Chapter 9: The Other Sister
Marissa couldn't speak.
I zoomed in on the photograph.
The hand beside my mother's desk was unmistakably feminine.
Gold wedding band.
Deep red polish.
A small scar near the thumb.
Marissa touched the screen.
“I've seen that ring.””
“Where?””
“At Mom's funeral.””
I looked at her.
“Whose hand?””
She swallowed.
“Linda.””
I frowned.
“Our aunt?””
Marissa nodded.
“Aunt Linda.””
Daniel looked confused.
“What does she have to do with Richard Voss?””
“I don't know.””
I stood.
“Call her.””
Marissa shook her head.
“She won't answer.””
“Try.””
Marissa dialed.
The phone rang.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then voicemail.
Marissa hung up.
“She knows.””
I looked at Daniel.
“We need to find out what she knows.””
He nodded.
“We can request the full trust file.””
“How long?””
“Not long.””
“Do it.””
Daniel started making calls.
Marissa and I drove back to the beach house.
The sun was low by the time we arrived.
I checked the cameras.
No one was there.
We entered.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
I walked straight to the office.
My mother's letters had been stored in a locked drawer.
I opened it.
Empty.
Marissa stood behind me.
“I’m sorry.””
I closed the drawer.
“Don't.””
“I caused this.””
“You opened the door.””
“I know.””
“But someone else walked through it.””
She looked at me.
“Do you think Aunt Linda is involved?””
“I don't know.””
“She always defended Mom.””
“Maybe.””
“She was at the funeral.””
“So were we.””
Marissa sat on the floor.
“Do you remember what Mom said the night before she died?””
I stopped.
“No.””
“I do.””
“What?””
“She told me not to trust anyone who said they were helping us.””
I stared at her.
“You never told me that.””
“I was angry.””
“At me?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I thought Mom was choosing you.””
I sat beside her.
“She wasn't.””
“I know that now.””
For several seconds, we listened to the waves.
Then headlights appeared outside.
A car pulled into the driveway.
We both stood.
I checked the camera.
A silver sedan.
A woman stepped out.
Red nails.
Gold ring.
Aunt Linda.
Marissa whispered:
“It's her.””
The doorbell rang.
I opened the door but kept the security chain engaged.
Linda looked at us.
Her face was pale.
“I need to talk to you.””
“About what?””
She looked at Marissa.
“Both of you.””
I removed the chain.
She stepped inside.
She looked around the house.
Then whispered:
“She would have loved this.””
“Mom?””
Linda nodded.
“She always wanted you to have it.””
Marissa crossed her arms.
“Then why did you help Evan?””
Linda's eyes widened.
“I didn't.””
I held up my phone.
“Then explain the photograph.””
She looked at the screen.
Her expression collapsed.
“Where did you get this?””
“Someone sent it.””
“Who?””
“Evan.””
Linda sat down.
“He found me.””
“When?””
“Six months ago.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did he want?””
“To know where your mother kept her records.””
“Why?””
“He said Richard had been ruined by your mother.””
“That isn't true.””
“I know.””
Linda looked at me.
“But Richard believed it.””
“Why?””
“Because your mother discovered what he was doing.””
Daniel's earlier theory suddenly became real.
“What was he doing?””
Linda took a breath.
“Moving money.””
“Whose?””
“Your mother's.””
“Where?””
“Through shell companies.””
I looked at Marissa.
“Atlantic Shore Development?””
Linda nodded.
“Yes.””
“So Mom didn't sell the beach house willingly.””
“No.””
“What happened?””
“She discovered the transfers.””
“And?””
“Richard threatened her.””
“With what?””
Linda looked away.
“With your father's medical records.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“He knew Dad was sick.””
“He knew everything.””
Marissa whispered:
“And Mom fought him?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't she report him?””
“She tried.””
“To whom?””
“The police.””
“What happened?””
“They said it was a civil matter.””
I shook my head.
“So she created the trust.””
Linda nodded.
“To protect what remained.””
“Then why was Richard still involved?””
“He wasn't supposed to be.””
“What changed?””
Linda looked at me.
“Your mother trusted the wrong lawyer.””
I felt a chill.
“Who?””
Linda didn't answer.
“Who?””
She whispered a name.
“Thomas Bell.””
Daniel immediately called me.
I answered.
“Where are you?””
“I'm at the beach house.””
“Don't trust Linda.””
I looked at my aunt.
“What?””
Daniel continued.
“We just found the original trust file.””
My pulse quickened.
“What's in it?””
“The trustee's records.””
“Who was the trustee?””
There was a pause.
Then Daniel said:
“Thomas Bell.””
I looked at Linda.
She closed her eyes.
“You knew.””
She whispered:
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of whom?””
“Richard.””
“Richard is dead.””
“No.””
I stared at her.
“He's dead.””
She shook her head.
“Richard died.””
“What does that mean?””
“The man running his operation now isn't Evan.””
My skin went cold.
“Then who?””
Linda looked toward the ocean.
“The lawyer.””
Daniel's voice came through the phone.
“That's exactly what I was going to tell you.””
I sat down.
“Thomas Bell?””
“Yes.””
“Where is he now?””
“Practicing law.””
“Where?””
Daniel gave me the address.
I looked at Linda.
She whispered:
“He has been waiting for the trust to become valuable.””
“But the property is mine.””
“Exactly.””
I didn't understand.
Linda looked at Marissa.
“He couldn't take it from your mother.””
Then she looked at me.
“So he waited until you bought it.””
My stomach dropped.
“He arranged the sale.””
“Yes.””
“He made me buy my own house.””
Linda nodded.
“Then he used Marissa's debt to create a claim against it.””
Marissa covered her mouth.
“Why?””
“Because if the sale is challenged, the property goes into litigation.””
“And he controls the litigation?””
Linda nodded.
“As the former trustee, he knows every weakness in the documents.””
I stood.
“So this whole thing was planned.””
“Yes.””
“The twenty-two people?””
Linda shook her head.
“Not originally.””
“Then what?””
“Your sister's debt.””
I looked at Marissa.
“Evan used you.””
She nodded.
“But why bring everyone here?””
Linda's expression changed.
“Because he wanted witnesses.””
“For what?””
“To establish that you allowed Marissa to use the property.””
I felt cold.
“The vacation.””
“Yes.””
“If I let them stay…”
“He could argue you voluntarily granted Marissa occupancy rights.””
“And then?””
“Then the lien becomes harder to challenge.””
I understood.
The whole ridiculous beach vacation had been another trap.
Marissa hadn't planned it.
But Evan had known exactly what would happen.
My sister's desperation had been the bait.
My house was the target.
Then Linda reached into her purse.
“I brought something.””
She placed an envelope on the table.
It was old.
Yellowed.
My mother's handwriting covered the front.
*For my daughters, if Thomas Bell ever returns.*
I stared.
“You had this?””
Linda nodded.
“Your mother gave it to me two days before she died.””
“Why didn't you give it to us?””
“Because Thomas threatened me.””
“With what?””
“My son.””
Silence.
Linda began crying.
“He said if I spoke, my son would lose everything.””
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten statement.
The first sentence made my hands shake.
If Thomas Bell is reading this, then he has failed to keep my family quiet.
I looked at Linda.
“He knows about this?””
“Yes.””
“Does he know we have it?””
Linda nodded.
“He knows everything.””
My phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered.
His voice was urgent.
“Leave the house.””
“Why?””
“Because I just checked the county filing.””
“What did you find?””
“The lien was withdrawn.””
I blinked.
“What?””
“It was withdrawn twenty minutes ago.””
“Why?””
“Because a new filing just appeared.””
My heart stopped.
“What new filing?””
Daniel's voice dropped.
“A foreclosure notice.””
I looked at Marissa.
She stared back at me.
Daniel continued.
“And the attorney listed on the filing…”
I already knew.
“Thomas Bell.””
A car horn sounded outside.
We all turned toward the window.
A black sedan had stopped at the end of the driveway.
A man stepped out.
Gray suit.
Silver hair.
Leather briefcase.
Thomas Bell looked directly at the house.
Then he smiled.
May you like
And raised one hand.
In it was the original deed to my beach house.
