Chapter 10 - Storage Unit 214
Police accompanied Daniel and Rebecca to the storage facility.
Unit 214 contained four cardboard boxes.
Nothing looked worth forty-two million dollars.
Then Rebecca opened the first box.
Bank statements.
The second contained trust correspondence.
The third held old company seals and notarization stamps.
The fourth contained copies of emails.
Hundreds of them.
Margaret had been careful electronically.
Evelyn had been more careful on paper.
She had printed everything.
One email from Margaret read:
Once the Bell report is delivered, Daniel will stop asking questions.
Another:
The original test must never reach him.
Daniel gripped the page.
Rebecca continued reading.
Then she stopped.
“What?”
She handed Daniel another email.
Subject: C.
Claire.
Margaret had written:
She found the acknowledgment date. Keep her away from Sloan until this is resolved.
Daniel felt nauseated.
There was still no evidence Margaret caused Claire’s death.
But there was overwhelming evidence she tried to stop Claire from exposing the fraud.
At the bottom of the final box was a ledger.
Payments to Dr. Raymond Bell.
Payments to a notary.
Payments to shell companies.
And repeated transfers into the Lucas Carter trust.
Rebecca calculated quickly.
“This wasn't forty-two million.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What?”
“With appreciation, distributions, and diverted dividends?”
She turned the ledger.
“Closer to sixty-eight million.”
Daniel couldn't speak.
Then police found one more object.
A voice recorder.
Evelyn had recorded a meeting held shortly after Claire died.
Margaret’s voice was unmistakable.
“Claire is gone. Daniel is broken. We proceed.”
A man asked:
“And the baby?”
Margaret replied:
“The baby becomes irrelevant once Daniel believes he isn't his.”
Silence filled the storage unit.
Daniel closed his eyes.
There it was.
Not speculation.
Not suspicion.
Her plan.
Rebecca whispered:
“We have her.”
But the recording continued.
Then Margaret said something none of them expected.
“If Daniel ever discovers Lucas isn't real, we use Michael.”
Daniel opened his eyes.
Michael.
His dead brother.
“What does that mean?”
The answer wasn't on the recording.
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But Evelyn had left one final folder marked:
MICHAEL CARTER — ORIGINAL.
