Chapter 5 - THE SECOND ENVELOPE
Dad’s attorney was named Helen Ward.
She had handled his legal work for almost twenty years.
When I entered her office with Samuel and Evan, she closed the door and locked it.
That did not make me feel better.
“Commander Bennett.”
“Claire.”
She nodded.
“Your father always called you Commander when he was proud.”
That nearly broke me.
I sat.
Evan stayed near the window.
Samuel remained standing.
Helen placed a thick envelope on the table.
Dad’s handwriting was on it too.
OPEN ONLY AFTER CLAIRE RECEIVES MY LETTER.
Helen looked at me.
“Before I open this, you need to understand something.”
“What?”
“Your father anticipated a dispute over his mental capacity.”
“Mom keeps saying he was confused.”
“He was not.”
Helen opened a folder.
“Three physicians evaluated him.”
“On whose request?”
“His.”
“Why?”
“Because documents appeared bearing his signature.”
My skin prickled.
“What documents?”
“A sale authorization.”
“For Bennett Marine?”
“Yes.”
“Was the signature fake?”
“Your father said it was.”
Evan sat down slowly.
Helen continued.
“The authorization would have permitted Raymond Bennett to complete the acquisition without Thomas’s further approval.”
“Who witnessed it?”
Helen looked at Evan.
His face crumpled.
“I did.”
I turned on him.
“You witnessed Dad signing something he didn’t sign?”
“I thought he signed it earlier.”
“Who told you that?”
“Mom.”
I closed my eyes.
Helen pushed the second envelope toward me.
“Your father discovered the document.”
“What did he do?”
“He revoked every financial authority your mother held.”
I stared at her.
“Every one?”
“Yes.”
“And revised his estate plan.”
“To leave me everything?”
Helen shook her head.
“No.”
That surprised me.
“Then what did he do?”
“He placed his remaining business interest into a protected trust.”
“For whom?”
“You and Evan equally.”
I looked at my brother.
Evan looked equally stunned.
“Why would Mom say I got everything?”
Helen answered.
“Because operational control went to you.”
The room went quiet.
“Why?”
“Your father believed Evan could be pressured.”
Evan flinched.
Helen looked at him kindly.
“His words, not mine.”
She turned to me.
“He believed your mother and Raymond could not pressure you while you were deployed and inaccessible.”
Suddenly Dad’s last order made terrible sense.
Stay where you are.
Finish your assignment.
Don’t come home for me.
He had not been pushing me away.
He had been positioning me somewhere they could not reach.
Helen broke the seal.
Inside were bank statements.
Phone records.
Copies of medical documents.
And a handwritten letter.
I read the first paragraph.
Claire,
If this reaches you, then I ran out of time.
Do not waste yours blaming yourself.
I asked you to stay away because Raymond is trying to force a sale of the company.
Your mother has chosen to help him.
I stopped.
Evan whispered.
“Jesus.”
I continued.
Margaret believes the sale will secure her future.
She does not know Raymond has promised the same money to someone else.
My pulse quickened.
Another person.
Again.
I turned the page.
Then I saw a name I recognized.
May you like
Dr. Peter Lawson.
My father’s private physician.
