Chapter 9 - The Policy

The life insurance policy was worth two million dollars.

Mom was the beneficiary.

The policy had been approved six months after Dad died.

The application claimed Daniel had no significant health problems beyond autism.

His signature appeared on three pages.

Daniel had never signed them.

A notary stamp appeared beside the forged signature.

The notary was Gregory Shaw.

The attorney connected to Northbridge.

Detective Harper laid the documents across the table.

“Your mother claims Marcus handled all financial paperwork.”

“Do you believe her?”

Harper didn’t answer immediately.

“I believe she is trying to survive.”

That told me enough.

Mom’s attorney contacted me that afternoon.

He said she wanted to speak.

I refused.

Then he said she had information about Dr. Clay.

I agreed to a supervised meeting.

Mom entered the interview room wearing county jail clothing.

For a moment, she looked older than I remembered.

Not innocent.

Just smaller.

She sat across from me.

“You look like your father when you’re angry.”

“Don’t.”

She looked away.

“I didn’t know about the insurance policy.”

“Your name is on it.”

“Marcus did that.”

“You knew about Dad.”

Her eyes filled with tears.

“I knew he was changing medication.”

“And you did nothing.”

“I was afraid.”

“You helped him terrorize Daniel.”

“I thought we were trying to get Daniel somewhere safe.”

I nearly stood up.

“Safe?”

“He convinced me Daniel would never be independent.”

“So you tortured him into meltdowns?”

“I didn’t see it that way.”

That sentence removed whatever sympathy I had left.

“How did you see it?”

She whispered.

“As proof.”

“Proof of what?”

“That I couldn’t handle him.”

There it was.

Not love.

Not fear.

Convenience.

She wanted Daniel gone.

Marcus simply gave her a method.

Then Mom said something unexpected.

“Clay is going to kill Marcus.”

I stared at her.

“What?”

“Marcus kept records.”

“Where?”

“I don’t know.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“He never trusted anyone.”

“Not even you?”

Mom laughed bitterly.

“Especially me.”

She leaned closer.

“Marcus had what he called an insurance file.”

“Evidence?”

“Names.”

“Payments.”

“Recordings.”

“Everything.”

“Where is it?”

“I heard him tell Clay that if anything happened to him, the file would go to someone named Evelyn.”

“Who is Evelyn?”

Mom shook her head.

“I don’t know.”

Before the guard ended the meeting, Mom grabbed the edge of the table.

“Emily.”

I stopped.

“Daniel saw Marcus hide something the night your father died.”

My chest tightened.

“What?”

“I don’t know.”

“He kept asking Daniel what he saw.”

“Why didn’t you tell police?”

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She stared at me.

“Because Marcus told me if Daniel remembered, Daniel would be next.”