Chapter 4 - Thomas Says The Money Was Protection
Thomas claimed the remaining $430,000 also related to Eleanor.
Housing.
Care.
Security.
Legal expenses.
Margaret asked for invoices.
He had some.
Not enough.
Several payments went to a company called North Lake Services.
Its registered manager was Thomas’s son, Andrew.
Andrew had not attended dinner.
Richard immediately called him.
No answer.
Thomas said Andrew merely handled logistics.
Margaret’s suspicion deepened.
Claire sat apart from everyone.
Her earlier rage had drained away.
She apologized to Margaret for throwing wine, slapping her, and shoving
her.
Margaret did not accept immediately.
Daniel apologized to Claire for slapping her.
Richard acknowledged that shoving Claire had escalated an already
dangerous situation.
Nobody’s wrongdoing erased anyone else’s.
Security footage from the dining room was preserved.
Then Richard asked Claire why she had never told Daniel about Eleanor’s
medical payments.
Claire said Thomas made her swear secrecy.
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“So you kept my aunt being alive from me?”
“I thought I was protecting a sick woman.”
“You chose his secret over your husband.”
Claire flinched.
That criticism was fair.
But Daniel had his own secret.
Margaret’s accountant noticed something in the transfer records.
Two of the disputed approvals used Daniel’s home IP address.
Daniel went still.
Richard looked at his son.
“Why would Claire’s credentials be used from your computer?”
Daniel answered too slowly.
“I don’t know.”
May you like
Claire’s face changed.
She did.
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