Chapter 14: The Woman in the Photograph
I read the message again.
Then I showed it to Anna.
"You're not going anywhere alone," she said immediately.
Alexander agreed.
"Whoever sent this knows about Dad's records. It could be a trap.""
I understood their concerns.
But the photograph had unsettled me.
The folder on Karl's desk contained information that might explain why Ewald had spent so many years trying to reach our property and investments.
I wanted answers.
Anna contacted Inspector Brandt and forwarded the message.
He advised us not to respond until the sender's identity could be established.
But an hour later, another message arrived.
You have until midnight. After that, the evidence disappears.
Alexander took my phone.
"That's enough.""
He called the number.
It rang once.
Then someone answered.
A woman's voice.
"Helga?""
Alexander froze.
"Who is this?""
The woman disconnected.
We looked at each other.
I knew that voice.
I had heard it at birthdays, family dinners, and Christmas gatherings.
It belonged to Lydia Weber.
Bianca's mother.
Alexander immediately called the inspector.
Within an hour, arrangements were made for a controlled meeting at a café near the central station.
Lydia agreed to come.
She arrived wearing a beige coat and carrying a small handbag.
She looked older than I remembered.
Her eyes moved between Alexander and me.
"Where is Bianca?"" I asked.
Lydia sat down.
"She doesn't know I'm here.""
"Why did you send those messages?""
She glanced toward the window.
"Because I can't keep doing this.""
Alexander leaned forward.
"Doing what?""
Lydia opened her handbag.
She removed a small memory card and placed it on the table.
"This contains photographs of documents Bianca asked me to destroy.""
I stared at it.
"Why would she ask you to destroy them?""
Lydia swallowed.
"Because they prove what happened to Karl's money.""
Alexander's voice became sharp.
"Did you steal documents from my father's office?""
"No.""
"Then how did you get those photographs?""
Lydia looked at me.
"Bianca took them.""
My chest tightened.
"When?""
"After Karl died. She said she needed to understand the family investments before you married.""
Alexander looked horrified.
"She was already planning this before we got married?""
Lydia nodded.
I felt a terrible sadness settle over me.
All those years, I had believed Bianca had gradually become interested in our finances.
But perhaps the interest had existed from the beginning.
Lydia continued.
"She found out about the trust through Markus Vogel. He told her there was a substantial investment, but he couldn't access it directly.""
"Why would he tell her?"" Alexander asked.
"Because he wanted money.""
"From Bianca?""
Lydia nodded.
"He said he could arrange a transfer if certain documents were signed.""
I looked at the memory card.
"And the missing money?""
Lydia lowered her eyes.
"Ewald received some of it.""
"Some?""
She nodded.
"Markus received another portion. The rest went through a company account.""
"Which company?""
Lydia hesitated.
"DK Solutions.""
Alexander went pale.
Daniel.
The same company that had received money from the fraudulent loan arrangements.
I gripped the edge of the table.
"How much?""
Lydia looked at me.
"I don't know exactly. But I saw a spreadsheet showing €176,000.""
The same figure from Karl's old records.
Alexander sat back.
"Why didn't you tell us earlier?""
Lydia's eyes filled.
"Because I was afraid of Ewald.""
"You're afraid of him now?""
"Yes.""
She looked toward the window again.
Then she leaned closer.
"Ewald told Bianca that if she couldn't get access to the trust, she should use the apartment sale to create enough pressure for Helga to sign other documents.""
I felt sick.
"So the apartment was never the whole plan.""
"No.""
"What did they want?""
Lydia hesitated.
"Control over the investment.""
Alexander shook his head.
"That doesn't make sense. The trust isn't something Mom can simply transfer.""
"That's what Markus told them. But he said there was another way.""
"What way?""
Lydia looked directly at me.
"By making you appear mentally incapable of managing your affairs.""
I stared at her.
The words seemed to echo inside my head.
Alexander stood so quickly his chair scraped across the floor.
"They were going to declare my mother incompetent?""
Lydia nodded.
"Bianca had already spoken to someone about arranging a medical assessment.""
I felt cold.
I remembered Bianca insisting that I was becoming forgetful.
Her comments about leaving the gas on.
Her suggestions that I should move somewhere with assistance.
Her sudden concern about whether I could manage my bank accounts.
It had never been concern.
It had been preparation.
Lydia pushed the memory card toward us.
"Everything is there. Messages, photographs, and a recording.""
I looked at her.
"Why are you helping us now?""
She started crying.
"Because Ewald has gone too far. He told Bianca to make sure Alexander was blamed for everything if the investigation began.""
Alexander's expression hardened.
"She was going to frame me?""
Lydia nodded.
"He said the loan documents could be presented as your responsibility. He wanted Bianca to claim that you had hidden debts from her.""
Alexander stared at the table.
I reached for his hand.
"Don't blame yourself.""
He didn't answer.
Lydia wiped her eyes.
"There's something else.""
"What?""
"Bianca has a second copy of Karl's final settlement.""
My heart began racing.
"Where?""
"At the house.""
"Which house?""
"Ewald's.""
Lydia gave us an address.
Then she looked at me with an expression I couldn't understand.
"Helga, there's something you should know about the woman in the photograph.""
I leaned forward.
"What woman?""
"The woman standing behind Karl.""
I felt my breath catch.
Lydia nodded.
"It was me.""
Alexander stared at her.
"You were there when Dad met Ewald?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because Ewald asked me to deliver a document.""
"What document?""
Lydia closed her eyes.
"A settlement agreement. It stated that Karl would accept €80,000 and stop investigating the missing money.""
I felt my fingers go numb.
"Did he accept?""
"No.""
"What happened?""
Lydia looked at me.
"He told Ewald that he would rather lose every cent than let him steal from his family.""
I remembered Karl's face that evening.
His silence.
His exhaustion.
His fear.
Lydia reached into her handbag again.
This time she removed a folded sheet of paper.
"I kept this because I knew one day someone would need it.""
I opened it.
It was a receipt.
A transfer of €80,000.
The payment had been made to an account in Karl's name.
But Karl had never told me about receiving it.
I looked at Lydia.
"Why did you say he refused the money?""
"Because he didn't keep it.""
"Where did it go?""
She pointed to the bottom of the receipt.
The account destination was listed.
*A charitable foundation established in the name of Karl Morgen.*
I stared.
My husband had given away the money.
But the foundation's registration address was unfamiliar.
Alexander took the receipt.
"Who runs this foundation?""
Lydia looked at us.
"I don't know.""
May you like
Then she whispered:
"But Bianca does.""
