Chapter 7: The Night My Grandmother Called
I read the message again.
*Ask your father what happened the night she called him for help.*
For the first time that morning, I wasn't thinking about Ethan, Madison, or the missing $350,000.
I was thinking about my grandmother.
Evelyn Bennett had been the strongest woman I knew. She had survived two bankruptcies, buried a husband, and built a successful medical supply company when women were still being told to let men handle business.
She had never been afraid of anyone.
Except, apparently, someone close to her.
I turned toward my father.
"Dad, what happened the night Grandma called you?""
He didn't answer.
"Claire, we need to leave.""
"Not until you tell me.""
His eyes moved toward Patricia.
She was watching him with an expression I couldn't read.
Vanessa closed her folder.
"Robert, if you know something relevant to the trust investigation, now would be a good time to explain it.""
My father looked exhausted.
"Not here.""
I shook my head.
"You've said that twice already. First, it was after the ceremony. Then it was after we left the chapel. I'm done waiting.""
He looked at me for several seconds.
Then he sat down in the front pew.
"Your grandmother called me at 11:47 p.m. on October fourteenth. Three weeks before she died.""
I sat beside him.
"What did she say?""
"She told me someone had entered her house.""
My stomach tightened.
"Was it a burglar?""
"She didn't think so. Nothing had been stolen. But her office had been searched, and several documents were missing.""
"Did she call the police?""
"She wanted to. I told her to wait until I got there.""
"Why?""
"Because she said she recognized the handwriting on a note left on her desk.""
I leaned closer.
"Whose handwriting?""
Dad looked down at his hands.
"Daniel Foster's.""
Vanessa immediately pulled out her phone.
"Did you report this?""
"I went to her house. Daniel was already there.""
I stared at him.
"Why would Daniel be there?""
"He told me your grandmother had suffered a minor episode and needed assistance. He said he'd arrived after receiving a call from Patricia.""
I looked toward Patricia.
She had moved closer to the chapel doors.
"Did Grandma say that?""
"No. She told me Daniel was lying.""
My father rubbed his forehead.
"When I confronted him, he showed me a document with her signature. It authorized him to access certain financial records. I thought it was legitimate.""
"And Grandma?""
"She told me it was forged.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"What happened next?""
"I asked Daniel to leave. He refused. We argued. Eventually, he walked out.""
"Why didn't you call the police?""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Because your grandmother begged me not to.""
"Why?""
"She said if we reported it immediately, the people involved would destroy the remaining evidence.""
Vanessa leaned forward.
"Did she mention Ethan?""
Dad nodded.
"She mentioned Patricia. And Daniel. She also said she had made a terrible mistake trusting someone who had been introduced to the family.""
My heart sank.
"Ethan.""
"Yes.""
I looked at the empty altar.
Three years of memories suddenly felt contaminated.
My father continued.
"Your grandmother gave me a small envelope. She said it contained the truth about the trust. She asked me to keep it somewhere safe until she could speak to her attorney.""
"Where is it?""
He looked at me.
"I lost it.""
The words were barely audible.
"What?""
"Two days after she died, someone broke into my office. The safe was open. The envelope was gone.""
Vanessa stood.
"Did you file a police report?""
"Yes.""
"Was anything else taken?""
"No. Just the envelope.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
He looked toward Patricia.
"That whoever had taken it would come after you.""
Patricia finally spoke.
"Robert, you're making accusations based on the confused memories of an elderly woman.""
My father stood.
"Don't you dare.""
She lifted her handbag.
"You're destroying your own daughter's life because you can't accept that Ethan's business failed.""
I stepped toward her.
"Then why did you need my forged signature?""
Patricia's face hardened.
"Because your grandmother made promises she couldn't keep.""
"She left me an inheritance. Not a promise to you.""
"She left you responsibilities!""
"And you decided to steal them?""
Patricia turned away.
Vanessa stepped into her path.
"Before you leave, I'd like you to answer one question.""
Patricia frowned.
"What?""
"Why was Daniel Foster booked on a flight to London tonight?""
For a split second, Patricia looked genuinely surprised.
Then she recovered.
"I have no idea.""
Vanessa held up the photograph.
"His passport number is visible. The airline has already confirmed the reservation.""
Patricia's fingers tightened around her handbag.
"Then perhaps you should speak to him.""
"We intend to.""
Patricia walked toward the exit.
But before she reached it, my father spoke.
"Patricia.""
She stopped.
"Did Evelyn know about Oliver?""
Patricia turned slowly.
"Yes.""
"Did she know Ethan was planning to marry Claire?""
"She knew everything.""
My father looked devastated.
"Then why didn't she tell us?""
Patricia smiled faintly.
"She tried.""
And she walked out.
I stood frozen.
My father looked at me.
"There's something else I haven't told you.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"What now?""
"Your grandmother didn't leave that envelope with me.""
I stared at him.
"Then who did?""
He looked directly at Vanessa.
"She left it with her attorney. The envelope was supposed to be delivered to Claire on her wedding day.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
"That can't be right.""
"Why?""
"Because I was the attorney's assistant. I handled the estate correspondence.""
She opened her folder and searched through several documents.
Then she stopped.
"There was a delivery scheduled.""
"To me?""
"Yes.""
"Where is it?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"The delivery was canceled three days ago.""
"By whom?""
She turned the laptop screen toward me.
An electronic authorization appeared.
My name was listed as the person requesting cancellation.
I stared at the signature.
It looked exactly like mine.
But I had never seen that document.
And beneath the signature was an address.
A storage facility in Brooklyn.
My father whispered, "That's where Daniel kept the company's old records.""
Vanessa looked at the timestamp.
May you like
Then she looked at me.
"Claire, someone has already collected your grandmother's envelope.""
