Chapter 12 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH
Elena arrived in town under circumstances Joanna did not know about.
Rachel arranged the meeting privately.
Detective Ortiz attended.
Elena brought copies of records she had kept for years.
There were checks Joanna had written to herself from their mother’s rental account.
Credit card payments.
Luxury purchases.
Cash withdrawals.
And emails.
One email was from Joanna to Elena.
You work for my mother.
You are not family.
Do not confuse access with authority.
Another arrived months later.
If Amelia learns anything while she is pregnant, whatever happens to that baby will be on you.
Amelia stared at the sentence.
Joanna had used Maisie before Maisie was even born.
Always the same weapon.
Fear.
Elena also explained the $75,000 payment from Daniel.
“He thought if he paid Joanna enough to cover the money she had taken from your mother’s accounts, she would sign a confession and resign from handling the estate.”
“Did she?”
“No.”
“She took the money?”
“Yes.”
“And then Mom died.”
“Three days later.”
Amelia stared at Elena.
Her mother’s stroke had changed everything.
Daniel’s plan depended on their mother being alive to confirm records.
Once she died, probate gave Joanna a new opportunity.
“What happened to the confession?”
Elena opened a folder.
“I have a draft.”
The document described unauthorized spending totaling $68,430.
In exchange for repayment, their mother would not pursue charges.
Joanna’s signature line was blank.
Daniel had paid her $75,000 anyway.
Ortiz frowned.
“Why?”
Elena hesitated.
“Because Joanna told him she had something that would destroy Amelia.”
Amelia’s skin prickled.
“What?”
“I never knew.”
Ortiz looked at Amelia.
“Anything in your marriage?”
“No.”
“Financial?”
“I don’t know.”
Elena spoke quietly.
“Daniel seemed scared.”
Amelia shook her head.
“Daniel wasn’t easily scared.”
“He wasn’t scared of Joanna.”
Elena looked directly at Amelia.
“He was scared of what the truth would do to you.”
The room went silent.
Rachel asked, “Did he say what truth?”
“No.”
But Elena remembered one phrase.
Daniel had said it while pacing outside the motel room.
If Amelia learns who signed the hospital form, she’ll never forgive herself.
Amelia’s heart stopped.
“What hospital form?”
Elena shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
Amelia did.
Or at least she knew where to begin.
Eight years earlier, three days before Daniel’s death, Amelia had been hospitalized overnight because of dehydration during pregnancy.
Joanna had driven her there.
Daniel had arrived hours later.
Amelia remembered signing forms.
She remembered medication.
She remembered sleeping almost fourteen hours.
She remembered Joanna telling her Daniel had gone home because he was exhausted.
May you like
Now she wondered whether Daniel had gone home at all.
And what Joanna had asked Amelia to sign while she was barely awake.
