Chapter 3 - Grayson Had Seen the Lawyer at NightThaddeus called Silas Crowe immediately.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
He sent one message.
CALL ME NOW.
Then he contacted the trust administrator.
“Freeze everything.”
The woman on the line sounded confused.
“Mr. Mercer?”
“All outgoing transactions.”
“There are pending instructions—”
“Freeze them.”
“What instructions?”
A pause.
“An additional disbursement request.”
“How much?”
“Two point four million.”
Thaddeus nearly dropped the phone.
“To Harbor Ridge?”
“Yes.”
“Cancel it.”
“We need written—”
“My signature was forged.”
Silence.
Then the administrator became very serious.
“I’ll alert compliance.”
“Do that.”
He ended the call.
Tabitha stood near the bookshelves.
“Now you’ve frightened people over nothing.”
Thaddeus looked at her.
“Eight hundred thousand dollars is nothing?”
“You don’t know what those transfers were for.”
“Do you?”
“No.”
“Then stop answering questions I didn’t ask you.”
Her jaw tightened.
Bernice quietly moved toward the hallway.
“Where are you going?” Tabitha asked.
“To sit with Grayson.”
Thaddeus nodded.
“Thank you.”
Tabitha laughed.
“Of course. Saint Bernice.”
Bernice looked at her.
“No.”
Then toward Thaddeus.
“I should have spoken sooner.”
She left.
That sentence stayed with him.
He turned back to Tabitha.
“What does that mean?”
“What?”
“Bernice saying she should have spoken sooner.”
“How would I know?”
“Because I think you do.”
Tabitha crossed her arms.
“You’re angry. You’re making connections because you need everything to have one villain.”
“You abused my son.”
“I disciplined him.”
“You pulled him around while he cried.”
“He needs structure.”
“He needs you out of this house.”
Her face changed.
Fear.
Finally.
“Thaddeus.”
“No.”
“If I leave tonight, people will talk.”
“What people?”
“The family.”
“I don’t care.”
“The board.”
“Why would the board care where my sister sleeps?”
She hesitated.
There.
Another wrong response.
Thaddeus stared.
“What are you involved in?”
“Nothing.”
“Pack your bag.”
“Don’t do this.”
“You have thirty minutes.”
Tabitha looked at him.
Then walked upstairs.
Thaddeus waited until she disappeared before calling police.
He reported suspected financial fraud and child abuse.
He did not care about family embarrassment.
Not anymore.
Before officers arrived, Grayson came downstairs holding Bernice’s hand.
“Dad?”
Thaddeus immediately softened.
“What is it?”
The boy looked toward the staircase.
“Is Aunt Tabitha leaving?”
“Yes.”
“Forever?”
Thaddeus considered.
“She won’t be staying here.”
Grayson exhaled.
Relief.
Too much relief.
Thaddeus crouched.
“You don’t have to tell me everything tonight.”
“I know.”
“But is there something you think I should know right now?”
Grayson looked at Bernice.
She said:
“Tell him what you told me.”
The boy swallowed.
“The bald man came again.”
Thaddeus frowned.
“What bald man?”
“The one with glasses.”
His stomach tightened.
Silas Crowe was partially bald and wore thin-framed glasses.
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“Silas?”
Grayson shrugged.
“The paper man.”
“Why do you call him that?”
“Because Aunt Tabitha said he was here for papers.”
Thaddeus looked at Bernice.
“When did he come?”
Grayson answered:
“At night.”
“How late?”
“I was supposed to be asleep.”
“Where did you see him?”
“Dad’s office.”
“With Tabitha?”
“Yes.”
“Anyone else?”
Grayson thought.
“No.”
“What were they doing?”
“Talking.”
“About what?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s okay.”
Grayson looked nervous.
Then:
“They got mad when they saw me.”
Thaddeus felt cold.
“What happened?”
“Aunt Tabitha told me I was spying.”
“What did Silas say?”
“He said I should go back to bed.”
“Anything else?”
Grayson nodded.
“He asked if I had told you.”
“Told me what?”
“That he came.”
Thaddeus’s breathing slowed.
“And what did you say?”
“I said no.”
“Did Tabitha tell you not to?”
Grayson stared at the carpet.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“She said you’d get mad at me for being awake.”
Thaddeus closed his eyes briefly.
The manipulation was so simple.
So effective.
Make the child afraid that telling the truth would get him punished.
“Buddy.”
Grayson looked up.
“You will never be in trouble for telling me someone came into this house.”
“Okay.”
“Never.”
Grayson nodded.
Then his face changed.
“There was another thing.”
“What?”
“The fireplace.”
Thaddeus frowned.
“What fireplace?”
“In your office.”
“What about it?”
“They burned something.”
Bernice went still.
Thaddeus stared at his son.
“What did it look like?”
“Papers.”
“How many?”
“A lot.”
“Did you see them?”
Grayson nodded.
“Some had Mom’s name.”
Thaddeus stopped breathing.
Evelyn had been dead for three years.
“What do you mean?”
“I saw it.”
The boy sounded afraid he would not be believed.
“It said Evelyn Mercer.”
Thaddeus’s skin went cold.
His late wife’s name had been on documents Tabitha and Silas burned in his study.
The same attorney who had handled Evelyn’s estate.
The same attorney who supposedly witnessed Thaddeus’s forged signature.
And for the first time, Thaddeus wondered whether the fraud had actually begun three weeks ago.
May you like
Or three years ago—
when his wife died.
Related Stories
