Chapter 7: The Three Days Before Robert Died
I didn't sleep that night.
At six in the morning, I made coffee and sat in Robert's study.
The photograph Brooke had sent remained open on my phone.
It showed a document dated three days before Robert died.
The signature looked real.
I knew my husband's handwriting better than anyone.
But the document itself was unfamiliar.
At 8:05, Daniel called.
“Margaret, I received your message. Please don't respond to Brooke.””
“Why did Robert change his will three days before he died?””
Daniel exhaled.
“Because he discovered a discrepancy in the company records.””
“What kind of discrepancy?””
“An unauthorized transfer request.””
I gripped my coffee mug.
“Who submitted it?””
“We're still investigating.””
“Daniel, I need the truth.””
He paused.
“Robert amended his estate documents to protect your ownership of Collins Holdings. He also created an independent trust to prevent anyone from using Ethan's inheritance to gain control of the company.””
“Why didn't he tell me?””
“He wanted to discuss it with you, but his condition deteriorated.””
I closed my eyes.
I remembered those final days.
Robert had been tired, but still alert enough to joke with the nurses.
On his last afternoon, he'd asked me to bring him his favorite blue sweater.
He'd held my hand and said, “Promise me you'll be strong, Maggie.””
I'd thought he was talking about learning to live without him.
Now I wondered whether he'd been trying to warn me.
Daniel continued.
“There's a meeting scheduled for Monday. I want you there with the original records.””
“I'll be there.””
“And Margaret?””
“Yes?””
“Bring the photograph Brooke sent you. I believe it may be connected to the unauthorized transfer request.””
After the call, I went through Robert's desk again.
This time, I found a small black notebook hidden behind a row of old tax files.
It contained handwritten entries.
Dates.
Company names.
Account numbers.
And several references to Frank Harrington.
On the final page, Robert had written:
If Frank returns, check the old partnership account. The missing money was never recovered.
I read the sentence several times.
Then I called Daniel.
“There's a notebook.””
He became very quiet.
“Describe it.””
I did.
“Don't alter anything,” he said.
“Bring it to my office.””
Before I could leave, someone knocked on my front door.
I opened it.
Brooke stood outside.
She was wearing sunglasses, a cream-colored coat, and carrying a designer handbag.
“Margaret.””
I didn't step aside.
“Why are you here?””
“We need to talk woman to woman.””
“About what?””
She removed her sunglasses.
“Ethan.””
I looked at her.
“Then talk.””
She glanced down the street.
“Can I come in?””
I considered refusing.
Then I remembered the way she'd spoken to me at Christmas.
I wanted to hear what she had to say.
I stepped aside.
Brooke walked into the living room and looked at the flowers Ethan had left.
“Those are pretty.””
“They were a gift.””
She nodded.
Then she sat down.
“Margaret, I know things have become unpleasant.””
“Unpleasant?””
She sighed.
“I didn't mean for Christmas to happen that way.””
“You told me my cooking didn't fit your theme.””
“I was under pressure.””
“You told me to take it away.””
“Because the caterer had already prepared everything.””
“And Ethan told me not to embarrass him.””
Brooke looked down.
“Ethan shouldn't have said that.””
I waited.
She reached into her handbag and removed a folded piece of paper.
“Your son is in serious trouble.””
I didn't take it.
“What kind of trouble?””
“Frank's investors are demanding their money. The project has been delayed, and Ethan's personal guarantees are now a problem.””
“Then he needs to speak to his attorney.””
“He needs his mother.””
I almost smiled.
“Interesting. Yesterday, I was too inappropriate to sit at your Christmas table. Today, I'm appropriate enough to rescue your finances.””
Her cheeks reddened.
“That's unfair.””
“Is it?””
She leaned forward.
“Margaret, I married Ethan because I love him.””
I studied her face.
“Then why are you asking me to sign documents that could put his family home at risk?””
She hesitated.
“Dad said the house would eventually be transferred to us.””
“Your father doesn't own it.””
“Robert promised.””
“Robert left a written agreement. It says otherwise.””
Brooke's expression changed.
“Your husband wasn't always honest with you.””
I stood.
“Leave.””
She remained seated.
“Please. Just listen.””
“No.””
“There's something you don't know about Ethan's finances.””
I stopped.
“What?””
She opened her handbag and pulled out another document.
This one was a bank statement.
Ethan's personal investment account showed a balance of nearly $400,000 six months earlier.
The current balance was less than $18,000.
I looked up.
“Where did the money go?””
Brooke's eyes filled.
“Frank used some of it for the project.””
“Did Ethan authorize that?””
“He thought it was an investment.””
“And the rest?””
She looked away.
“Dad said he needed temporary access.””
I studied her.
“Brooke, did you know about the unauthorized company documents?””
She didn't answer.
That silence told me more than any confession.
I picked up my phone.
“I'm calling Daniel.””
Her face tightened.
“No! Margaret, please.””
“Why not?””
“Because he'll make everything worse.””
“Worse for whom?””
She stood abruptly.
“For all of us!””
Then she said something that stopped me cold.
“Dad has been keeping records of payments made to your husband. If those records become public, people will start asking questions about Robert's death.””
I felt the room tilt.
“What did you say?””
Brooke's lips parted.
She seemed to realize she'd said too much.
“Nothing.””
“No. Repeat that.””
She grabbed her handbag.
“I have to go.””
I stepped toward her.
“Brooke, what does my husband's death have to do with your father?””
She reached for the door.
I followed her.
“Did Frank have something to do with Robert's death?””
She turned around.
“I didn't say that.””
“But you implied it.””
“Margaret, you're twisting my words.””
I opened the door.
“Get out.””
She walked onto the porch.
Before leaving, she turned back.
“Your husband wasn't the innocent businessman you think he was.””
I watched her get into her car.
Then I locked the door and immediately called Daniel.
I repeated every word.
When I mentioned Robert's death, Daniel became silent.
Finally, he said:
“Margaret, I need you to come to my office immediately.””
“Why?””
“Because three days before Robert died, he asked me to investigate a payment made by Frank Harrington to a private consulting company.””
My heart began pounding.
“What company?””
Daniel gave me a name.
I recognized it.
It was the same company listed in Robert's notebook.
Then Daniel added:
“And Margaret, that company was registered to a woman named Brooke Harrington.””
I sat down.
The woman who had thrown away my Christmas cooking.
The woman who had told me to stay away from the business.
The woman who now claimed to know secrets about my husband.
She wasn't just connected to Frank's investment project.
May you like
She had been connected to the financial investigation before Robert died.
And suddenly, I understood why my husband had changed his will.
