Chapter 5: What the Housekeeper Saved
The judge left me with Lucille for seventy-two hours and froze the largest accounts.
Veronica retained temporary control of the house and company, so we went there with Deputy Shaw to collect my clothes.
Veronica blocked the staircase.
“Matthew’s belongings can be delivered.”
“I want my mother’s photograph,” I said.
“You mean the photograph Alexander hid in a drawer?”
“It was beside my bed.”
She looked at Deputy Shaw.
“See how confused he is?”
Gabriel stepped between us.
“Let him pass.”
“You don’t give orders in my house.”
“It belongs to Matthew’s trust.”
“Not after 6:14.”
I tried to move around her.
She caught my backpack strap, and Deputy Shaw immediately took her wrist.
“Release him.”
Veronica let go.
“I was stopping him from taking estate property.”
“I’m not property,” I said.
Her eyes narrowed.
“No.
You’re leverage.”
Gabriel went still.
“What does that mean?”
“It means I’m willing to be reasonable.” She lowered her voice.
“Withdraw the trust challenge.
I’ll give Matthew fifty thousand dollars when he turns eighteen, and I won’t tell the court you’re unfit.”
“You abandoned him for an inheritance.”
“Prove it.”
Deputy Shaw touched the recorder clipped to her belt.
“You may want to stop talking.”
Veronica’s smile vanished.
A woman appeared at the end of the hallway.
Maribel, our housekeeper, had worked for Dad since before he married Veronica.
“Mrs.
Banks,” she said, “Matthew’s suitcase is ready.”
“You were told to leave.”
“You were told to pay me.
Neither happened.”
Maribel carried the suitcase downstairs and set it beside me.
Her fingers slipped something small into the outer pocket.
Veronica stepped forward.
“What did you give him?”
“His blue sweater.”
“There was something in your hand.”
Maribel turned both palms up.
“Then search me in front of the deputy.”
Veronica grabbed the suitcase, but I held on.
The zipper tore open, sending shirts across the floor.
A small silver phone slid beneath the table.
Veronica lunged for it.
Maribel planted her shoe on the phone.
“That belonged to Mr.
Banks.”
“Move your foot.”
“No.”
Veronica raised her hand, then noticed Deputy Shaw watching.
“Where did you get it?” Gabriel asked.
“Mr.
Banks gave it to me the week before he went into the hospital,” Maribel said.
“He told me to hide it from her.”
“She stole it,” Veronica said.
Maribel bent down and handed the phone to me.
“He said Matthew would know when to listen.”
Veronica seized my mother’s framed photograph from the staircase table.
“Give me that phone or this goes in the fireplace.”
I stopped breathing.
Gabriel held out his hand.
“Don’t punish a child because you’re afraid of a recording.”
“It’s only glass and paper.”
“It’s my mom,” I said.
Maribel walked toward Veronica.
“Anna gave that photograph to Alexander before Matthew was born.
I was there.”
Veronica’s fingers tightened around the frame.
“You are finished in this town.”
“Then I’ll leave with my name intact.”
Deputy Shaw took the photograph from Veronica and returned it to me.
Outside, Gabriel charged the silver phone in his truck.
One saved voicemail appeared, dated the day before Dad entered the hospital.
He pressed play.
Dad’s weak voice filled the cab.
“Gabriel, if you hear this, Veronica found the trust papers.
Conrad is helping her.
And there’s something I should have told Matthew about Anna—”
A door opened on the recording.
Veronica’s voice cut through the speaker.
May you like
“Alexander, put that phone down.
We’re going to discuss what your son is worth.”
