Chapter 10 - The federal agents moved us to a secure hotel.No one slept.
At sunrise, Marcus Reed returned.
He placed a thick file on the table.
“Mrs. Bennett, there are things about your husband's investigation you need to know.”
I opened it.
The first page was a timeline.
Twenty-nine years ago.
My daughter was born.
Twenty-four hours later, she disappeared from the hospital.
Officially, her records showed infant death.
But there was no body.
No funeral.
No burial.
Nothing.
I looked at Claire.
She was staring at the floor.
“Thomas knew.”
Reed nodded.
“He arranged for Claire to be placed with another family.”
“Why?”
“Because someone had threatened to kill her.”
“Who?”
“Cole's network.”
I turned the page.
Thomas had spent years investigating financial crimes connected to property development, shell companies, and fraudulent trusts.
The network was much larger than I had imagined.
Politicians.
Developers.
Lawyers.
Bank officials.
Police officers.
Even one judge.
Cole was only one piece.
“What does this have to do with Harrison?”
Reed looked uncomfortable.
“Your son was recruited.”
I stared at him.
“When?”
“After Thomas died.”
“What did they want?”
“Control of the trust.”
Harrison spoke quietly.
“I pretended to cooperate.”
I looked at him.
“For eleven months, you let me think you were exploiting me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because they needed to believe you were vulnerable.”
“That doesn't explain the money.”
“I moved it out.”
“Where?”
“Into accounts they couldn't reach.”
I looked at Reed.
He nodded.
“Most of the money is traceable.”
“Most?”
“Some was spent.”
“On what?”
“Information.”
Harrison admitted he had paid informants.
Witnesses.
Former employees.
Even people inside Cole's network.
The Gucci bag had been the only indulgence that hadn't been part of the operation.
Sloan looked ashamed.
“That one was mine.”
I stared at her.
“You bought a $2,500 bag with stolen money.”
She nodded.
“I did.”
“Why?”
She looked at me.
“Because I was tired.”
I didn't know what to say to that.
Reed opened another file.
“This is the part you're going to find difficult.”
He slid a document toward me.
A revised will.
It was dated six months before Thomas died.
The beneficiary wasn't Harrison.
It wasn't Claire alone.
It named both children.
Half and half.
My hand shook.
“Harrison was supposed to receive half?”
“Yes.”
“Why did he say the original will gave him everything?”
Reed looked at him.
“Because someone changed the will.”
I stared at my son.
“Did you?”
He shook his head.
“No.”
“Who?”
Reed said:
“Your attorney.”
I remembered the man.
Samuel Cross.
He had handled every estate document after Thomas died.
He had told me to trust him.
I had.
Apparently, trust had become the most expensive mistake of my life.
A phone rang.
Reed answered.
Then his face changed.
He looked at me.
“Samuel Cross is missing.”
I felt a chill.
“When?”
“Three hours ago.”
“Was his office searched?”
“Yes.”
“What did they find?”
“A note.”
“What did it say?”
Reed placed a photograph on the table.
I read it.
THOMAS NEVER FINISHED THE LIST.
Below it was an address.
My house.
I looked at Harrison.
“What list?”
He didn't answer.
Claire did.
“The names.”
“What names?”
“Everyone who helped steal the trust.”
I stared at her.
“How do you know?”
She touched the small scar above her eyebrow.
“Because Thomas left something with my adoptive parents.”
“What?”
“A recording.”
Reed immediately turned toward her.
“Do you have it?”
“No.”
“Who does?”
“My adoptive father.”
“Where is he?”
Claire hesitated.
“He died six months ago.”
Silence.
“Then who has the recording?”
Claire looked at me.
“My adoptive mother.”
“Where is she?”
Claire swallowed.
“She disappeared yesterday.”
The room went quiet.
Reed stood.
“Mrs. Bennett, we're moving you again.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
“What?”
“I am done running.”
I looked at Claire.
Then Harrison.
Then Sloan.
“For twenty-nine years, everyone else decided what my family needed.”
I stood.
“That's over.”
I picked up Thomas's letter.
“We're going home.”
Harrison stared at me.
“Mom, that's exactly what they want.”
“I know.”
May you like
I smiled.
“That's why I'm taking the bait.”
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