Chapter 5 - THE TRUSTEE
Grant Holloway had managed Sophie’s trust since my father died.
I had never liked the arrangement.
My father created the account shortly before his death.
One million dollars.
Half for Sophie’s education and medical needs.
Half available to her at twenty-five.
Our mother insisted Grant remain trustee because he was “neutral.”
I had accepted it.
That decision began to feel dangerous.
I called Grant.
“Were you at Preston’s car yesterday at 3:24?”
He paused.
“I attended the wedding.”
“That wasn't my question.”
“I spoke briefly with Preston.”
“What did he give you?”
“Nothing.”
“Security footage says otherwise.”
Another pause.
Then his lawyer voice arrived.
“Evelyn, Sophie has been injured. I understand emotions are high.”
“If you say ‘emotions are high’ one more time, I’m going to assume you're lying.”
He sighed.
“Preston gave me documents related to family planning.”
“What documents?”
“Privileged.”
“My daughter’s trust?”
“I’m not discussing client matters.”
“You are trustee of my daughter’s money.”
“And I have always administered it responsibly.”
I asked for the latest statement.
“I can provide the scheduled annual accounting.”
“When?”
“Next quarter.”
“I want it now.”
Silence.
“Why?”
“Because you met my brother beside the car where he hid a jewelry box before he accused Sophie of stealing the necklace.”
“That interpretation is irresponsible.”
“Send the statement.”
I hung up.
Thirty minutes later, an email arrived.
Not from Grant.
From his assistant.
A trust summary.
Current balance:
$612,440.
I stared at it.
Sophie’s trust should have held considerably more.
Market fluctuations could explain some changes.
Approved distributions could explain others.
But I had authorized only school tuition, a summer program, and medical expenses over the years.
Nothing close to four hundred thousand dollars.
I requested transaction detail.
Grant’s office refused without “administrative review.”
Detective Reyes told me the trust issue was separate from Sophie’s assault.
For now.
I contacted an independent trust attorney, Rachel Kim.
She reviewed the summary.
“This isn't enough to conclude anything.”
“I know.”
“But the decline deserves an accounting.”
“Can the trustee refuse me?”
“You are Sophie’s parent, but the trust terms matter.”
I sent her the documents.
Ten minutes later she called back.
“Evelyn, who is trust protector?”
“What?”
“The document gives someone authority to replace the trustee and approve extraordinary distributions.”
“I didn't know that.”
“Your mother.”
Of course.
Our mother had always described herself as having no control over Sophie’s trust.
The legal document said otherwise.
Then Rachel found something else.
An amendment adopted eighteen months earlier.
It expanded Grant’s authority to make “family preservation distributions” with the trust protector’s written approval.
My signature appeared beneath parental acknowledgment.
I had never seen the amendment.
I had never signed it.
The accusation against Sophie had now touched the money my father left her.
May you like
And my name was already sitting on a document I did not recognize.
📖 Preston’s meeting with Grant led straight to missing money in Sophie’s trust, and the first suspicious amendment carried a signature that looked exactly like mine. 👇
