Chapter 11 - THE TRAP
Eleanor didn’t answer.
Benjamin looked at Sarah.
Then back at his mother.
“You found something.”
Eleanor remained calm.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because Richard called me.”
Sarah’s pulse jumped.
“When?”
Benjamin looked at her.
“That’s not your concern.”
“It became my concern when your friend kicked my son.”
Benjamin’s expression hardened.
“Richard is not my friend.”
“Business partner?”
“No.”
“Thief partner?”
Eleanor whispered, “Sarah.”
But it was too late.
Benjamin stood.
“What did you say?”
Sarah stood too.
“You heard me.”
Benjamin looked at his mother.
“She told you?”
“No,” Eleanor said.
Benjamin’s face changed.
He had made a mistake.
A huge one.
Eleanor leaned forward.
“Told her what, Benjamin?”
He froze.
Sarah almost smiled.
Eleanor had set the trap without warning her.
Benjamin realized it too late.
“Nothing.”
“You just asked if I told her.”
“I meant about Richard.”
“No.”
Eleanor’s voice broke.
“You meant something else.”
“Mom…”
“Did you steal from the foundation?”
Benjamin stared.
“Of course not.”
“Did your father confront you?”
His face went blank.
Sarah watched closely.
“Did he?”
Benjamin lowered his voice.
“You don’t know what Dad was like near the end.”
Eleanor stood.
“What does that mean?”
“He was paranoid.”
“Answer me.”
“He accused everybody.”
“ANSWER ME!”
Benjamin slammed his fist against the desk.
“Yes!”
The room went silent.
He breathed heavily.
“Yes, he confronted me.”
Eleanor looked shattered.
“You lied to me for four years.”
“I was protecting you.”
“From what?”
“From him.”
“Your father?”
“He was going to destroy this family!”
“No. You did that.”
Benjamin’s face twisted.
“You think you understand? Do you know how much pressure there was? Dad expected me to be him. You expected me to be him. Everyone did.”
“So you stole money meant for sick children?”
“I borrowed it.”
Sarah laughed in disbelief.
Benjamin turned.
“Stay out of this.”
“No.”
“This has nothing to do with you.”
“You had my apartment searched.”
Benjamin smiled slightly.
That was another mistake.
Sarah noticed.
“So it was you.”
“I didn’t say that.”
“You didn’t have to.”
Benjamin stepped toward her.
“You should have taken Richard’s offer.”
Eleanor looked at him.
“How do you know about the offer?”
Benjamin stopped.
Sarah’s heart hammered.
The guard outside moved closer.
Benjamin slowly looked toward the door.
Then he smiled.
“Fine.”
He reached into his jacket.
The guard shouted.
“Hands!”
Benjamin pulled out a phone.
Not a weapon.
“Relax.”
He tapped the screen.
A second later, every light in the house went out.
Darkness swallowed the room.
Sarah heard glass break downstairs.
Then a scream.
Eleanor grabbed her arm.
“What’s happening?”
Sarah reached for her phone.
No signal.
The security system went dead.
Footsteps thundered up the staircase.
May you like
And from the darkness outside the office, Richard Caldwell’s voice called out,
“Eleanor, you really should’ve taken the deal.”
