Chapter 7 - WHAT CAITLYN OVERHEARDCaitlyn had not understood the conversation.
That was what made it believable.
She did not offer polished details.
She did not know what words meant.
She remembered fragments.
Grandma had been in Ethan’s old office two nights before the fire.
Caitlyn had gone downstairs for water.
The office door was partly open.
Grandma was speaking on the phone.
“She said something about a guardian,” Caitlyn told Megan.
“A guardian?”
“I thought she said garden.”
Megan almost smiled despite herself.
“What else?”
“She said your name.”
“What exactly?”
Caitlyn squeezed a stuffed rabbit.
“She said, ‘Megan won’t agree.’”
Megan waited.
“And then?”
“Something about court.”
“Court?”
“I think.”
Caitlyn looked nervous.
“You’re not mad?”
“No.”
“Grandma said listening at doors is rude.”
“You weren’t trying to listen.”
“I just wanted water.”
“I know.”
Caitlyn stared at the rabbit.
“Then she said when you were out of the way, everything changes.”
Megan’s stomach twisted.
Laura Bennett arranged another brief interview so Caitlyn would not have to repeat herself to multiple adults.
Caitlyn’s account remained nearly identical.
No dramatic additions.
No new villainous words.
Just fragments.
Guardian.
Court.
Megan won’t agree.
Out of the way.
Laura later met Megan in the hospital cafeteria.
“Do you know whether Evelyn has discussed guardianship?”
“No.”
“Has she ever threatened to seek custody?”
“She’s criticized me. She’s never filed anything.”
“Do you have a family lawyer?”
“The attorney who handled Ethan’s estate.”
“We need to talk to them.”
Megan nodded.
She had already called.
By afternoon, attorney Samuel Rhodes arrived.
He was in his late fifties, cautious and formal.
Ethan had trusted him.
Samuel sat across from Megan in a small conference room.
“I need to explain something.”
Megan immediately disliked his tone.
“What?”
“Ethan’s trust includes successor provisions.”
“I know.”
“Do you remember the details?”
“Not all of them.”
Samuel opened a copy.
“You are primary trustee for Caitlyn’s assets while she is a minor.”
“Yes.”
“If you die, resign, or are deemed legally incapable of serving, a successor takes your place.”
Megan looked at him.
“Evelyn.”
“Yes.”
Her mouth went dry.
Samuel continued.
“That doesn’t mean she receives the money. She would be obligated to manage it for Caitlyn.”
“But she would control it.”
“Subject to fiduciary duties and court oversight, yes.”
“How much is there?”
Samuel hesitated.
“Current valuation?”
“Yes.”
“Between the residence, remaining company interests, investments and insurance proceeds, approximately four-point-two million dollars.”
Megan stared.
She knew the assets were substantial.
She had never combined the numbers.
“Does Evelyn know?”
“She knew the structure when Ethan created it.”
“Does she know the current value?”
“She shouldn’t.”
“Shouldn’t?”
Samuel frowned.
“What happened?”
Megan told him about the statements Evelyn requested.
Samuel’s expression tightened.
“She had no authority to do that.”
“I know.”
“Did the firm release anything?”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll find out.”
Megan leaned forward.
“Has Evelyn contacted you?”
Samuel paused too long.
Megan felt cold.
“Samuel.”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Several weeks ago.”
“What did she want?”
“She asked hypothetical questions.”
“About what?”
“Successor trusteeship.”
Megan closed her eyes.
“What exactly?”
“What would happen if you were unable to continue managing Caitlyn’s affairs.”
“Unable how?”
“She mentioned illness.”
“Anything else?”
Samuel shifted.
“She asked whether losing custody would affect your role.”
Megan stared at him.
“And you didn’t tell me?”
“Nothing she asked was illegal. She is named in the trust.”
“She was planning something.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Megan stood.
Samuel raised a hand.
“There’s more.”
She stopped.
He removed another document from his briefcase.
“My office received this today.”
“What is it?”
“A preservation request from another law firm.”
Megan looked at the letterhead.
She did not recognize the name.
Samuel continued.
“They represent Evelyn.”
“For what?”
“They are requesting records relating to Caitlyn’s trust.”
Megan’s heartbeat accelerated.
“Why?”
“They wouldn’t say.”
She looked down at the date.
The document had been prepared before the fire.
Three days before.
Megan felt the room tilt.
Samuel pointed to a paragraph near the bottom.
“They specifically ask for information about the procedure for replacing a trustee when the primary caregiver becomes ‘deceased or legally unfit.’”
The words seemed to blur.
Deceased.
Or legally unfit.
Megan thought about the fire.
Caitlyn locked upstairs.
The camera turned off.
Evelyn standing outside the door.
May you like
And one possibility became impossible to ignore.
Maybe Caitlyn had not been the only person Evelyn expected to remove from the way.
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