Chapter 12 - THE FRIEND WHO ARRANGED THE CHAPEL MEETING
Annie had trusted Charlotte Bennett more than anyone at the Whitmore mansion.
They had eaten lunch together.
Shared complaints about long shifts.
Helped each other clean after exhausting parties.
Charlotte had even offered Annie money when her grandmother first entered the hospital.
Now Annie was learning that Charlotte was Eleanor's daughter.
And had hidden that fact from everyone.
"She lied to me," Annie whispered.
Thomas studied the photograph.
"Maybe."
"She told me her parents were dead."
He looked at her.
"Then we need to hear her explanation."
Investigators located Charlotte at her apartment in Cambridge.
She agreed to speak with them voluntarily.
When Annie entered the interview room, Charlotte immediately began crying.
"Annie."
Annie stopped near the doorway.
"Is Eleanor your mother?"
Charlotte nodded.
"Yes."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I was ashamed."
Annie stared.
"Of what?"
Charlotte wiped her face.
"My mother has been stealing from the Whitmore family for years."
Thomas stepped forward.
"You knew?"
Charlotte nodded.
"I discovered it two years ago."
"Then why didn't you report her?"
"I tried."
She looked down.
"I contacted the foundation's accounting office. But the records disappeared before anyone reviewed them."
Thomas's jaw tightened.
"Who removed them?"
Charlotte shook her head.
"I don't know."
Annie folded her arms.
"Then why did you encourage me to keep that notebook?"
Charlotte looked at her with tear-filled eyes.
"Because I knew what she was doing to you."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was afraid you'd lose your job."
Annie's voice broke.
"I was already losing everything."
Charlotte began sobbing.
"I know."
She took a breath.
"That's why I arranged for you to be at the chapel."
Thomas went still.
"What?"
Charlotte looked toward him.
"I knew you visited St. Catherine on Thursday evenings. Your business associate was recovering there."
Thomas frowned.
"How?"
"I helped manage your household schedule."
Annie stared.
"Charlotte..."
"I knew you were exhausted. I knew you were going to see your grandmother."
"So you sent me to the chapel?"
Charlotte nodded.
"I told you it was a quiet place to rest."
Annie felt tears rise.
"You knew he might hear me."
"I hoped he would."
Thomas looked at Charlotte carefully.
"Why not tell me directly?"
Charlotte lowered her head.
"Because Eleanor had already convinced you not to trust complaints from the household staff."
Thomas couldn't deny it.
Charlotte continued.
"I needed you to hear the truth from someone who had nothing to gain."
Annie sat down slowly.
For months, Charlotte had watched Eleanor steal from employees.
She had tried to expose her mother.
But she'd been afraid.
Then she saw Annie praying quietly in the hospital chapel on a previous visit.
And she decided to create an opportunity for Thomas to hear what his employees were enduring.
It was manipulative.
But not malicious.
Annie looked at her.
"You should have trusted me enough to tell me."
Charlotte nodded.
"You're right."
They sat in silence.
Then Charlotte reached into her bag.
"I have something else."
She placed a USB drive on the table.
"My mother kept backup copies of financial records."
Thomas leaned forward.
"Where did you get this?"
"From her home office."
An investigator examined the device.
The files contained years of transfers.
Payroll discrepancies.
Foundation withdrawals.
And private communications between Eleanor and Victor.
But one folder stood apart.
It was labeled:
The Margaret Agreement.
Thomas opened it.
Inside was a scanned contract.
His father's signature appeared beside Eleanor's.
The document described a private financial settlement.
Thomas read the final paragraph.
Then his expression changed.
Because the agreement wasn't designed to hide Sarah Carter.
It was designed to protect someone else.
A child born to Eleanor Bennett in 1999.
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And the document named the child's biological father.
William Whitmore.
