Chapter 5 - Claire’s Boxes Were Never Destroyed
Claire’s boxes contained medical bills, photographs, old tax returns,
and files from Mercer Development, the real-estate company I founded
with my brother.
Nothing initially explained why Vanessa hid them.
Then my attorney found a sealed accordion folder.
Inside were beneficiary documents from a trust Claire’s father created
for Lily.
I knew about the trust.
I did not know about an amendment drafted shortly before Claire died.
The amendment named me as primary trustee.
If I became unable or unwilling to serve, Claire’s sister Rachel would
succeed me.
Vanessa had no role.
Yet a later document in our current estate file named Vanessa as
successor trustee over nearly four million dollars reserved for Lily.
The signature attributed to Claire appeared at the bottom.
Claire supposedly signed it eleven days after entering hospice.
I had never seen it before.
And there was an obvious problem.
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The notary date placed Claire in Stamford.
Hospital records placed her in Boston that entire week.
