Chapter 4 - The Trust Claire Never Knew About
Claire didn’t sleep that night.
She sat beside Lily’s crib in her sister Megan’s house, listening to her daughter breathe.
Ethan still hadn’t called.
Walter had been removed from the property while police reviewed the evidence.
But Claire knew neither man was finished.
At 2:13 a.m., her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She answered.
A woman said:
“Are you Claire Hale?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Margaret Bell. I was your mother-in-law’s attorney.”
Claire sat up.
Ethan’s mother, Eleanor, had died nine months earlier.
Claire had liked her.
Eleanor had adored Lily.
“Why are you calling me?”
“Because something happened today involving Walter.”
Claire went cold.
“How do you know?”
“Walter called me.”
“Why?”
“He demanded access to a trust account.”
Claire looked toward Lily.
“What trust?”
Margaret went silent.
Then:
“You truly don’t know.”
“No.”
“Eleanor established an irrevocable trust for Lily shortly before she died.”
Claire’s mouth went dry.
“How much?”
“Approximately eight-point-four million dollars.”
Claire almost dropped the phone.
Eleanor had inherited land outside Austin decades earlier.
Developers bought most of it during the final years of her life.
Claire knew she had money.
She had never imagined this.
“Why didn’t Ethan tell me?”
“He knew.”
Claire closed her eyes.
Of course he did.
Margaret continued.
“Neither Ethan nor Walter controls the money.”
“Who does?”
“I’m the independent trustee until Lily turns twenty-five.”
“Then why would they think getting custody changes anything?”
“Because Eleanor included a special provision.”
Claire waited.
“If Lily’s primary custodial parent becomes medically incapacitated, imprisoned, or legally unfit, her father may petition to become co-trustee for education and housing expenditures.”
Claire understood immediately.
“They’re trying to make me look unfit.”
“I believe so.”
Claire remembered Ethan’s recording.
Make sure the camera gets everything.
Push her until she reacts.
Walter chained Lily.
Insulted her.
Waited for Claire.
Claire had slapped him.
And someone had been filming.
The whole scene had been a trap.
They wanted footage of Claire attacking an elderly man.
Margaret’s voice softened.
“There’s more.”
“What?”
“Eleanor did not trust Walter.”
Claire wasn’t surprised.
“She left me a sealed file to open if he ever challenged Lily’s trust.”
Claire stood.
“What’s in it?”
“I don’t know yet.”
“When can we open it?”
Margaret hesitated.
“Tomorrow.”
Then she added:
“But Claire, Walter asked about that file tonight.”
Claire’s pulse jumped.
“How does he know it exists?”
“I never told him.”
Someone else had.
And only three people besides Margaret had been present when Eleanor signed the trust.
One was dead.
May you like
One was Margaret.
The third was Ethan.
