Chapter 6 - RITA RAN WITH THE MONEY
Rita Cole disappeared with $612,000.
That was the first number.
The second number was more interesting.
Victor had only known about $310,000 of it.
Rita had been stealing from him too.
I should have found that satisfying.
Instead, it made everything more dangerous.
Victor called Daniel before calling me again.
He wanted legal representation.
Daniel laughed and hung up.
Then Victor did something unexpected.
He called the police.
He reported Rita for theft.
Unfortunately for him, the investigation immediately uncovered V&R Development, the forged deed, and my attempted bank transfer.
For the first time, Victor realized he might not control the story.
He sent me seventeen messages.
SARAH, SHE MANIPULATED ME.
I MADE MISTAKES.
WE NEED TO TALK.
YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND WHAT SHE DID.
I ignored all of them.
Then one message stopped me.
RITA HAS DOCUMENTS ABOUT YOUR PARENTS’ HOUSE.
My parents had been dead twelve years.
The Brookline property was the last major thing they left me.
What documents could Rita possibly have?
Daniel advised against answering.
I called Victor anyway.
He sounded exhausted.
“Sarah.”
“What documents?”
“Come home.”
“No.”
“Please.”
“What documents?”
He exhaled.
“Your father created a trust.”
“I know.”
“You know about the deed.”
“Yes.”
“No. Not that deed.”
My skin prickled.
“What are you talking about?”
“When your parents bought Brookline, they didn’t buy it directly in their own names.”
I knew part of this.
A family trust had been used for estate planning.
Victor continued.
“There’s a second beneficiary.”
I frowned.
“I’m the beneficiary.”
“You’re one of them.”
That made no sense.
My parents had one child.
Me.
“Who else?”
Victor hesitated.
“Your mother listed someone named Rebecca Hart.”
I had never heard the name.
Daniel immediately searched public records.
Rebecca Hart existed.
Sixty-one years old.
Living in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.
Same birth year as my mother.
Same hometown.
Then Daniel found an old newspaper announcement.
My grandmother’s name appeared.
Two daughters.
Margaret.
And Rebecca.
I stared at the clipping.
“My mother had a sister?”
Apparently.
A sister nobody had ever mentioned.
Victor lowered his voice.
“Rita found Rebecca six months ago.”
“Why?”
“Because if Rebecca challenges the trust, you might lose half the house.”
I went cold.
“Why would Rita want that?”
Victor hesitated again.
Then said:
“Because Rebecca already sold her claim.”
“To who?”
May you like
He whispered:
“Rita.”
