Chapter 8: The Night Before Everything Changed
Richard Mercer sat at the kitchen table with the folders spread out in front of him.
He did not speak for a long time.
Martin was still on the phone, walking him through the account histories.
Richard listened and turned pages and occasionally asked a single quiet question.
Lily sat across from him.
Becca sat at the far end of the table with her hands folded and her eyes on the surface in front of her.
When the call ended, Richard set the phone down.
"The rental property," he said.
"She filed the amendment to the deed eleven months ago.
One week after we came back from our honeymoon."
No one spoke.
"The joint account transfers total just under ninety thousand dollars over fourteen months." He looked at the page in front of him.
"Sixty-two thousand of it went to Derek Farrow's account.
The rest went somewhere Martin hasn't traced yet."
"Dad," Lily said.
He looked up.
"I'm sorry."
He shook his head.
"This isn't yours to be sorry for."
"I know.
I'm just—" She stopped.
"I'm sorry she did this to you."
He held her gaze for a moment.
Then he looked back at the papers.
"The legal position," he said, "is actually not as bad as it could be.
Because she left without taking the box." He tapped the banker's box sitting on the corner of the table.
"Gregory Holt's email chain documents the intent to defraud.
The transfers document the execution.
The deed amendments can be challenged because she forged my signature on the consent form." He paused.
"She forged my signature, and I can prove it because I was in Chicago on the day that form was supposedly signed."
Becca made a sound.
"You didn't know," Richard said to her.
Not unkindly.
"I handed her the scissors," Becca said.
Her voice was barely audible.
Richard looked at her.
"What?"
Lily answered.
"Becca handed Diane the scissors she used on my dress.
Earlier today."
The silence that followed was not the same silence as before.
Richard set down the page he was holding.
He looked at Becca.
Becca met his gaze.
Her chin was trembling slightly, but she kept her eyes up.
"I did it.
She told me to and I did it.
I didn't want to.
But I did it." She stopped.
"I've been doing things like that for four years.
Small things.
Things that hurt Lily.
Because my mother told me to and because I was—" She stopped again.
"Because you were afraid of her," Richard said.
Becca nodded.
Richard was quiet for a moment.
"Then you and I," he said, "are going to need a conversation.
Not tonight.
But soon."
Becca nodded again.
He turned to Lily.
"Are you still going to prom?"
Lily glanced at the clock.
It was 8:14 PM.
"It started at eight," she said.
"Jess is still there?"
Lily checked her phone.
Four messages from Jess.
The last one: *I am standing by the punch bowl looking ridiculous.
Please come.*
"Yes," Lily said.
"Then go." He stood up.
He crossed to her side of the table and put his hand briefly on her shoulder.
"Navy dress looks good."
"You said that already."
"I meant it both times."
She stood up.
She gathered her bag.
She was at the kitchen doorway when she stopped.
"Dad."
He looked up from the folders.
"Are you going to be okay tonight?
Alone with all of this?"
He looked at the table.
At the papers.
At Becca still sitting at the far end.
"I won't be alone," he said.
May you like
"Go."
She went.
