Chapter 6 - The Night Anna DiedI didn't answer Lucy.

Not immediately.

How could I tell my daughter that the woman she had spent eleven years mourning might not have died in an accident?

I sat beside her.

“Your mother loved you more than anything.”

Lucy nodded.

“Then tell me the truth.”

I looked at the note.

The words seemed to burn through the paper.

“I promise I'll find it.”

“That isn't an answer.”

“No.”

I swallowed.

“I don't know yet.”

She accepted that.

Barely.

Downstairs, Caroline was waiting.

My mother stood beside her.

“Tell me everything,” I said.

Caroline looked exhausted.

“I met Anna at nine that night.”

“Why?”

“She asked me to come.”

“What happened?”

“She said she knew Grant was moving money.”

“And your father?”

“He arrived later.”

“Why?”

“To confront Grant.”

“Why was Grant there?”

“Because Anna had arranged a meeting.”

“About the trust?”

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

Caroline took a deep breath.

“Grant denied everything.”

“And Anna?”

“She had proof.”

“What proof?”

“A ledger.”

“The ledger?”

“Yes.”

“What was in it?”

“Payments. Transfers. Names.”

“Whose names?”

“Grant's. My father's. Mine.”

I stared at her.

“Yours?”

“My name appeared beside several transfers.”

“Because you were involved?”

“No.”

“Then why?”

“Grant used my identity.”

I didn't know whether to believe her.

She continued.

“Anna wanted to go to the police.”

“And you stopped her?”

“No.”

“Your father did?”

Caroline nodded.

“He told Anna that if she went to the police, he'd lose everything.”

“What did Anna say?”

“She laughed.”

“Then?”

“They argued.”

“Did they touch her?”

“No.”

“Did Grant?”

“I don't know.”

Caroline started crying.

“I left.”

“What?”

“You left Anna there?”

“She ordered me to.”

“You followed her orders?”

“Yes.”

“Then what happened?”

“I heard the crash.”

“And returned.”

“Yes.”

“Was she alive?”

“For a few minutes.”

My throat closed.

“What did she say?”

Caroline looked at me.

“She asked about Lucy.”

“What else?”

“She said, ‘Don't let Michael trust the house.’”

I froze.

“The house?”

“Yes.”

“What did that mean?”

“I don't know.”

“Then why did you hide this for eleven years?”

“Because my father threatened me.”

“What did he threaten?”

“To make it look like I caused the crash.”

“You were driving.”

“Yes.”

“You didn't cause it?”

Caroline shook her head.

“I don't know.”

That answer was devastating.

“You don't know?”

“There was a problem with the brakes.”

I stared at her.

“Anna's brakes?”

“Yes.”

“Who serviced the car?”

“My father's mechanic.”

The room went silent.

My mother looked at me.

“You see?”

“What?”

“The person who could tamper with the car was connected to all of them.”

I walked toward the kitchen.

“Where is the original car?”

“Destroyed,” Caroline said.

“Who destroyed it?”

“The insurance company.”

“Under whose order?”

She looked down.

“My father.”

I clenched my fists.

The mystery was no longer about money.

It was about a dead woman who had apparently spent her last hours preparing for someone to silence her.

My phone rang.

This time it was the family lawyer.

“Michael?”

“Yes.”

“You need to come to my office.”

“Why?”

“I found something in Anna's estate file.”

“What?”

A pause.

“Your first wife's final will was replaced.”

I stared at the wall.

“Replaced?”

“The copy filed with the court isn't the document Anna signed.”

My heart stopped.

“Then where is the original?”

“I don't know.”

“Who changed it?”

“I have one name.”

“Who?”

The lawyer hesitated.

“Caroline's father.”

Caroline heard it.

She sank into a chair.

Then she whispered:

“My father didn't die five years ago.”

I turned.

“What?”

She looked up.

“He died five years ago.”

“But the real question is…”

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She wiped her eyes.

“…who was he hiding from?”