Chapter 14 - The Lawyer's Name
By dawn, Maya had traced the mysterious $75,000 payment beside her name.
Four years earlier, someone had opened a fake trust account using her firm's public documents and a copied signature. The money stayed there for forty-eight hours before moving to a company owned by Mercer's brother-in-law.
"They used my name as a shield," Maya said. "If the transfer was discovered, I would look bought."
Agent Ward verified the fraud independently.
Then Evelyn Bennett arrived at the hospital carrying a duffel bag and twelve years of anger. A judge had ordered her released after investigators found falsified treatment reviews.
She looked at Claire's stomach. "So that's the thirty-eight-million-dollar baby."
Claire almost laughed. "Apparently."
Evelyn handed her an envelope recovered from Cedar Vale. It was Charles's confiscated letter.
One name appeared twice: Graham Pike.
"Family accountant," Evelyn said. "Thirty years."
Charles wrote that Pike helped hide Daniel's stolen money, then secretly began copying records when he wanted out.
Ward checked Bennett Development's roster. Pike was still chief financial officer and had reported to work that morning.
Agents reached his office at 3:02 p.m.
His chair was empty. His computer was running.
On the screen sat an unsent email to Claire:
ELEANOR DOESN'T WANT THE COMPANY ANYMORE. SHE WANTS THE CHILD. THE TRUST CONTAINS A CONTROL CLAUSE CHARLES NEVER EXPLAINED TO DANIEL.
The message ended there.
Maya pulled out the codicil and found Schedule C on page forty-seven.
If Charles's grandchild became the trust beneficiary, the trustee could force disclosure of every related-party transaction made by Bennett Development during the previous twenty years.
Claire understood. "The baby doesn't just inherit the company."
May you like
Maya nodded. "The baby opens the books."
And somewhere outside the hospital, Eleanor had just learned the same thing.
