Chapter 6 - THE MISSING PAGE
Rebecca met me at 7:30 the next morning.
She read the trust documents, then leaned back.
“Who benefits if something happens to you?”
“At the moment?”
“Yes.”
I swallowed.
“Andrew.”
Rebecca’s expression didn’t change.
That made it worse.
“Is he sole beneficiary?”
“For some accounts.”
“And the inherited property?”
“My grandmother’s cabin and remaining trust assets would pass to my spouse unless I changed the designation.”
“Did Lorraine know?”
“I don’t know.”
Rebecca tapped the table.
“Assume nothing.”
By nine, we had contacted the bank’s fraud department.
The suspicious loan application had not been funded.
But it had progressed farther than I expected.
Someone had submitted copies of my driver’s license.
Tax returns.
Bank statements.
And electronic authentication answers.
Andrew knew most of that information.
But not all.
One security question asked for my mother’s middle name.
Lorraine knew it.
Another asked the name of my childhood street.
Lorraine had once seen it in an old photo album.
Rebecca looked at me.
“This wasn’t impulsive.”
“No.”
“This took preparation.”
My stomach twisted.
At 11:15, Andrew’s attorney called Rebecca.
Andrew wanted access to the house.
Rebecca refused.
He wanted half the joint accounts released.
Rebecca said the accounts were under review.
Then came the threat.
Andrew intended to file for divorce and claim I had become emotionally unstable and aggressive.
I laughed when Rebecca told me.
“Exactly like the recording.”
“Exactly.”
By noon, Lorraine had posted on Facebook.
She didn’t use my name.
She didn’t have to.
“Some women use their careers and money to control good men and isolate them from family.”
Friends began messaging me.
ARE YOU OKAY?
IS LORRAINE TALKING ABOUT YOU?
I ignored everything.
Then my supervisor called.
“Claire, there’s been a complaint.”
My stomach dropped.
“What complaint?”
“Someone called administration saying you’ve been abusing prescription medication.”
I went completely still.
“I don’t use prescription medication.”
“I know.”
“Who called?”
“They refused to identify themselves.”
Lorraine.
Or Andrew.
They weren’t just attacking my marriage.
They were attacking my job.
My credibility.
My ability to defend myself.
Exactly as planned.
That afternoon, I voluntarily submitted to a drug screening.
Negative.
Then I requested that every complaint be documented.
At 4:20, Daniel called.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“Melissa gave me access to an old email account.”
I closed my office door.
“And?”
“There are messages between Andrew and your mother-in-law.”
“What kind of messages?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Claire, they’ve been talking about your money for over a year.”
My mouth went dry.
“How much?”
“All of it.”
Then he said,
“And there’s one email about your birthday.”
I stopped breathing.
“What does it say?”
Daniel read the subject line.
FINAL PUSH — AUGUST 10.
May you like
My birthday had not been forgotten.
It had been chosen.
