“That is what people say when they expect their theft to work out.”
The word theft hung in the air.
Detective Cole raised a hand.
“Everyone stop talking.”
He looked at Vanessa.
“You have the right not to answer questions.”
She smiled.
“I know.”
Thomas studied her.
“You’ve been through something like this before.”
Vanessa’s eyes moved to him.
Thomas continued.
“Haven’t you?”
Daniel looked between them.
“What is he talking about?”
Thomas turned to Cole.
“You ran her history.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
Cole hesitated.
“This is not the ideal place to discuss it.”
Vanessa laughed.
“Now you’re worried about privacy?”
Margaret stepped forward.
“Tell us.”
Cole faced her.
“Vanessa Mercer has no felony convictions.”
Daniel exhaled.
Vanessa gave a faint smirk.
Cole continued.
“However, she has been associated with three earlier civil fraud cases.”
The smirk vanished.
“One in Arizona, another in Nevada, and another in California.”
Daniel stared at his wife.
“You told me you’d only lived in California.”
“I did.”
“For two years.”
“I traveled.”
“Civil fraud?”
Vanessa looked away.
Cole continued.
“In each case, an older investor transferred assets into companies tied to Ms.
Mercer.”
Margaret felt cold.
“How much money?”
“The allegations combined were approximately four million dollars.”
“And nobody charged her?”
“The plaintiffs settled.
Two later died.
One withdrew the complaint.”
Thomas narrowed his eyes.
“Why did the last person withdraw it?”
“We don’t know.”
Vanessa’s control began to slip.
“You have no evidence any of those cases has anything to do with this family.”
Cole nodded.
“You’re correct.”
The answer surprised her.
“We do have banking records connecting Northstar Asset Strategies to an account under your control.”
Daniel looked stunned.
Vanessa faced him.
“Don’t pretend you’re shocked.”
“You said Northstar belonged to investors in Denver.”
“And you believed me because you thought it would make you money.”
“Where is the money?”
Vanessa smiled.
The smile was the answer.
Daniel rushed forward.
Officer Hill stopped him.
“Where is it?”
Daniel shouted.
Vanessa said nothing.
“Where’s the money?”
Margaret watched the strange reversal.
An hour earlier, Daniel and Vanessa had stood together against her.
Now Daniel looked betrayed.
But being betrayed did not erase his guilt.
It only redirected his anger.
Vanessa looked at him.
“Do you want me to explain in front of forty people that you helped take millions from your mother and were foolish enough to let me control where it went?”
Daniel went pale.
She leaned toward him.
“Fine.
Most of it isn’t here anymore.”
“Where is it?”
“Gone.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means money moves faster than families.”
Detective Cole stepped in.
“That’s enough.”
He nodded to Officer Sloan.
She approached Vanessa.
“Vanessa Mercer, we need you to come with us while this investigation continues.”
Vanessa did not resist.
She simply lifted her purse.
Then she looked at Margaret.
“This isn’t finished.”
Margaret’s pulse quickened.
Thomas stepped between them.
Vanessa laughed.
“Still protecting your sister, Judge?”
Thomas stayed silent.
“You should ask her what she hasn’t told you.”
Margaret frowned.
Thomas turned toward her.
Vanessa smiled.
Then Sloan escorted her out.
Daniel shouted after her.
“Vanessa!”
She never looked back.
When the doors shut, silence fell over the ballroom again.
Margaret could feel everyone staring.
Her seventieth birthday cake sat untouched, surrounded by seventy candles that had never been lit.
Daniel stood several yards away with tears on his cheeks.
Margaret had not seen him cry since Richard’s funeral.
“Mom.”
She did not answer.
“I didn’t know.”
“Yes, you did.”
“Not about who she was.”
“You knew what you were doing to me.”
His face tightened.
“I was desperate.”
“You watched her hurt me.”
“I froze.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
She looked directly into his eyes.
“You chose.”
That distinction wounded him.
Good.
Maybe it needed to.
Daniel whispered, “What happens to me now?”
Thomas answered.
“That depends in part on what Richard put in this amendment.”
Everyone looked toward the envelope.
In all the confusion, no one had finished reading it.
Thomas returned to the table and unfolded the pages.
Margaret came beside him.
The first section dealt with control of the estate.
The next described suspected financial misconduct.
Then Thomas reached the fourth page.
His expression shifted.
“What?”
Margaret asked.
He read silently.
“Thomas.”
He finally looked up.
“Richard left specific instructions about Daniel’s inheritance.”
Daniel came closer.
“What instructions?”
Thomas read aloud.
“‘If my son Daniel knowingly attempts to obtain assets from Margaret through coercion, fraud, forged authorization, manipulation of medical competency, or abuse of fiduciary trust, all inheritance rights granted to him under my estate plan shall terminate immediately.’”
Daniel looked as if the floor had disappeared.
“No.”
Thomas continued.
“‘Any terminated share shall instead transfer to the Hale Family Legacy Trust.’”
Daniel shook his head.
“Dad wouldn’t do that.”
Thomas read the final sentence.
