Chapter 10: The Accusation That Could Destroy Me
"Something that proves you were the last person he wanted to inherit anything.""
Elaine's voice remained calm.
That frightened me more than if she'd screamed.
I stood beside my car, holding the phone against my ear.
"Put my mother back on.""
"She's busy.""
"Elaine, put her on the phone.""
A faint laugh came through the speaker.
"You always were an impatient young man. Just like your father.""
I gripped the phone tighter.
"What have you done?""
"Nothing your father didn't deserve.""
"Leave my mother alone.""
"Then come home.""
The call ended.
I immediately dialed Richard.
He answered while I was starting the engine.
"Marcus?""
"Elaine is at my mother's house with a lawyer. They're trying to make her sign something.""
Richard's voice sharpened.
"Don't let her sign anything. I'm contacting the police.""
"She's also claiming she has evidence I was responsible for my father's death.""
There was a pause.
"What?""
"That's what she said.""
"Marcus, don't confront her without witnesses. I'm coming.""
I hung up and drove.
Daniel was in the passenger seat.
For the first time in years, my brother looked genuinely afraid.
"She's going to use the old story," he said.
"What story?""
He stared through the windshield.
"That you and Dad argued the night he died.""
I glanced at him.
"What?""
Daniel swallowed.
"Elaine told me you threatened him.""
I nearly lost control of the steering wheel.
"I was eighteen.""
"I know.""
"I loved Dad.""
"I know, Marcus.""
"Then why would you believe that?""
Daniel looked down.
"Because she showed me a letter.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What letter?""
"One supposedly written by Dad. It said he was disappointed in you and wanted to change the trust.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible.""
"That's what I thought.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
Daniel didn't answer.
We turned into my mother's driveway.
A black Mercedes was parked outside.
The front door stood open.
I ran inside.
My mother was sitting on the sofa.
Elaine stood beside the fireplace.
A man in a navy suit was arranging documents on the coffee table.
"Marcus," Elaine said pleasantly.
I ignored her.
"Mom, are you okay?""
My mother nodded, although her hands were trembling.
"I told them I wouldn't sign anything until you arrived.""
The attorney stood.
"Mr. Bennett, I'm Philip Grant. I'm representing Mrs. Carter in a family property matter.""
I looked at the documents.
"What property matter?""
Philip adjusted his tie.
"Your mother has agreed to transfer certain assets into a protective arrangement.""
"My mother hasn't agreed to anything.""
Elaine smiled.
"Don't speak for her.""
I turned toward her.
"Then let her speak.""
My mother looked at Philip.
"I don't understand why you brought these papers. You said they were necessary to protect my house.""
Philip gave her a practiced smile.
"They are, Mrs. Bennett.""
Richard entered behind us.
"Mr. Grant?""
Philip's expression changed.
"Richard.""
Apparently, they knew each other.
Richard approached the table and picked up the first document.
His face hardened.
"This is a financial power of attorney.""
Philip nodded.
"Correct.""
"And this authorizes a transfer of property?""
"Under certain conditions.""
Richard looked directly at my mother.
"Mrs. Bennett, did anyone explain that signing this could give another person authority over your financial affairs?""
My mother shook her head.
Elaine sighed.
"This is becoming unnecessarily dramatic.""
Richard placed the document down.
"Then perhaps you can explain why Northbridge Capital is listed as the receiving entity.""
Elaine's smile disappeared.
Philip immediately collected the papers.
"This meeting is over.""
I stepped toward him.
"Not until you tell us why you're trying to take my mother's property.""
He looked at me coldly.
"You should be more concerned about your own legal position.""
Elaine opened her handbag and removed a folded document.
She placed it on the table.
"This is the evidence I mentioned.""
I looked down.
It was an old handwritten statement.
The date was the night my father died.
At the top were the words:
*STATEMENT REGARDING THE FINAL ARGUMENT BETWEEN MARCUS BENNETT AND ROBERT BENNETT.*
I read the first paragraph.
My hands began shaking.
It claimed that I had argued with my father at his office, threatened to destroy the family business, and left shortly before he collapsed.
At the bottom was a signature.
Samuel Reed.
Our former driver.
"This is fake," I said.
Elaine tilted her head.
"Is it?""
"Samuel would never write this.""
"Perhaps you didn't know him as well as you thought.""
Richard examined the document.
"When was this submitted?""
Philip answered.
"Yesterday.""
Richard looked up.
"To whom?""
"That isn't your concern.""
Richard's expression became colder.
"It becomes my concern when you use it to interfere with an existing estate dispute.""
Elaine walked toward me.
"Your father was going to change his will, Marcus. He told me you were becoming reckless. He said you were obsessed with the company.""
I stared at her.
"You're inventing a story.""
She smiled.
"Am I?""
Then she turned toward my mother.
"Margaret knows the truth.""
I looked at my mother.
She was crying.
"Mom?""
She slowly shook her head.
"Marcus, you were there that night.""
"I was at home!""
My mother's face crumpled.
Then she whispered:
"Your father called you before he died.""
I froze.
"What?""
She nodded.
"You went to his office.""
I felt as though someone had struck me.
A memory surfaced.
Rain against the windshield.
My father's office lights.
A telephone ringing.
I'd forgotten the details of that evening.
But I remembered the argument.
Not because I'd been angry with him.
Because I'd been frightened.
My father had told me something about Daniel.
Something I hadn't understood at eighteen.
"Mom," I whispered, "what happened after I left?""
She looked at Elaine.
Then at Richard.
Finally, she said:
"Your father wasn't alone when he collapsed.""
I waited.
My mother swallowed.
"Daniel was there.""
Daniel stepped backward.
"What?""
My mother nodded.
"Elaine brought him back to the office after I left.""
Daniel's face drained of color.
I turned toward him.
"You told me you went home.""
"I did.""
"Mom says you went back.""
Daniel stared at the floor.
Then he whispered:
"I went back because Dad asked me to.""
The room fell silent.
Elaine immediately stepped forward.
"That's enough.""
But Daniel wasn't looking at her.
He was looking at me.
May you like
And I realized that my brother had been carrying a secret about our father's final hours.
A secret that might finally explain why Elaine had spent twenty years controlling him.
