Chapter 11 - THE OLD ATTORNEY
His name was Thomas Reed.
For twenty years, Thomas had been part of Emma's family history.
He had handled her father's estate.
He had helped Margaret after the funeral.
He had even paid Emma's college tuition anonymously.
Emma couldn't understand.
"Why would he do this?"
Sarah answered.
"Money."
"But he already had money."
"Power."
Emma looked at the evidence.
Thomas had controlled access to her father's documents.
He had known about the investigation.
He had known where the storage unit was.
And he had known Margaret had the final letter.
Everything suddenly made sense.
Sarah contacted federal investigators.
They searched Thomas's office.
Inside a locked cabinet, they found copies of old documents.
One folder contained a photograph.
Thomas standing with Richard Mercer.
The date was two days before Emma's father died.
There was another photograph.
Thomas meeting Victoria.
Another.
Thomas entering Daniel's office.
Then came the most disturbing discovery.
A surveillance photograph of Margaret.
Taken outside her house.
Thomas had been watching her.
Emma felt betrayed.
"How could my mother trust him?"
Sarah answered softly.
"Because he made himself trustworthy."
That was the most frightening part.
The worst people didn't always look dangerous.
Sometimes they looked like family.
That evening, Thomas called Emma.
"You've been asking questions."
Emma kept her voice calm.
"I want answers."
"You deserve the truth."
"Then tell me."
"I did everything to protect your family."
Emma almost laughed.
"You planted evidence against me."
"Only temporarily."
"Why?"
"Because your father left something behind."
"The report."
"Yes."
"What does it contain?"
Thomas sighed.
"The proof that Richard killed him."
Emma's heart raced.
"You have it."
"No."
"Then who does?"
Thomas paused.
"Your mother."
Emma's blood ran cold.
"Where is she?"
Thomas laughed quietly.
"You still don't understand."
Emma looked toward the window.
"Understand what?"
"The report isn't the only thing your father left."
"What else?"
"An account."
Emma's eyes narrowed.
"What account?"
"A hidden trust worth forty million dollars."
Silence.
Thomas continued.
"Your father created it for you."
Emma suddenly understood.
The money wasn't the motive.
The money was the prize.
Thomas wanted control of everything.
And now he knew Emma knew too much.
"Thomas," she said quietly.
"Yes?"
"You made one mistake."
"What?"
"You called me."
She ended the call.
Sarah immediately contacted the investigators.
They traced the call.
The signal came from a building downtown.
Police surrounded it.
But Thomas was already gone.
May you like
On the desk, investigators found one note.
You should have stayed out of this.
