Chapter 10 - THE FAMILY MEETING
When we arrived home, Elaine was waiting.
So was Marcus.
And three lawyers.
My mother smiled.
“There he is.”
I walked inside.
Lily stayed beside me.
Marcus laughed.
“You brought her back?”
“She belongs here.”
Elaine shook her head.
“No.”
I looked at the lawyers.
“Who are they?”
“Our attorneys.”
I laughed.
“You mean the attorneys handling Lily's estate?”
Elaine's face changed.
“What did you say?”
I placed the envelope on the table.
“Lily Reed.”
The room went silent.
One lawyer stood immediately.
“Where did you get that?”
I smiled.
“Interesting question.”
He looked at Elaine.
She looked terrified.
I placed the DNA report on the table.
Then the adoption papers.
Then the trust documents.
Then the bank transfers.
One after another.
Marcus backed away.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand everything.”
Elaine started crying.
“Daniel, please.”
“Don't call me sweetheart.”
She froze.
“You lied to me for four years.”
“I was protecting the family.”
“You starved my wife.”
“I was desperate.”
“You stole my money.”
“I needed it.”
“You tried to kill me.”
“No!”
Her scream echoed through the room.
I placed the insurance document on the table.
“Five million dollars.”
Marcus stared at it.
Then he looked at my mother.
“You said the policy was different.”
Silence.
I turned toward him.
“What policy?”
Marcus said nothing.
My mother looked at him.
“Marcus.”
He swallowed.
Then I heard a voice behind me.
“It's over.”
Aaron walked through the door.
Behind him were two detectives.
And a federal investigator.
Elaine stumbled backward.
“You can't come in here.”
The investigator held up a warrant.
“We can.”
Marcus tried to run.
The detectives stopped him.
My mother began screaming.
“This is my house!”
I looked at her.
“No.”
She stared at me.
“This house belongs to Lily.”
The investigator handed Lily a document.
“Your inheritance has been frozen pending investigation.”
Lily looked confused.
“Do I get it back?”
“If the evidence confirms the fraud, yes.”
Elaine screamed:
“You don't deserve it!”
Lily looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I raised you!”
“No.”
Lily's voice was quiet.
“You controlled me.”
Elaine broke down.
“I gave you everything!”
“You gave me a shed.”
Silence.
“You gave me scraps.”
Lily's voice shook.
“You shaved my head.”
Elaine covered her face.
“You took my husband away from me.”
Marcus shouted:
“Enough!”
The investigator turned toward him.
“Actually, we're not finished.”
He opened a folder.
“We have surveillance footage.”
Marcus went pale.
“From the backyard?”
“Yes.”
The investigator placed a laptop on the table.
The video began.
Marcus dragging Lily toward the shed.
Elaine watching.
Another video.
Lily being denied food.
Another.
Marcus threatening her.
Then the final video.
My mother speaking to Marcus.
“If Daniel comes home, make sure he doesn't live long enough to ask questions.”
Elaine closed her eyes.
I felt nothing.
Not anger.
Not victory.
Just exhaustion.
Then the investigator said:
“There is one more piece of evidence.”
He looked at me.
“The accident that injured you in Canada.”
I stared.
May you like
“What about it?”
“We believe it wasn't an accident.”
