Chapter 5 - THE ACCOUNT I NEVER KNEW EXISTED
I stared at the number until the digits blurred.
Three hundred twelve thousand dollars.
Daniel and I had spent the last year of his life arguing with insurance companies over copays.
We had borrowed money.
Used credit cards.
Sold his truck.
Canceled our daughters’ preschool for two months because we couldn’t afford tuition.
There was no way he had secretly possessed more than three hundred thousand dollars.
Vanessa tapped the statement.
“Your husband took money.”
“No.”
“The records are clear.”
“Records can be faked.”
Malcolm nodded.
“They can.”
Something in his tone bothered me.
He wanted me to doubt the statement.
Or believe it.
I couldn’t tell which.
“Where is the money now?” I asked.
Vanessa smiled.
“That is exactly what we would like to know.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“So this is why you targeted Rachel.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You think Daniel gave her access.”
Malcolm said nothing.
That silence answered everything.
I picked up the bank statement.
The account had been opened under Daniel’s name six months before his diagnosis.
The address listed was not ours.
It was a post office box.
I looked at the routing information.
“Which bank?”
Malcolm said:
“North River Private.”
I knew the name.
Daniel once mentioned it.
Not as his bank.
As a client.
My heart began racing.
I looked at the deposit dates.
Every large transfer arrived shortly after a fake Carter Foundation payment.
Then I noticed something.
The money entered Daniel’s account.
But it always left within twenty-four hours.
Transferred onward.
I pointed.
“He didn’t keep it.”
Vanessa’s face hardened.
“What?”
“Every deposit was transferred out.”
“To where?” Marcus asked.
I followed the transaction codes.
One recipient appeared repeatedly.
Bennett Family Trust.
My breath stopped.
“We don’t have a family trust.”
Malcolm’s eyes changed.
“What did you say?”
“You heard me.”
He snatched the statement.
Then immediately tried to hide the reaction.
But it was too late.
He had not known about the trust.
Vanessa looked at him.
“What trust?”
He ignored her.
I finally understood something.
They were not partners with complete information.
They were searching for the same secret from different directions.
I turned to Marcus.
“We need to leave.”
Malcolm stepped in front of the door.
“Rachel.”
“Move.”
“You are making this harder than it needs to be.”
“For who?”
“For your daughters.”
Every muscle in my body tightened.
“Do not talk about my children.”
He raised both hands.
“I am warning you because Daniel created enemies.”
“You’re one of them.”
“No.”
For the first time, he sounded sincere.
“I was trying to keep him alive.”
Vanessa laughed.
“Oh, please.”
Malcolm turned toward her.
“Be quiet.”
The room froze.
Vanessa stared at him in disbelief.
He looked back at me.
“Daniel didn’t steal that money.”
I swallowed.
“Then why was it in his account?”
“Because someone needed a clean-looking middle account.”
“Who?”
Malcolm hesitated.
Then said:
“Vanessa’s father.”
Vanessa went pale.
“You liar.”
Malcolm continued.
“Charles Carter ran the foundation fraud for years.”
Vanessa stepped toward him.
“My father is dead.”
“Yes.”
“And he died believing Daniel had stolen from him.”
Malcolm looked at her.
“No.”
He turned back to me.
“Charles died knowing exactly what Daniel had done.”
“What did Daniel do?”
Malcolm’s answer changed everything.
“He rerouted the stolen money.”
I stared.
“To where?”
He pointed at the statement.
“That trust.”
Marcus frowned.
“Rachel said it isn’t hers.”
Malcolm nodded.
“Because it wasn’t created for her.”
He looked at me.
“It was created for three little girls.”
My heart stopped.
“Three?”
I had twin daughters.
Only two.
May you like
Malcolm slowly said:
“Daniel had another daughter.”
