Chapter 6 - Grandma Knew
Daniel grabbed the edge of the table.
“Charles died nineteen years ago.”
Margaret shook her head.
“There was a funeral.”
“So was David’s.”
Silence.
Marcus looked between them.
“This family likes empty boxes.”
Margaret flinched.
Daniel said, “Where is Charles?”
“I don’t know.”
“Lie.”
“I haven’t seen him in twelve years.”
“So he’s alive.”
“Yes.”
Daniel walked away, then back.
“How?”
“He staged a medical death and transferred control through Sloan.”
“Sloan knows?”
“Parts.”
“Who knows everything?”
Margaret looked at Marcus.
“David did.”
Marcus’s phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
One image.
The baseball-field photograph.
Different angle.
Closer.
Text beneath it:
STOP LOOKING FOR DAVID.
Daniel took the phone.
No sender.
Marcus said, “Too late.”
Margaret stood.
“You need to leave.”
“Why?”
“Because if Charles knows the DNA test happened—”
“He knows.”
“He will move.”
“Against Marcus?”
Margaret did not answer.
That was enough.
Daniel said, “What does the trust do when Marcus turns eighteen?”
Margaret’s face changed.
Marcus noticed.
“My birthday is in twelve days.”
Daniel turned slowly.
Margaret sat again.
“The original trust has a male-line trigger.”
Marcus laughed without humor.
“Of course it does.”
“If David’s first legally recognized male descendant reaches eighteen, part of the voting block becomes irrevocable.”
“How much?”
“Enough to matter.”
“Enough to kill for?”
Margaret looked away.
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Who gets it if Marcus dies before eighteen?”
“I don’t know.”
“You do.”
“No.”
“You’re the family trustee.”
“Not anymore.”
“What?”
“Someone activated an old power of attorney.”
“Whose?”
“My mother’s.”
Daniel stared.
“Grandma Ruth has been dead nineteen years.”
“Yes.”
Marcus whispered, “Someone is using dead people to run the trust.”
Margaret looked at him.
“That is what Charles built.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“You helped him.”
“I helped you survive him.”
“And David?”
She closed her eyes.
“I failed David.”
Marcus’s phone buzzed again.
This time a video attachment.
David outside the school.
He walked toward the camera.
He held up the Carter ring.
Then pointed across the street.
The camera turned.
A black SUV.
Margaret’s household security contractor.
Daniel looked at her.
“Your people.”
“I didn’t order that.”
“Then who did?”
Her home phone rang.
Old landline.
Margaret froze.
Daniel answered.
A man’s voice.
Old.
Dry.
Familiar from childhood.
“Daniel.”
His hand went numb.
“Grandpa?”
The voice laughed softly.
“Your mother always was bad at keeping boys hidden.”
Marcus stared.
Daniel whispered, “Charles.”
Then Charles said:
“Twelve days.”
May you like
The line went dead.
CUT.
