Chapter 7 - THE BALCONY ARGUMENT
I should have left immediately.
Instead, I wanted Brandon to say it to my face.
That nearly cost me everything.
On the day of the fall, Dana had already sent copies to our attorney.
She was preparing a package for law enforcement.
I kept the USB because I wanted one physical copy with me.
At 2:40 P.M., Brandon came home unexpectedly.
He found me in his office.
The safe was open.
The encrypted drive sat on the desk.
He stopped in the doorway.
“What are you doing?”
I looked at him.
“Meeting your son on Saturday?”
His face changed.
I held up the passports.
“Or were you planning to introduce us in Zurich?”
He closed the door.
“Claire.”
“Does Rebecca know where the house money came from?”
He went pale.
I continued.
“Does she know my father paid for her swimming pool?”
“Lower your voice.”
“Why?”
“Because we can talk about this.”
I laughed.
“Talk?”
I pulled out my phone.
“Let’s talk about the twenty-million-dollar life insurance policy.”
His eyes dropped to the screen.
“Where did you get that?”
“Wrong question.”
“Claire.”
“Why is my signature forged?”
He stepped closer.
“It was financial planning.”
“Financial planning?”
“You sign documents all the time.”
“Not that one.”
He saw something in my face.
Then he understood.
“How much do you know?”
“All of it.”
That was not completely true.
But it worked.
He moved toward me.
I stepped backward.
“Stay away.”
“Give me the phone.”
“No.”
“Claire.”
“You and your mother stole from the trust.”
“Give me the phone.”
“You forged insurance records.”
His voice changed.
“Give me the damn phone.”
I turned toward the balcony doors.
I wanted space.
That was another mistake.
Brandon followed.
We moved outside.
He blocked the door.
I lifted the phone.
“The files are already backed up.”
He stared at it.
“Where?”
I smiled.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
Then Margaret appeared behind the glass.
She must have entered through the side door.
She looked at Brandon.
Then at me.
Then at the phone.
“Take it.”
She said.
Brandon lunged.
I moved away.
He grabbed my wrist.
“Let go!”
I screamed.
He twisted my arm.
The phone nearly fell.
I struck his shoulder with my free hand.
Margaret opened the balcony door.
“Brandon!”
He looked at her.
She pointed toward the phone.
For one second, his grip loosened.
I pulled away.
Then Brandon saw the screen.
A photograph of the insurance policy.
The forged signature.
The beneficiary line.
His face changed.
He shoved me once.
Not toward the railing.
Away from him.
Then Margaret screamed.
“She recorded us!”
Brandon looked at my phone again.
Something broke inside him.
May you like
He grabbed me with both hands.
And pushed.
