Chapter 7: The Money in My Grand## Chapter 7: The Money in My Grandfather's Name
"Your grandfather received the money?""
I repeated Clairefather's Name
"Your grandfather received the money?""
I repeated Claire's words because my mind refused to accept them.
She nodded,'s words because my mind refused to accept them.
She nodded, her hands trembling.
"That's what the bank records show. But I swear, Maya, I never received a penny.""
Thomas stepped between us.
"Then why was your name on her hands trembling.
"That's what the bank records show. But I swear, Maya, I never received a penny.""
Thomas stepped between us.
"Then why was your name on the account?""
"Because Daniel used my identity. He told me it was for tax purposes. I signed some documents without reading them.""
Mr. Bennett removed his glasses.
"Mrs. Carter, you're saying you unknowingly authorized an account that later received funds connected to Evelyn's death?""
Claire shook her head.
"I didn't know what the transfers were for. I found out about the notebook afterward.""
I looked at her the account?""
"Because Daniel used my identity. He told me it was for tax purposes. I signed some documents without reading them.""
Mr. Bennett removed his glasses.
"Mrs. Carter, you're saying you unknowingly authorized an account that later received funds connected to Evelyn's death?""
Claire shook her head.
"I didn't know what the transfers were for. I found out about the notebook afterward.""
I looked at her.
"And you kept quiet for sixteen years?""
She pressed her lips together.
"Yes.""
The answer landed harder than I expected.
I had spent years watching Claire arrange flowers for my mother's birthday, even though she never admitted that she remembered it. She bought me Christmas presents. She attended school meetings. She sat beside me during my grandfather's hospital visits.
I had thought those things meant she loved me.
Now I wondered whether she had simply been making.
"And you kept quiet for sixteen years?""
She pressed her lips together.
"Yes.""
The answer landed harder than I expected.
I had spent years watching Claire arrange flowers for my mother's birthday, even though she never admitted that she remembered it. She bought me Christmas presents. She attended school meetings. She sat beside me during my grandfather's hospital visits.
I had thought those things meant she loved me.
Now I wondered whether she had simply been making sure I stayed where she could watch me.
"Why didn't you tell Grandpa?"" I asked.
"I did.""
"When?""
"About six months after Evelyn died. I went to his study and showed him the notebook.""
"What did he say?""
Claire looked toward the fireplace.
"He told me to leave the house and never speak about it again.""
Thomas frowned.
"That doesn't sound like Edward.""
"It happened," she insisted.
"He said he sure I stayed where she could watch me.
"Why didn't you tell Grandpa?"" I asked.
"I did.""
"When?""
"About six months after Evelyn died. I went to his study and showed him the notebook.""
"What did he say?""
Claire looked toward the fireplace.
"He told me to leave the house and never speak about it again.""
Thomas frowned.
"That doesn't sound like Edward.""
"It happened," she insisted.
"He said he had made a terrible mistake, and that if I wanted to keep Maya safe, I would pretend I knew nothing.""
My heart began beating faster.
"What mistake?""
Claire shook her head.
"He wouldn't explain.""
Mr. Bennett picked up the bank statement.
"There's a had made a terrible mistake, and that if I wanted to keep Maya safe, I would pretend I knew nothing.""
My heart began beating faster.
"What mistake?""
Claire shook her head.
"He wouldn't explain.""
Mr. Bennett picked up the bank statement.
"There's a distinction we need to establish. The account may have been opened in your name, but the funds were transferred to a separate destination. This statement identifies the originating account as belonging to Edward Hayes.""
"So Grandpa paid someone?"" I asked.
"Possibly.""
"Who?""
Mr. Bennett examined distinction we need to establish. The account may have been opened in your name, but the funds were transferred to a separate destination. This statement identifies the originating account as belonging to Edward Hayes.""
"So Grandpa paid someone?"" I asked.
"Possibly.""
"Who?""
Mr. Bennett examined the transaction reference.
"The destination account is partially concealed. I will need the bank's full records.""
Thomas walked toward the window.
"Edward wouldn't have paid someone to hurt Evelyn.""
Claire gave a bitter laugh.
"You don't know what he was capable of.""
Thomas turned.
"I knew him for twenty years.""
"And I the transaction reference.
"The destination account is partially concealed. I will need the bank's full records.""
Thomas walked toward the window.
"Edward wouldn't have paid someone to hurt Evelyn.""
Claire gave a bitter laugh.
"You don't know what he was capable of.""
Thomas turned.
"I knew him for twenty years.""
"And I lived in his house for sixteen!""
Their voices rose.
I slammed the notebook shut.
"Stop!""
Both of them fell silent.
"I don't care who loved Grandpa more. I want the truth.""
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"Then we need to examine the original financial records.""
He took the documents and placed them inside his briefcase.
"I'll contact the bank's legal lived in his house for sixteen!""
Their voices rose.
I slammed the notebook shut.
"Stop!""
Both of them fell silent.
"I don't care who loved Grandpa more. I want the truth.""
Mr. Bennett nodded.
"Then we need to examine the original financial records.""
He took the documents and placed them inside his briefcase.
"I'll contact the bank's legal department and the trustees. Until we know more, nobody should handle the original materials.""
He looked directly at Claire.
"That includes you.""
She nodded.
But as Mr. Bennett walked toward the study, I noticed something strange.
Claire wasn't looking at him.
She was looking at department and the trustees. Until we know more, nobody should handle the original materials.""
He looked directly at Claire.
"That includes you.""
She nodded.
But as Mr. Bennett walked toward the study, I noticed something strange.
Claire wasn't looking at him.
She was looking at the staircase.
More specifically, at the small portrait hanging above it.
A portrait of my mother.
I followed her gaze.
"What's wrong?""
She quickly looked away.
"Nothing.""
"You're staring at Mom's picture.""
Claire swallowed.
"Because she was wearing something in the staircase.
More specifically, at the small portrait hanging above it.
A portrait of my mother.
I followed her gaze.
"What's wrong?""
She quickly looked away.
"Nothing.""
"You're staring at Mom's picture.""
Claire swallowed.
"Because she was wearing something in that photograph.""
I examined the frame.
My mother was standing in the garden, holding me when I was a baby. Around her neck was a delicate gold chain with that photograph.""
I examined the frame.
My mother was standing in the garden, holding me when I was a baby. Around her neck was a delicate gold chain with a small oak-tree pendant.
I recognized it.
Grandpa had given me a matching pendant on my tenth birthday.
I had always assumed it was simply a family symbol.
"Where is Mom's necklace?"" I asked.
Claire looked down.
"Edward kept it.""
"Where?""
"In his bedroom.""
I stood.
"Let's get it.""
Thomas followed me upstairs.
My grandfather's bedroom remained untouched. His reading glasses sat beside the bed. A half-finished crossword puzzle lay on the nightstand. His slippers a small oak-tree pendant.
I recognized it.
Grandpa had given me a matching pendant on my tenth birthday.
I had always assumed it was simply a family symbol.
"Where is Mom's necklace?"" I asked.
Claire looked down.
"Edward kept it.""
"Where?""
"In his bedroom.""
I stood.
"Let's get it.""
Thomas followed me upstairs.
My grandfather's bedroom remained untouched. His reading glasses sat beside the bed. A half-finished crossword puzzle lay on the nightstand. His slippers were still tucked neatly beneath the chair.
The room smelled faintly of cedar and peppermint.
I opened the jewelry drawer.
Inside was a velvet box.
The oak-tree necklace lay on a piece of faded blue fabric.
I lifted it carefully.
Something ratt were still tucked neatly beneath the chair.
The room smelled faintly of cedar and peppermint.
I opened the jewelry drawer.
Inside was a velvet box.
The oak-tree necklace lay on a piece of faded blue fabric.
I lifted it carefully.
Something rattled.
I turned it over.
The pendant had a tiny opening along its edge.
It wasn't just a necklace.
It was a locket.
I pressed the clasp.
A small compartment opened.
Inside was a folded strip of paper and a tiny brass key.
The paper contained a message in my grandfather's handwriting.
Maya, if the money ever leads you back to me, look beneath the place where your mother learned to walk.
I read it aloud.
Thomas stared at the words.
"The old garden.""
I looked atled.
I turned it over.
The pendant had a tiny opening along its edge.
It wasn't just a necklace.
It was a locket.
I pressed the clasp.
A small compartment opened.
Inside was a folded strip of paper and a tiny brass key.
The paper contained a message in my grandfather's handwriting.
Maya, if the money ever leads you back to me, look beneath the place where your mother learned to walk.
I read it aloud.
Thomas stared at the words.
"The old garden.""
I looked at him.
"What?""
"Your mother took her first steps in the greenhouse. Edward used to talk about it.""
We hurried downstairs.
The greenhouse stood behind the house, partly hidden by ivy. I hadn't visited it in years. My grandfather had stopped growing roses after my mother's him.
"What?""
"Your mother took her first steps in the greenhouse. Edward used to talk about it.""
We hurried downstairs.
The greenhouse stood behind the house, partly hidden by ivy. I hadn't visited it in years. My grandfather had stopped growing roses after my mother's death, saying the garden reminded him of things he couldn't change.
The glass door was locked.
I tried the brass key.
It turned.
Inside, the air smelled of damp soil and old wood. Most of the plants were dead, but one wooden bench remained beneath the far death, saying the garden reminded him of things he couldn't change.
The glass door was locked.
I tried the brass key.
It turned.
Inside, the air smelled of damp soil and old wood. Most of the plants were dead, but one wooden bench remained beneath the far window.
Thomas crouched beside it.
"Here.""
There was a small metal compartment underneath the bench.
I inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
Inside was a sealed plastic envelope containing a photograph, a bank receipt, and a cassette tape.
The photograph showed my grandfather standing beside a man in a dark coat.
The man was window.
Thomas crouched beside it.
"Here.""
There was a small metal compartment underneath the bench.
I inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
Inside was a sealed plastic envelope containing a photograph, a bank receipt, and a cassette tape.
The photograph showed my grandfather standing beside a man in a dark coat.
The man was holding a briefcase.
On the back, Grandpa had written:
October 17. The payment was returned. He refused to tell me who sent him.
I picked up the receipt.
It showed a withdrawal of $250,000 from my grandfather's personal account.
The recipient's name had been blacked out.
But there was a holding a briefcase.
On the back, Grandpa had written:
October 17. The payment was returned. He refused to tell me who sent him.
I picked up the receipt.
It showed a withdrawal of $250,000 from my grandfather's personal account.
The recipient's name had been blacked out.
But there was a handwritten note beneath it.
*Payment returned to sender.*
Thomas stared at the cassette.
"Do you have anything to play this?""
I shook my head.
Then I noticed the writing on its label.
EDWARD — DO NOT DESTROY.
Before we could examine it further, footsteps sounded outside.
A shadow crossed the greenhouse door.
Someone was standing there.
The handwritten note beneath it.
*Payment returned to sender.*
Thomas stared at the cassette.
"Do you have anything to play this?""
I shook my head.
Then I noticed the writing on its label.
EDWARD — DO NOT DESTROY.
Before we could examine it further, footsteps sounded outside.
A shadow crossed the greenhouse door.
Someone was standing there.
The handle slowly turned.
And a familiar voice spoke from the other side.
"Put that envelope down, Maya.""
It was Daniel.
He wasn't alone.
Standing behind him was a police officer.
And the officer was holding a warrant with my grandfather's name printed across handle slowly turned.
And a familiar voice spoke from the other side.
"Put that envelope down, Maya.""
It was Daniel.
He wasn't alone.
Standing behind him was a police officer.
May you like
And the officer was holding a warrant with my grandfather's name printed across the top.
the top.
