Chapter 2 - THE MOVING TRUCKSAt 8:03 the next morning, three moving trucks turned into the Whitmore driveway.
Lenora was still entertaining two of her closest friends from the night before.
They were drinking coffee in the sunroom when the first truck stopped.
She watched through the glass.
Another truck arrived.
Then another.
She frowned.
“What on earth?”
One of her friends laughed.
“Your son hired movers?”
Lenora's face changed.
“No.”
She walked outside.
The first driver stepped out.
“Grant Whitmore?”
“My son.”
“We have instructions from Mr. Whitmore.”
Lenora stared at him.
“You're at the wrong house.”
The driver checked his clipboard.
“Whitmore residence. Twenty-seven Ashford Lane.”
“This is twenty-seven Ashford Lane.”
“Then we're in the right place.”
Behind him, the other workers began opening the trucks.
Lenora's voice rose.
“Stop.”
They did.
She marched toward them.
“You will not enter this property.”
The driver looked uncomfortable.
“Ma'am, we're contracted by the property owner.”
“I am the property owner.”
A black SUV pulled into the driveway.
Grant stepped out.
He was wearing the same clothes from the hotel.
No tie.
No suit jacket.
Just a dark sweater and jeans.
He looked exhausted.
He also looked completely calm.
Lenora stared at him.
“What are you doing?”
Grant looked at the trucks.
“Moving out.”
“This is ridiculous.”
“Agreed.”
“You cannot just send strangers into my home.”
Grant looked her directly in the eyes.
“It's not your home.”
Her face flushed.
“Of course it is.”
“Then show me the deed.”
Lenora froze.
Grant continued.
“Show me the deed with your name on it.”
She said nothing.
One of the workers quietly looked away.
Grant turned to the crew.
“Start with the upstairs rooms.”
Lenora stepped in front of the door.
“No.”
Grant stopped.
“Move.”
“You're not taking anything from this house.”
“My property?”
“Family property.”
“That's not a legal term.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“You're doing this because of Audrey.”
“Yes.”
“She has manipulated you.”
“No.”
“She has turned you against your own mother.”
Grant's expression hardened.
“No one turned me against you.”
He stepped closer.
“You did that yourself.”
Lenora slapped him.
The sound cracked across the driveway.
The workers went silent.
Grant's face turned slightly from the impact.
He slowly looked back at her.
Lenora seemed to realize what she had done.
But instead of apologizing, she whispered:
“You ungrateful boy.”
Grant nodded.
“Now I understand.”
He walked past her.
“Start upstairs.”
The movers entered.
Lenora followed, shouting.
“You'll regret this!”
Grant pulled out his phone.
“You should stop shouting.”
“Why?”
“Because you're being recorded.”
She stopped.
Grant pointed toward the ceiling.
“There are cameras all over this property.”
Lenora's expression changed.
“You wouldn't.”
“I already did.”
Three years earlier, after his father's death, Grant had installed the security system because of threats against the company.
He had never mentioned the audio recordings.
Not to his mother.
Not to Audrey.
Not even to most of his staff.
Now he opened the recordings.
December 16.
8:44 a.m.
Lenora's voice.
“Open the window.”
A younger-sounding Audrey said:
“Please don't. Caleb is sleeping.”
Lenora replied:
“Then he'll sleep faster.”
Grant's thumb stopped.
Another recording.
“You stay upstairs until my guests leave.”
Then the click of a lock.
Grant closed his eyes.
Lenora's face drained of color.
“You recorded me?”
“You did this to yourself.”
She lunged for his phone.
Grant stepped back.
“Don't.”
She stopped.
For the first time, she looked afraid.
But then she smiled.
It was a strange, thin smile.
“You think this is enough?”
Grant stared at her.
“What does that mean?”
“You took the house.”
“Yes.”
“You took your wife.”
“Yes.”
“You think you've won?”
She leaned closer.
“You still don't know what Audrey did.”
Grant's eyes hardened.
“What did she do?”
Lenora said nothing.
She simply walked inside.
Grant followed.
She stopped at the staircase.
“Ask your wife why she begged me to keep your father from changing his will.”
Grant went completely still.
“My father died three years ago.”
“I know.”
“So why would Audrey have anything to do with his will?”
Lenora smiled.
“Exactly.”
She turned and walked upstairs.
Grant remained at the bottom of the staircase.
He suddenly remembered something.
Three years ago, he had been overseas when his father died.
The entire estate had been handled in six days.
His mother had told him everything was settled.
His attorney had told him there was nothing urgent.
Grant had never questioned it.
Not until now.
His phone buzzed.
David.
Do not ask Lenora anything about your father's will.
Grant stared at the message.
Another message followed.
I found the fourth document.
Grant typed immediately.
What is it?
David took nearly a minute to answer.
Then:
Your father did not leave the house to you.
Grant's heart stopped.
A second message appeared.
He left it to Caleb.
Grant looked toward the stairs.
Lenora was standing at the top.
May you like
Watching him.
And smiling.
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