Chapter 14: The Attorney Who Sold My Father's Secret
Nobody spoke.
Jonathan stood beside the fireplace, his face drained of color.
Richard held the ledger against his chest.
Vanessa was crying silently.
And I was staring at the man who had handled our property purchases, reviewed our wills, and represented us during the most important legal decisions of our marriage.
"You're telling me you had access to the account?"" I asked.
Jonathan rubbed his forehead.
"Not access to withdraw the money. Access to the authorization records.""
"Then how did Daniel attempt to take two million dollars?""
Jonathan looked toward Richard.
"Because someone used the original trustee credentials.""
Richard shook his head.
"Those credentials were supposed to be sealed.""
"They were.""
"Then how?""
Jonathan looked down.
"I don't know.""
I stepped closer.
"Don't give me that. Your name is in this ledger.""
He took a breath.
"I was a junior associate when your father died. Patricia brought me into the matter because she believed Daniel was attempting to manipulate the settlement agreement.""
"And you helped her?""
"Initially, yes.""
"Initially?""
Jonathan sat down.
"I made a mistake.""
Richard placed the ledger on the table.
"What kind of mistake?""
Jonathan stared at the floor.
"Daniel approached me several years later. He said he wanted to settle Olivia's inheritance dispute. He offered to pay for an independent financial review.""
"How much?""
Jonathan didn't answer.
Richard's voice became sharper.
"How much did he pay you?""
"Seventy-five thousand dollars.""
Vanessa gasped.
I felt my stomach turn.
"You accepted money from Daniel?""
"He said it was a consulting fee.""
"Did you tell Richard?""
"No.""
"Did you tell my mother?""
"No.""
Richard shook his head.
"Jonathan, you were responsible for preserving those records.""
"I know.""
"And you accepted money from the person accused of stealing the funds?""
Jonathan looked up.
"I didn't know what Daniel intended to do with the information.""
I laughed.
"That's convenient.""
Jonathan continued.
"He asked me to review the original beneficiary agreement. He wanted to know whether there was a way to challenge the restrictions.""
"Did you tell him?""
"I told him the agreement was legally sound.""
"Then what happened?""
Jonathan hesitated.
"He asked for a copy.""
Richard slammed his hand against the table.
"You gave him the original?""
"No! I gave him a certified copy.""
I stared at him.
"And you didn't think to tell anyone?""
Jonathan lowered his head.
"I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
"Daniel had evidence that could have destroyed my career. He knew I had accepted money from him. He threatened to report me for a conflict of interest.""
Richard looked furious.
"So you protected yourself by helping him?""
"I didn't help him transfer the money!""
"Then explain the attempted withdrawal.""
Jonathan opened his briefcase and removed a folder.
"I received a notification from the bank this morning. Someone used a digital authorization linked to the original trustee account.""
He placed the document on the table.
There was a name beside the attempted transaction.
*MERCER STRATEGIC HOLDINGS.*
But beneath it was an additional authorization.
A signature.
*JONATHAN PIERCE.*
I looked at him.
"You signed this?""
"No.""
"Then why is your name here?""
He stared at the document.
"I don't know.""
Richard examined it.
"This is an electronic authorization. Someone used your credentials.""
Jonathan shook his head.
"That account was supposed to be disabled.""
Richard looked at me.
"Marcus, we need to contact the bank immediately.""
He called the institution's fraud department.
I watched him explain the situation.
He provided the account number, the trust documents, and the details of the attempted transfer.
After several minutes, he ended the call.
"The withdrawal was blocked.""
I exhaled.
"Thank God.""
"But the bank identified the source of the authorization request.""
"Who?""
Richard looked at Jonathan.
"An office computer registered to Jonathan Pierce's firm.""
Jonathan stood.
"That's impossible. I haven't accessed that account in years.""
Richard's expression remained cold.
"Then someone has been using your office.""
Jonathan looked at his phone.
Suddenly, it rang.
He answered.
"Yes?""
His face changed.
"What do you mean?""
He listened.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
"What happened?"" I asked.
Jonathan swallowed.
"My office manager says someone came in last night and accessed the old client archive.""
"Who?""
"She doesn't know. The security footage was disabled.""
Richard shook his head.
"Daniel.""
Jonathan nodded.
Then he looked at me.
"Marcus, I think he has a copy of the second ledger.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"But we have the original.""
"Yes. But if he has the copy, he can attempt to alter the records or destroy the chain of evidence.""
Richard picked up the ledger.
"We need to get this into secure custody.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"There's something else.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She looked at the floor.
"Daniel told me that if the transfer failed, he had another way to access the money.""
Richard frowned.
"What way?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"He said he could use the original settlement agreement to claim that Olivia's inheritance had already been distributed.""
Olivia, who had joined us by video call earlier, was still on speakerphone.
"What?""
Vanessa looked at the phone.
"Daniel said he had proof you received the full inheritance years ago.""
Olivia's voice became sharp.
"That's impossible. I never received two million dollars.""
"I know.""
"Then what proof?""
Vanessa closed her eyes.
"He showed me a bank statement with your name.""
Olivia went silent.
I picked up the phone.
"Olivia, are you there?""
"Yes.""
"Do you recognize the account?""
"No.""
Richard leaned toward the phone.
"Olivia, did you ever open an account at First Carolina Trust?""
"No.""
Richard looked at Jonathan.
"That's where the original beneficiary account was held.""
Jonathan nodded.
Richard asked Olivia another question.
"Did you ever authorize Daniel to act on your behalf?""
"No.""
Richard looked at the ledger again.
"Then someone created a false beneficiary account.""
I frowned.
"Who?""
Richard turned several pages.
He stopped at an entry near the end.
The transaction was dated four years earlier.
The amount was $2,100,000.
The account was listed under Olivia's name.
But the recipient address belonged to a private investment office in Delaware.
I read the name.
*MERCER FAMILY HOLDINGS.*
Olivia began crying through the phone.
"He stole my inheritance.""
Richard nodded.
"That's what this appears to show.""
Vanessa suddenly spoke.
"He told me the money was already gone.""
I turned toward her.
"Who?""
"Daniel. He said the two million had been distributed years ago and that Olivia had no remaining claim.""
Richard shook his head.
"That's why he wanted the original records. He was trying to make the fraudulent account appear legitimate.""
Jonathan rubbed his face.
"Then the attempted withdrawal this morning was probably intended to cover the missing money.""
I stared at him.
"How?""
"By transferring the remaining protected funds and presenting the transaction as a correction to the original settlement.""
Richard nodded slowly.
"Which would make it appear that Olivia had already received what she was owed.""
I looked at Vanessa.
"Did you know?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
Then she reached into her handbag.
"I have something else.""
She placed a small envelope on the table.
Inside was a printed message from Daniel.
It read:
Once the transfer is completed, Jonathan will take responsibility for the original authorization. Vanessa will receive her agreed payment. Olivia will have no grounds to challenge the settlement.
I stared at the message.
Daniel had planned to sacrifice Jonathan.
And Vanessa.
And potentially anyone else who stood between him and the money.
But the final sentence caught my attention.
The remaining matter involving Eleanor must be resolved separately.
I looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Richard's face hardened.
"It means Daniel hasn't finished with your mother.""
My phone rang.
It was Mom.
I answered immediately.
"Mom?""
Her voice was shaking.
"Marcus, somebody is at the house.""
"Who?""
"I don't know. He says he's from the foundation.""
"Don't open the door.""
"I already did.""
My heart stopped.
"Mom, where are you?""
"In the kitchen.""
Then I heard a man's voice in the background.
"Mrs. Bennett, we only need a few minutes.""
I recognized it.
Daniel Mercer.
"Mom, get away from him!""
But before she could answer, the phone dropped.
May you like
I heard a crash.
Then silence.
