Chapter 7 - My Brother's Perfect LieI knew Grant was capable of selfishness.
I knew he could manipulate our father.
But hearing him casually accuse a missing woman of theft made something inside me change.
Rebecca Collins wasn't an abstract name in an investigation.
She was a human being.
A woman who had spent eighteen years helping keep the company operating.
She had a husband.
A daughter in college.
A mother who depended on her.
And now she was missing while Grant prepared an audit blaming her for financial irregularities.
I immediately informed Agent Bennett about the call.
She listened without interruption.
“Admiral, did your brother specifically state that Rebecca stole money?”
“Yes.”
“Did he identify the amount?”
“No.”
“Did he say the audit was completed?”
“He said he prepared it.”
Bennett thanked me.
“Please preserve your call records. We'll determine what steps are appropriate.”
“Agent Bennett?”
“Yes?”
“Find Rebecca.”
“We're doing everything we lawfully can.”
I believed her.
But belief didn't make waiting easier.
That afternoon, I received an unexpected visitor.
My mother.
She arrived at the Pentagon visitor reception area accompanied by the attorney assisting her with the investigation.
When I met her in a private waiting room, she looked ten years older than she had at the anniversary party.
Her hair was pulled into a loose bun.
She wore a plain gray cardigan.
There was no jewelry.
No carefully composed smile.
Just exhaustion.
“Mom.”
She stood immediately.
“Amelia.”
For a moment, we simply looked at each other.
Then she stepped forward and embraced me.
I hadn't expected it to hurt.
But it did.
She held me tightly.
“I am so sorry,” she whispered.
I closed my eyes.
“For what?”
“For making you feel alone.”
I pulled back.
“Mom, did you know about the trust?”
She nodded.
“How long?”
“Since your grandfather died.”
I stared at her.
“All these years?”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
She looked down.
“Your father said the legal arrangements were complicated. He said mentioning them would only cause arguments.”
“And you believed him?”
“At first.”
I stepped away.
“What about later?”
Her silence answered before she did.
“Later, I was afraid.”
“Of Dad?”
“Of losing our family.”
I looked at her for a long moment.
“Mom, you didn't protect our family by staying silent. You protected the version of our family Dad wanted everyone to believe.”
She began crying quietly.
“I know.”
I wanted to comfort her.
I also wanted to tell her how many nights I'd spent wondering whether my own mother was ashamed of me.
Both feelings existed at once.
That was the difficulty of loving someone who had hurt you.
“Mom,” I said, “I need honesty now. Not excuses.”
She wiped her cheeks.
“Then I'll tell you everything I know.”
We sat down.
She explained that Grandpa Walter had arranged the trust before his death.
Leonard had been furious.
He believed family ownership should pass through the person managing the business.
But Grandpa had insisted that neither of his grandchildren should be dependent on their father's approval.
“Grant was included in a separate arrangement,” Mom said. “Your grandfather tried to make the provisions fair.”
“What happened to my trust?”
“I don't know all the details. Leonard told me the company lawyers handled it.”
“Did you ever see documents with my signature?”
She hesitated.
“Once.”
I felt my pulse quicken.
“When?”
“About three years ago.”
“What happened?”
“Grant brought papers to the house. He said they were routine refinancing documents. Your father signed them.”
“And my signature?”
“I saw your name on one page. Grant said you'd already approved everything.”
I looked away.
“I was deployed.”
“I know that now.”
“You knew it then.”
She began crying again.
I didn't raise my voice.
I didn't need to.
“Mom, did Rebecca ask you to hide documents because she was afraid of Grant?”
She nodded.
“She said she had discovered payments that didn't belong in the accounts.”
“What else?”
“She said someone was changing inspection records.”
My stomach tightened.
“Did she identify who?”
Mom reached into her handbag.
“I brought something.”
She removed a small sealed envelope.
“My attorney told me not to handle the original documents. This is a copy Rebecca gave me before she disappeared.”
I looked at the envelope but didn't touch it.
“We need to give that to the investigators.”
“I know.”
Mom stared at me.
“But Amelia, before I do, you need to understand why Rebecca was so frightened.”
“Why?”
Her face went pale.
“Because she discovered that Grant wasn't working alone.”
I leaned forward.
“Who was helping him?”
May you like
Mom whispered a name.
“Senator Richard Caldwell.”
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