Chương 14 - The Account in Evelyn’s Name
Evelyn denied knowing about the escrow account.
This time Mia believed her.
Not because trust had returned.
Because Evelyn looked genuinely terrified.
Claire investigated.
The account had been opened using copies of Evelyn’s identification and an electronic signature.
But the associated email address belonged to no account Evelyn had ever used.
Vanessa Pike had created it.
The strategy became clear.
If the transfer succeeded, the money would appear to have gone to Evelyn.
If discovered, she would look like the thief.
Mia sat in Claire’s office reading the findings.
“They were building a scapegoat.”
Claire nodded.
“Potentially.”
“Grant used Mother.”
“Yes.”
“Lauren knew?”
“We don’t know.”
Mia called Lauren’s attorney.
An hour later she sat across from her sister in a monitored attorney conference room.
It was their first conversation since the island.
Lauren looked exhausted.
“Did you know the escrow account was in Mom’s name?”
“No.”
“Think before you answer.”
“I didn’t.”
“Did Grant ever say Mother would take responsibility?”
Lauren frowned.
“No.”
“Did he ask for copies of her ID?”
Lauren looked away.
Mia felt anger rise.
“Lauren.”
“He said investors needed beneficial-owner verification.”
“You gave him her documents?”
“Yes.”
“Without asking her?”
“She’d already agreed to the deal.”
“That is not consent to impersonate her.”
“I know.”
Mia leaned back.
“How much did Grant tell you?”
Lauren’s face hardened.
“Enough to make me stupid.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“He said we’d pressure you financially. He said you were emotionally attached to the island and would never negotiate unless you were forced to see what it cost.”
“You participated.”
“Yes.”
“The excess wedding spending?”
“Yes.”
“The shell-company payments?”
“Yes.”
“The transfer?”
Lauren swallowed.
“I thought it was going to a temporary escrow controlled by the family.”
“One point eight million dollars.”
“I knew.”
Mia stared.
“And you still did it.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Lauren’s eyes filled.
“Because I hated asking you for money.”
“You received distributions every year.”
“From you.”
“From the company you owned.”
“You controlled when.”
“Because I managed it.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Then explain.”
Lauren leaned forward.
“All my life, you were the responsible one. Dad said it. Mom said it. Teachers said it. I was the one who was fun until something went wrong. Then suddenly I was reckless.”
“You were reckless.”
“I know!”
The words cracked.
Lauren lowered her voice.
“But every mistake became permanent. You got Bellweather. I got ten percent and permission to watch you run it.”
“You also got trust assets, money from Dad’s estate and the same education I did.”
“I spent mine.”
“That is not something I did to you.”
Lauren closed her eyes.
“No.”
Mia waited.
Lauren whispered, “Grant made it sound like I could fix everything at once.”
“There are no fixes that begin with forged signatures.”
“I know.”
“You keep saying that.”
“Because now I do.”
Mia stared at her younger sister.
Once, when Lauren was six, she had followed Mia everywhere.
At thirteen she borrowed Mia’s clothes.
At seventeen she called Mia after her first heartbreak.
Somewhere between those memories and this room, resentment had replaced affection.
Mia had not noticed how completely.
“Why did you push Lily?”
Lauren began crying.
“I don’t know.”
“That’s a lie.”
“I was angry.”
“At her?”
“At everything.”
“Say it properly.”
Lauren looked up.
“I pushed a three-year-old because I was angry that lemonade got on my wedding dress.”
Mia did not rescue her from the ugliness of the sentence.
Lauren continued.
“And because she was yours.”
Mia went still.
Lauren covered her face.
“I hate that I thought it.”
“But you did.”
“Yes.”
“For how long?”
“A second.”
“One second is enough to move your hands.”
“Yes.”
Mia stood.
Lauren lowered her hands.
“I’m sorry.”
Mia looked at her.
“You’re saying that to the wrong person.”
Lauren nodded.
“I know.”
Mia turned toward the door.
“Mia?”
She stopped.
“Grant has another copy.”
“Of what?”
“The island files.”
“What files?”
“Everything Vanessa scanned from your office.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“Lauren.”
“He said if anyone turned on him, he had enough documentation to make everyone look guilty.”
“Everyone?”
“Me. Mom. Vanessa. Maybe Marcus.”
Mia turned fully.
“Marcus?”
Lauren nodded.
“He said Marcus had been paid too.”
Mia’s blood went cold.
“For what?”
“I don’t know.”
“When?”
“Grant said Marcus was already ‘handled.’”
Mia left the room and called Claire.
Then Marcus.
Marcus answered cheerfully.
“Mia?”
She did not return the tone.
“Have you ever received money from Grant Mercer?”
Silence.
Too long.
Mia’s stomach dropped.
“Marcus.”
May you like
“Yes,” he said.
And suddenly the one person Mia had trusted through everything had a secret of his own.
