Chapter 4 - Sarah’s Brother Returns With Questions
Bennett Family Holdings was controlled by Sarah’s older brother, Jonathan Bennett.
Michael had not spoken to him in almost two years.
Their relationship deteriorated after Sarah’s death.
Jonathan believed Michael had isolated Sarah from her family.
Michael believed Jonathan used grief to interfere in every decision involving Lily.
Both men had stopped trying.
Jonathan arrived at the mansion with a lawyer.
He denied ordering the cameras.
The corporate card belonged to an old administrative account.
Several former employees still had access before a recent systems migration.
Jonathan looked at Lily’s bruises and became furious.
“At you,” Michael noticed.
Jonathan did not deny it.
“You brought Rebecca into her life.”
“I didn’t know this would happen.”
“You never know until after.”
Michael almost shouted.
Then Lily entered holding her stuffed rabbit.
Both men stopped.
Their anger was not more important than the child standing between them.
Jonathan crouched.
“Hi, bug.”
Lily hugged him.
Michael had not realized how much she missed her uncle.
That hurt in a different way.
Daniel traced the corporate card charge to an authorization credential belonging to Helen Ward.
Michael knew the name.
Helen had been Sarah’s executive assistant.
She disappeared from Bennett Family Holdings six months after Sarah died.
Jonathan said she was fired for stealing confidential records.
Michael remembered something else.
Sarah had defended Helen shortly before her death.
The women had been close.
Police located Helen in Pennsylvania.
She agreed to speak.
Her first words changed the direction of the case.
“I didn’t install those cameras.”
“Did you pay for them?” an investigator asked.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Sarah told me to.”
Michael stared.
“Sarah has been dead four years.”
Helen nodded.
“The instructions were written before she died.”
She produced an encrypted file Sarah had left with her.
It contained contingency directions.
If anyone attempted to alter Lily’s guardianship or access certain trust assets, Helen was supposed to activate independent monitoring.
Michael was stunned.
“Sarah expected someone to target Lily?”
Helen looked at Jonathan.
“Not someone.”
May you like
Then she looked at Michael.
“Her own family.”
