Chapter 8: The Person My Mother Trusted
The name on the amendment was Margaret Ellis.
My mother's older sister.
My aunt.
I had not seen her since I was eight years old.
Victoria had told my father that Aunt Margaret moved overseas after my mother's funeral.
She said Margaret didn't want anything to do with our family.
I remembered asking about her once.
Victoria had told me:
"Your aunt abandoned you. Don't waste time thinking about people who don't care.""
But now I was looking at a document proving my mother had chosen Margaret to protect me.
My father stared at the amendment.
"Margaret?""
Rachel nodded.
"According to the original document, Sarah appointed her sister as Emily's emergency guardian and trustee representative.""
My father sat down slowly.
"Why didn't I know about this?""
The investigator answered.
"Because the amended will was never properly filed with the estate administrator. Someone removed it from the original legal package.""
Rachel looked at the document.
"The signature appears genuine, but we'll need the original examined.""
My father rubbed his forehead.
"Where is Margaret now?""
Rachel began searching through the contact information in the estate file.
"There's an address in Vermont.""
My father looked surprised.
"She never went overseas?""
"Not according to these records.""
I felt something strange in my chest.
My aunt hadn't abandoned me.
Someone had kept us apart.
Rachel found a phone number.
She called.
It rang several times.
Then a woman's voice answered.
"Hello?""
Rachel introduced herself and explained that she represented Daniel Carter.
There was a long silence.
Then the woman asked:
"Is Emily safe?""
I sat up.
My father looked at me.
Rachel replied:
"She's with her father now.""
The woman's voice broke.
"Thank God.""
My father took the phone.
"Margaret?""
"Daniel?""
"It's me.""
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Margaret said:
"Where have you been? I've been trying to reach Emily for years.""
My father closed his eyes.
"What happened?""
Margaret began crying.
"Victoria told me you didn't want me contacting your daughter. She said you blamed me for Sarah's death.""
My father stood.
"What?""
"She said you thought I had interfered in Sarah's treatment. She told me you wanted nothing to do with me.""
I looked at my father.
He shook his head.
"Margaret, that's not true.""
"I know that now.""
Her voice trembled.
"Daniel, I tried to send letters. I sent birthday cards. I even sent Christmas presents. They all came back.""
My father looked toward the hallway.
Victoria had returned earlier that afternoon to collect some belongings while he was speaking with Rachel.
She had not been allowed inside the study.
Now she was sitting in the guest room, waiting for her attorney.
"Margaret," he said, "we need to talk about Sarah's will.""
The woman went quiet.
Then she said:
"I wondered when you would find it.""
My father frowned.
"You knew about the amendment?""
"Yes. Sarah called me three days before she died.""
My throat tightened.
"What did Mom say?""
Margaret's voice softened.
"She told me she was worried about you.""
I looked at Dad.
He stared at the floor.
"Why?"" he asked.
Margaret continued.
"She said she had discovered some unusual activity involving her financial accounts. She thought someone had been trying to access money she had set aside for Emily.""
My father gripped the phone.
"Did she name Victoria?""
"No. Victoria wasn't in your life yet.""
I frowned.
Then who had been accessing the money?
Margaret continued.
"Sarah said she had spoken to someone at the bank. She was planning to change the trust arrangements and make sure Emily would always have an independent guardian if anything happened to her.""
My father looked at Rachel.
Rachel immediately began taking notes.
"Did she say who was involved?""
Margaret hesitated.
"She said a man she trusted had been helping her with financial matters.""
My father asked:
"Who?""
Margaret replied:
"Michael.""
The same name from the recording.
Victoria's brother.
I looked at Rachel.
She stopped writing.
My father spoke carefully.
"Are you certain?""
"Yes. Sarah had met him through a charity organization. He offered to help her manage some investments.""
My father looked sick.
"How long before she died?""
"About six months.""
Silence filled the room.
My mother's death had been described as a sudden medical complication.
Nobody had ever questioned it.
But now we were learning that she had discovered financial irregularities before she died.
Rachel interrupted.
"Margaret, do you have any correspondence from Sarah?""
"Yes. I kept everything.""
"Would you be willing to send copies to us?""
"Of course.""
Margaret paused.
Then she asked:
"Can I speak to Emily?""
Rachel handed me the phone.
I held it with both hands.
"Hello?""
"Oh, sweetheart.""
Her voice sounded familiar, even though I barely remembered it.
"It's Aunt Margaret.""
I swallowed.
"Hi.""
"I've wanted to talk to you for so long.""
I didn't know what to say.
"Did you really send me birthday cards?""
"Every year.""
My eyes filled.
"Why didn't I get them?""
She started crying.
"I don't know, darling. But I'm going to make sure you get every single one I kept.""
I pressed the phone against my ear.
"Did Mom love me?""
Margaret answered immediately.
"More than anything.""
"Did she know I would be okay?""
There was a pause.
"She wanted you to be okay. That's why she made those arrangements.""
I started crying.
My father put his arm around me.
For the first time, I felt like I was getting a piece of my mother back.
Margaret promised to come to see us.
After the call ended, Rachel asked the investigator to examine Michael's financial records and the original trust documents.
Then she turned toward my father.
"Daniel, we need to consider another possibility.""
"What?""
"Victoria may not have been the person who originally gained access to Sarah's assets.""
My father stared at her.
Rachel continued.
"Her brother may have introduced her to the accounts, the documents, and the methods used to move the money.""
My father sat silently.
Then he asked:
"Do you think Victoria knew about the original financial irregularities before she married me?""
Rachel didn't answer immediately.
"That's something the investigation needs to establish.""
That evening, I was sitting in the living room when Victoria came downstairs.
She was holding a glass of water.
She looked at me.
Then she looked at the photograph of my mother on the table.
"Your father is making a huge mistake.""
I didn't respond.
She placed the glass down.
"Do you think all this will make your life better?""
I looked at her.
"Yes.""
She laughed.
"You're naive.""
I stood up.
"You told me my aunt didn't want me.""
Victoria's face changed.
"Who told you that?""
"My aunt.""
Victoria tightened her fingers around the glass.
"Your aunt is a liar.""
"She sent me birthday cards.""
Victoria looked away.
"She should have stayed out of this.""
I felt my anger rising.
"You kept her away from me.""
Victoria stepped closer.
"Your mother made many mistakes, Emily. You should stop pretending she was perfect.""
I froze.
"What does that mean?""
She smiled faintly.
"Ask your father why he never told you what really happened before your mother died.""
My stomach tightened.
"What are you talking about?""
Victoria picked up her glass.
"Nothing. Just something you should think about.""
She walked toward the stairs.
I rushed to my father.
"Dad!""
He came out of the study.
"What happened?""
"Victoria said Mom made mistakes before she died. She said you never told me the truth.""
My father's expression changed.
He looked toward the stairs.
Then he took my hands.
"Emily, your mother was sick.""
"I know.""
"But before she died, she told me something.""
"What?""
He hesitated.
"She said someone close to us was trying to take what belonged to you.""
I stared at him.
"Who?""
My father looked toward Rachel's closed office door.
May you like
Then he said:
"Your mother believed she was being watched.""
