Chapter 10 - My Brother’s Signature
I confronted Michael the next morning.
He looked at the document for several seconds.
Then he whispered:
“That isn’t what it looks like.”
I laughed.
“Everyone says that right before explaining exactly what it looks like.”
He rubbed his face.
“The event wasn’t supposed to hurt Lily.”
“What was it supposed to do?”
“Make you look careless.”
“How?”
“A missed school pickup.”
“A forgotten medication form.”
“Something small.”
I stared at him.
“You were planning to manufacture evidence against me.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
His answer finally came without excuses.
“Money.”
The word landed harder than any complicated explanation.
He owed nearly half a million dollars.
Victor promised to erase the debt if Michael helped remove me as trustee.
Evelyn promised Michael guardianship.
Michael convinced himself he could control the plan.
He believed Lily would stay safe with him.
He believed the trust would eventually be restored.
He believed stealing temporarily was different from stealing permanently.
Every lie required another lie.
Every compromise made the next one easier.
“Did you love Lily?”
His face collapsed.
“I do.”
“Then why did you gamble with her life?”
“I didn’t know Evelyn would use peanuts.”
“But you helped create the situation that let her.”
He cried then.
Quietly.
I felt nothing.
Detective Collins entered before I could leave.
“We found Victor.”
“Where?”
“His car was abandoned near a marina.”
My stomach tightened.
“Did he take a boat?”
“We think so.”
“Where would he go?”
Michael looked up immediately.
“Lake Rowan.”
The Hart family owned an old vacation cabin there.
Anna and I had spent summers there before Lily was born.
Victor knew the property better than anyone.
Police moved fast.
I stayed behind with Lily.
That was the hardest part.
Every instinct told me to chase answers.
Every responsibility told me to remain with my daughter.
I chose Lily.
For once, someone in this story needed to choose her first.
Three hours later, Detective Collins called.
Victor was not at the cabin.
But someone had been there recently.
Food was still warm.
A fireplace was burning.
And on the kitchen table sat the missing second injector.
Empty.
The microSD card was gone.
Beside it was a handwritten note.
DANIEL HAS WHAT I NEED.
That made no sense.
I did not have the card.
At least, I thought I didn’t.
Then I remembered the only object Anna had insisted I keep after her death.
May you like
Her old silver watch.
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