Chapter 8: The Secret Frank Took to His Grave
I didn't sleep that night.
The message kept replaying in my mind.
Ask who visited him in the hospital the night before.
Frank had been in the hospital for eleven days before he died.
I'd spent nearly every hour beside him.
I remembered the smell of disinfectant.
The soft beeping of the monitors.
The nurses who spoke gently whenever they entered the room.
And the way Frank would squeeze my hand whenever he wanted me to know he was still there.
But there had been one evening when I'd gone home to shower and change.
I remembered because I'd been exhausted.
It was raining.
I had returned to the hospital around nine.
Frank had been awake.
He'd looked at me strangely.
“Eleanor,” he'd whispered.
“Yes, darling?””
“Did anyone come by?””
I had assumed he meant Daniel.
“Your son was here earlier.””
Frank shook his head.
“Not Daniel.””
I remembered asking who he meant.
But he had closed his eyes.
Then he'd said something I hadn't understood.
“Be careful with Harold.””
At the time, I'd thought the medication was making him confused.
Harold Simmons had been our accountant for thirty years.
Frank trusted him.
I trusted him too.
Now I wondered whether Frank had been trying to warn me.
At eight the next morning, I called Arthur.
“I need to know who visited Frank in the hospital the night before he died.””
Arthur didn't hesitate.
“I'll investigate.””
“And I want Harold Simmons's records reviewed.””
“Already in progress.””
I sat in the living room, holding Frank's old photograph.
By noon, Arthur called back.
“Eleanor, I've found the visitor records.””
“Who visited him?””
“Harold Simmons.””
I closed my eyes.
“What time?””
“8:32 p.m. He stayed for twenty-seven minutes.””
I remembered arriving shortly after nine.
“What else?””
Arthur paused.
“There's a second visitor.””
“Who?””
“Richard Cole.””
I stood.
“Richard?””
“Yes. The same financial consultant involved in the attempted transfer.””
I couldn't speak.
Arthur continued.
“There's something else. The hospital's records show that Frank requested a private meeting with his attorney the following morning.””
“Was that you?””
“No. It was the previous attorney who handled his estate documents before I took over.””
I frowned.
“Why didn't I know about this?””
“Perhaps Frank wanted to discuss something privately.””
I looked at the photograph in my hand.
“What did he change?””
Arthur took a breath.
“He amended one provision in his will.””
“Which one?””
“The provision relating to the family business.””
I sat down.
“Arthur, what did he write?””
“He added a clause requiring any proposed transfer of controlling ownership to undergo independent review if there were concerns about undue influence.””
I stared at the wall.
Frank had anticipated this.
Perhaps not the exact people.
But the possibility that someone might try to take advantage of his death.
“Did he leave a note?””
“Yes.””
Arthur paused.
“Eleanor, I think you should read it in person.””
We arranged to meet that afternoon.
Before leaving, I called Daniel.
He answered immediately.
“Mom?””
“Can you come with me to Arthur's office?””
“Of course. What's happened?””
“I'll explain when you arrive.””
He was there within thirty minutes.
Madison came too.
She had spent the previous night at a friend's apartment.
She looked tired.
But she didn't complain.
Arthur was waiting in the conference room.
On the table sat a sealed envelope.
My name was written across the front in Frank's handwriting.
I recognized it immediately.
My hands began trembling.
Arthur placed it in front of me.
“Frank left this with his previous attorney. It was to be delivered to you if questions arose about the amendment.””
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
My darling Eleanor,
If you're reading this, something has happened that I hoped would never happen.
I have spent my life believing that people can be trusted until they give us a reason not to trust them.
But lately, I've begun to worry about the people asking questions about our business.
Harold has been requesting information that doesn't concern him. Richard Cole has been approaching our partners with proposals I never approved.
I don't know what they intend to do.
But I know one thing.
They believe our business is an inheritance waiting to be divided.
It isn't.
It's a responsibility.
I want you to remember that the person who loves you most may not always be the person who wants what is best for you.
If Daniel is ever placed under pressure, protect him. He has a good heart, but he has always struggled to say no.
And if Madison ever becomes involved, remember that she is still young. Don't let anyone turn her into something she isn't.
I love you more than all the money we ever earned.
Your Frank.
I couldn't see the page clearly anymore.
Tears blurred the handwriting.
Daniel reached over and held my shoulder.
Madison was crying too.
“Grandpa knew,” she whispered.
Arthur nodded.
“He suspected something. But he didn't have enough evidence to act.””
I wiped my eyes.
“What about Harold?””
Arthur opened another folder.
“We've reviewed several years of company records. There are irregularities.””
“What kind?””
“Consulting payments to an outside company. The payments began shortly after Frank became ill.””
“How much?””
Arthur turned the page.
“Approximately $184,000 over three years.””
I stared at him.
“Where did the money go?””
“That's what we're investigating.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Could Harold have been stealing from the company?””
Arthur nodded.
“It's possible.””
I felt sick.
For thirty years, Harold had sat at our kitchen table.
He'd attended Frank's retirement dinner.
He'd sent flowers when Frank died.
And all that time, he might have been quietly taking money from the business.
My phone rang.
The caller ID showed Harold's name.
I looked at Arthur.
He nodded.
“Put it on speaker.””
I answered.
“Hello, Harold.””
“Eleanor! I've been trying to reach you.””
His voice was cheerful.
Too cheerful.
“Is everything all right?””
“I should ask you that.””
He laughed.
“What's that supposed to mean?””
“I've heard you've been involved in some financial arrangements concerning Whitmore Storage.””
Silence.
Then he said, “Oh, those are just routine matters.””
“Did you authorize Richard Cole to prepare transfer documents?””
“Eleanor, you're confused.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Excuse me?””
“You've been under a lot of stress. Losing Frank was difficult. Maybe you should let Daniel handle these things.””
Arthur wrote something on a notepad.
I looked at him.
Then I spoke.
“Harold, did you visit my husband in the hospital the night before he died?””
The silence was immediate.
Then he said, “Why are you asking that?””
“Because I want to know.””
“I was checking on him.””
“What did you discuss?””
“Nothing important.””
“Then why did Frank change his will the following morning?””
Harold exhaled.
“Eleanor, you need to be careful. Frank wasn't thinking clearly toward the end.””
Daniel stood abruptly.
“What did you say?””
Harold ignored him.
“I think it's best if we meet privately.””
“No.””
“Eleanor, please. There are things you don't understand.””
“Then explain them.””
He lowered his voice.
“Frank discovered something about the business.””
“What?””
“I can't discuss it over the phone.””
“Then come to Arthur's office.””
Another pause.
“Tomorrow?””
“Today.””
Harold hesitated.
Then he agreed.
When the call ended, Arthur looked at me.
“He's frightened.””
“Good.””
Madison wiped her cheeks.
“Grandma, what did Grandpa discover?””
I looked at Frank's letter.
“I don't know yet.””
Daniel sat down.
“Mom, what if Harold knows something about Dad's death?””
The room became very still.
Arthur spoke carefully.
“We have no evidence suggesting wrongdoing related to Frank's death. We should not jump to conclusions.””
I nodded.
“I agree.””
But the thought had already entered my mind.
And once it was there, I couldn't push it away.
The following morning, Harold arrived at Arthur's office.
He looked older than I remembered.
His hair was thinner, his shoulders hunched.
He entered carrying a briefcase.
“Eleanor,” he said.
I didn't stand.
“Sit down, Harold.””
He looked at Daniel.
Then at Madison.
“Is this really necessary?””
“Yes.””
Arthur closed the door.
Harold placed his briefcase on the table.
“I assume you want to discuss the financial irregularities.””
“I want to discuss everything.””
He rubbed his hands together.
“Very well.””
Arthur opened a folder.
“We've identified payments to a company called Cole Advisory Services.””
Harold nodded.
“Consulting fees.””
“Who authorized them?””
“I did.””
“Under whose authority?””
Harold looked at me.
“Frank's.””
I leaned forward.
“Frank never mentioned them.””
“He didn't need to.””
“That's not an answer.””
Harold's expression hardened.
“Eleanor, you weren't involved in every financial decision.””
I felt Daniel move beside me.
I raised my hand slightly.
Harold continued.
“Frank trusted me. He understood that certain arrangements were necessary.””
“Necessary for whom?””
He didn't answer.
Arthur placed another document in front of him.
“This payment was made two weeks before Frank died.””
Harold glanced at it.
His face changed.
“Where did you get that?””
“Company records.””
He pushed the paper away.
“That's confidential.””
Arthur spoke calmly.
“It's company property.””
Harold looked at me.
“Eleanor, I think you should know the truth before you make any accusations.””
I waited.
He swallowed.
“Frank discovered that someone had been using the company to move money.””
“Who?””
Harold looked down.
Then he said the words that made Daniel stand.
“Your daughter-in-law wasn't the person who started this.””
I stared at him.
“Who did?””
May you like
Harold slowly lifted his eyes.
“Daniel.””
