Chapter 10 - Walter’s LettersThe red folder was not found at Briarwood.
Maya obtained it through discovery after Tabitha’s attorney disclosed stored family materials.
Inside were nine letters from Walter Rowan to Caroline.
Thaddeus felt strange reading them.
His father had been difficult.
Charismatic in business.
Controlling at home.
He loved Thaddeus but rarely said it directly.
Why had he written to Caroline?
The first letter explained.
Caroline,
You are the only person in this family willing to tell Tabitha no without eventually apologizing for it.
Thaddeus almost laughed.
That sounded like his father.
Then:
I failed her when she was young.
Walter described Tabitha caring for Thaddeus after their mother died.
Too much responsibility.
Too early.
Walter drank.
Worked.
Expected Tabitha to function like an adult at seventeen.
Then, once she became an adult, he refused to trust her professionally.
I taught her she was responsible for everyone and then punished her for believing that gave her authority.
Thaddeus stopped.
There was Tabitha’s wound.
Not excuse.
Origin.
Walter continued:
Magnolia Ridge was my attempt to give her something of her own. It was a coward’s solution. I gave her land instead of telling her I was sorry.
Again.
Money replacing emotion.
A family tradition.
Then later letters.
Walter had discovered Tabitha taking unauthorized advances from family accounts years before Caroline’s illness.
Smaller amounts.
Always repaid.
Usually.
He confronted her privately.
Never told Thaddeus.
Why?
I did not want him to lose the sister who raised him.
Thaddeus closed his eyes.
Protection through secrecy.
Again.
Walter wrote:
If I die before I fix this, do not let Tabitha manage Thaddeus’s personal finances. He will allow it because guilt makes him generous.
Thaddeus laughed bitterly.
Dead people had understood him too well.
Then the most important letter.
Written two months before Walter died.
I am changing my estate plan.
Tabitha will receive her share directly.
She will not serve as trustee for Thaddeus or any future grandchildren.
Caroline had underlined that sentence.
Then:
She will think you caused it.
There.
Tabitha believed Caroline had stolen her role.
In reality, Walter made the decision.
But he apparently never told Tabitha directly before death.
Afterward, Caroline knew.
Tabitha found out.
Resentment attached itself to Caroline.
Then another letter.
If Tabitha ever tells Grayson he is less Rowan because of you, remind her that being a Rowan has never been the achievement she thinks it is.
Thaddeus laughed despite himself.
Then became serious.
Walter had predicted Tabitha would target Grayson’s legitimacy within the family.
Not biological legitimacy.
Belonging.
Grayson was Caroline’s son.
In Tabitha’s mind, Caroline’s victory continued through him.
Thaddeus showed Maya.
“This explains the word bastard.”
“Possibly.”
“She thinks Caroline displaced her.”
“And Grayson represents Caroline’s place.”
“Yes.”
Maya nodded.
“Still motive.”
“Not permission.”
“I know.”
Then Laura found another financial pattern.
Before Walter died, Tabitha had borrowed $175,000 from the family investment LLC.
Repaid after Walter confronted her.
No police.
No lawsuit.
No formal consequence.
That mattered.
Tabitha learned something.
If she returned money eventually, the family would treat unauthorized use as a private misunderstanding.
Later, when Magnolia Ridge needed more, she simply scaled the behavior.
Why wouldn’t she?
No one had ever forced the first boundary to matter.
Thaddeus stared at the old records.
“My father protected her.”
“Yes.”
“And I protected her.”
“Yes.”
“Caroline tried to stop.”
“Yes.”
Maya did not soften.
Good.
Then Bernice entered with Grayson’s backpack.
“Mr. Rowan.”
“What?”
“I found something.”
Inside one side pocket was a small brass key.
Thaddeus stared.
“Where did he get that?”
Grayson appeared in the doorway.
“Mom’s desk.”
Thaddeus crouched.
“When?”
“Before Aunt Tabitha got mad.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I forgot.”
“What does it open?”
Grayson shrugged.
“There was a note.”
“What note?”
“I lost it.”
“Do you remember what it said?”
Grayson thought.
Then:
“Mom said…”
He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to remember.
“‘If the blue folder is gone… use the box in the bank.’”
Maya looked at Thaddeus.
Safe-deposit box.
Another copy.
Caroline had known Tabitha might destroy evidence.
She had built redundancy.
Then Grayson added:
“And she wrote…”
He hesitated.
“‘Do not let Tabitha tell him this is about money.’”
Thaddeus’s expression changed.
May you like
If it wasn’t ultimately about money—
what was it about?
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