.
