Chapter 10 - Nathan’s Widow
Nathan Cole’s widow lived ninety minutes outside the city.
Sarah had not seen Rebecca Cole since Nathan’s funeral.
When Sarah called, Rebecca initially refused to meet.
Then Sarah mentioned Thomas.
Silence followed.
Finally Rebecca said, “Come alone.”
Sarah did not come alone.
Noah drove her.
He waited in the car while Sarah approached the small farmhouse.
Rebecca opened the door before she knocked.
She looked older than Sarah remembered.
More tired.
“You look like Thomas did at the end.”
Sarah frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Like someone finally told you the truth.”
Rebecca led her inside.
There were no photographs of Nathan in the living room.
Sarah noticed immediately.
Rebecca noticed her noticing.
“I put them away.”
“Why?”
“Because for years I couldn’t decide whether I loved him or hated him.”
Sarah sat.
“Victoria told me to speak with you.”
Rebecca laughed bitterly.
“Then Victoria is desperate.”
“Why?”
“Because Nathan kept records.”
“Where?”
Rebecca looked toward the window.
“Not here.”
Sarah took out Thomas’s photograph.
Rebecca stared at it.
Her eyes filled.
“That was the last day I saw Nathan alive.”
Sarah’s chest tightened.
“Thomas wrote that Nathan made a copy.”
“He did.”
“Of what?”
“Everything.”
Rebecca stood.
She went to a cabinet and removed an old Bible.
Inside was a folded receipt from a storage facility.
“Nathan rented a unit under my maiden name.”
“Does it still exist?”
“I’ve paid for it every month for four years.”
Sarah stared.
“Why didn’t you give this to police?”
Rebecca’s jaw tightened.
“Because Thomas told me not to.”
Sarah froze.
“What?”
“Your husband came here after Nathan died.”
Rebecca’s voice shook.
“He told me if I handed over the records too soon, the people involved would destroy them and destroy me.”
“People?”
“Julian wasn’t working alone.”
Sarah remembered Thomas’s video.
Someone inside the family trust.
“Who?”
Rebecca looked at her.
“I don’t know.”
“But Thomas did?”
“He suspected.”
Sarah stood.
“Take me to the storage unit.”
Thirty minutes later, Rebecca unlocked a metal door.
Inside sat filing cabinets.
A computer.
Two banker boxes.
And a waterproof case.
Sarah opened it.
Nathan’s documents were inside.
So was another flash drive.
Rebecca whispered.
“That’s his copy.”
Sarah inserted it into the laptop Noah had brought.
Folders appeared.
One was labeled TRUSTEE.
Sarah clicked.
A spreadsheet opened.
Payments.
Dates.
Authorization codes.
Every suspicious transfer required two approvals.
Julian’s authorization appeared repeatedly.
Beside it was the second authorization.
Sarah stared at the name.
Her throat closed.
May you like
Claire Mercer.
Her daughter.
