Chapter 3: The Second Account
I had never seen Rhonda look frightened before.
Angry, yes.
Cruel, certainly.
But frightened?
Never.
She stood in the doorway with one hand resting on the frame.
Her eyes moved from my phone to the open filing cabinet.
"Put that down," she said.
I tightened my grip on the envelope.
"What's Red Oak Property Holdings?""
Her jaw stiffened.
"That's not something you need to concern yourself with.""
"Why did you transfer my mother's money there?""
"Your father handles those accounts.""
"Then why did I hear you talking about emptying them?""
Rhonda took one step forward.
"Give me the phone.""
"No.""
"Madison.""
"Who was the man in the recording?""
Her expression hardened.
"You've been going through private documents.""
"They're Dad's documents.""
"And this is his house.""
"Then why are you stealing from him?""
The word hung between us.
Stealing.
For a moment, I thought she might slap me.
Instead, she reached for the blue envelope.
I pulled it behind my back.
"Give it to me," she repeated.
"No.""
She took another step.
I moved toward the desk.
"Don't make this worse.""
"You already made it worse.""
Her eyes narrowed.
"Your father is going to be very disappointed when he discovers what you've been doing.""
I almost laughed.
"That's funny.""
"What?""
"You're the one who stole his signature.""
Rhonda went still.
Then she smiled.
It was the same smile she'd given me the day before when she handed my car to Tanner.
The smile of someone who believed the rules didn't apply to her.
"Madison, sweetheart, you have no idea what you're talking about.""
"Then explain it.""
"I don't owe you an explanation.""
"Where's the money?""
"Invested.""
"Where?""
"Property.""
"Whose property?""
She looked toward the hallway.
Then back at me.
"Do you know what your father earns offshore?""
I didn't answer.
"Do you know how much money he makes while he's gone? Do you know how many years I've spent managing this house while he plays hero on some rig?""
"This isn't about the house.""
"Everything is about the house.""
She gestured toward the office.
"Your father works himself to death, and somehow every decision still revolves around you.""
I stared at her.
"He promised my mother.""
Rhonda's expression changed.
"Don't bring Lisa into this.""
"She left that money for me.""
"Lisa is dead.""
The words struck harder than I expected.
I felt my throat close.
Rhonda continued.
"And Daniel needs to stop living in the past.""
I took a step toward her.
"You're not allowed to talk about my mother like that.""
"Then stop using her as a weapon.""
I heard a car engine outside.
Rhonda glanced toward the window.
Her phone vibrated.
She looked at the screen and answered immediately.
"Not now," she whispered.
A man's voice came through faintly.
She turned away from me.
"She's found the folder.""
Silence.
Then:
"No. She doesn't know about the second account.""
I stopped moving.
Rhonda looked over her shoulder.
Her eyes met mine.
She ended the call.
"What second account?"" I asked.
"Nothing.""
"You just said it.""
"I was talking about something else.""
"Who was that?""
"Someone who helps with the property.""
"What's his name?""
She moved closer.
"Madison, I am giving you one last opportunity to walk away from this.""
I picked up my phone.
"Then give me a reason.""
She stared at me for several seconds.
Then she laughed.
"Your father has been away for twenty-eight days at a time for years. You really think he knows what happens here?""
My stomach tightened.
"What does that mean?""
"It means he doesn't know you.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"He knows me better than you do.""
"Does he?""
She pointed toward the stairs.
"Who paid your school fees? Who bought your clothes? Who made sure you had a roof over your head while he was away?""
"My dad.""
"With money I managed.""
She stepped closer.
"And now you're going to destroy everything because you think you're entitled to a car and a college fund.""
I looked at the blue envelope.
Then at the phone.
I understood something.
Rhonda wasn't worried about the money I'd found.
She was worried about what else was hidden.
I needed to get out.
I needed to find Dad.
And I needed to make sure she couldn't destroy the evidence.
I slipped the envelope into my graduation gown pocket.
"I'm going upstairs.""
"Give me the phone first.""
"No.""
She reached for my wrist.
I pulled away.
"Don't touch me.""
Her fingers closed around my sleeve.
"Madison, stop acting like a child!""
I twisted free and ran.
Up the stairs.
Into my bedroom.
I locked the door.
Rhonda hit it once with her palm.
"Open this door!""
I shoved my desk chair beneath the handle.
Then I called Aunt Karen.
She answered immediately.
"Madison?""
"She's here. She knows I found the recording.""
"Where are you?""
"In my bedroom.""
"Stay there. I'm coming.""
"Karen, there's something about a second account.""
Silence.
Then she asked:
"Did you hear that in the recording?""
"Yes.""
"Madison, listen to me. Your mother had another policy.""
I sat down.
"What?""
"An investment account. Separate from the life insurance money.""
"How much?""
"I don't know exactly.""
"Who owned it?""
"Lisa.""
I gripped the phone.
"Why didn't Dad tell me?""
"He may not have known.""
"That doesn't make sense.""
Karen exhaled.
"Your mother established it before she got sick. She told me it was meant to protect you if anything happened to her.""
"Where is it?""
"I don't know. But I remember something.""
"What?""
"She said the account was held in trust by a company in Savannah.""
I looked at the papers scattered across my bed.
"Do you remember the name?""
Karen hesitated.
"Peachtree Coastal Trust.""
I wrote it down.
Then I heard the front door slam downstairs.
A man's voice called out.
"Rhonda?""
I froze.
Karen heard it.
"Who is that?""
"I don't know.""
I moved toward the door and pressed my ear against it.
Rhonda's voice floated up the stairs.
"You're early.""
The man laughed.
"Had to make sure everything was handled.""
I looked at my phone.
Karen whispered:
"Madison, do not go downstairs.""
I recognized the man's voice.
It was the same voice from the recording.
"What do you want me to do?"" I whispered.
"Call the police if you need to. I'm five minutes away.""
The footsteps moved into Dad's office.
Then I heard the man speak.
"Did she get the envelope?""
Rhonda answered.
"Yes.""
"Did she hear the recording?""
"I think so.""
The man cursed.
Then he said:
"Then we have a bigger problem.""
Rhonda's voice dropped.
"Daniel is coming home tomorrow.""
"No," the man said.
"He's coming home tomorrow if the helicopter flies.""
A pause.
Then:
"There's another way to keep him offshore.""
My blood turned cold.
Rhonda whispered:
"What are you suggesting?""
The man answered:
"Make sure he never gets the chance to ask questions.""
I covered my mouth.
Karen was still on the phone.
"Madison? What happened?""
I couldn't speak.
The man continued.
"We've already got the documents. We just need Daniel's final signature.""
Rhonda sounded nervous.
"And if he refuses?""
"Then the daughter becomes the problem.""
I heard a chair scrape across the floor.
Then the man said something that made me drop the phone.
"After all, the girl is the beneficiary of the other account.""
My heart pounded.
They knew.
They knew about my mother's second account.
And they were afraid of it.
I crawled toward the phone and picked it up.
"Karen?""
"I'm here.""
"I heard everything.""
"Get out of that house now.""
"I can't. They're downstairs.""
"Madison, listen to me. I'm calling the police.""
Before I could answer, my bedroom doorknob began turning.
Once.
Twice.
Then Rhonda spoke from the other side.
"Madison, open the door.""
I didn't move.
Her voice softened.
"Sweetheart, there's someone here who wants to talk to you.""
The man spoke behind her.
"Madison Ellis?""
I recognized his voice.
It was the man from the recording.
"Your father asked me to help with a family matter.""
I stared at the door.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from Dad.
Baby girl. I'm on the ground. Helicopter just landed.
I nearly cried with relief.
Then another message appeared.
I'm at the airport. Someone from the rig office just told me Rhonda called asking them to delay my departure.
My stomach dropped.
A third message came through.
Madison, I need you to answer one question.
I stared at the screen.
Did you find the blue envelope?
I typed:
Yes, Dad.
His reply arrived immediately.
Did you see the photograph inside?
I looked down at the envelope.
I hadn't examined every page.
I pulled it from my pocket and opened it again.
Behind the bank transfers was a photograph.
It showed my mother standing beside a young woman in front of a building.
A bank.
On the back, Mom had written five words in blue ink.
For Madison. When she turns eighteen.
I turned the photograph over.
The young woman beside Mom wasn't Aunt Karen.
It wasn't Rhonda.
It wasn't anyone I'd ever seen.
Then I noticed the small nameplate on the building.
*PEACHTREE COASTAL TRUST.*
And underneath the photograph was a folded letter addressed to me.
My mother's handwriting.
I unfolded it with trembling fingers.
The first sentence made my heart stop.
My darling Madison, if you're reading this, it means someone has already tried to take what I left for you.
I heard the lock click.
Rhonda had a key.
The door began opening.
May you like
And beneath my mother's first sentence was a second line.
Your father doesn't know the truth about who you really inherited this money from.
