Chapter 4: The Name on the Document
Elena didn't look away.
"Before I answer that," she said, "I need you to answer something first."
Mrs.
Howard's chin lifted slightly.
"You're asking the questions now?"
"I'm asking one." Elena folded her hands in her lap.
"How long have you known that Vanessa had access to Mr.
Howard's private files?"
The silence that followed was its own answer.
Mrs.
Howard's hands pressed harder against her knees.
"That's not what I asked you."
"I know.
But it matters." Elena kept her voice even.
"Because the changes to the will didn't start with me.
They started eight months ago.
Before I was even in this house.
And someone gave Vanessa the password to the document server."
Mrs.
Howard's eyes moved to the fireplace.
"That's a serious accusation."
"I have the access logs." Elena reached into the cardigan pocket — the same pocket that had held the phone — and produced a folded envelope.
She set it on the table between them.
"Printed three days ago.
Certified by the firm's IT director."
Mrs.
Howard didn't touch the envelope.
"The original will left everything in three equal portions," Elena said.
"James.
The charitable foundation.
And a private trust for the child." She paused.
"Your grandchild."
Something moved across Mrs.
Howard's face.
Not surprise.
Something older than surprise.
"Eight months ago," Elena continued, "someone accessed the draft document and removed the trust entirely.
The charitable foundation's share was reduced by half.
And a new beneficiary was added." She waited.
"Would you like to tell me whose name was added?
Or would you like to open the envelope?"
Mrs.
Howard reached forward.
Her fingers were steady as she unfolded the pages.
The room was quiet enough to hear the paper.
She read for a long moment.
Then she set the pages down on her knee and looked at Elena.
"Vanessa," she said.
It wasn't a question.
"Vanessa," Elena confirmed.
"James doesn't know."
"James has never seen the updated draft.
Vanessa made sure of that.
She controls which documents go to his desk and which ones go to the firm directly."
Mrs.
Howard stood up.
She walked to the window and stood with her back to the room.
Outside, the police vehicle's lights were still moving at the end of the drive.
"She's been in this house since James was twenty-six," Mrs.
Howard said.
"She worked for my husband before she worked for James.
I trusted her with things I didn't trust anyone else with."
"I know," Elena said quietly.
"How long have you known?"
"I found the first discrepancy four months ago.
A transfer from the household account that didn't match any invoice.
I didn't say anything because I didn't have enough yet." Elena looked at her hands.
"I needed her to believe she was safe.
I needed her to keep moving."
Mrs.
Howard turned from the window.
"And the staircase tonight."
"I knew she was going to try something.
I didn't know when.
I set the cameras to transmit automatically two weeks ago." Elena met her eyes.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.
I wasn't sure who I could trust."
The older woman was quiet for a long time.
Then she crossed the room, sat back down, and looked at Elena with an expression that had nothing left to hide behind.
"My son loves you," she said.
"I wasn't kind to you when you came into this family.
I want you to know that I know that."
Elena said nothing.
"Is the baby all right?"
"Yes." Elena's hand moved to her side.
"We're both all right."
Mrs.
Howard nodded once.
She picked up the pages from her knee and held them carefully, as if they were something fragile.
"Where is James?" she asked.
"On his way back from the city.
Detective Ruiz called him twenty minutes ago."
"He'll be—" Mrs.
Howard stopped.
Steadied herself.
"He'll need to see these."
"Yes."
"And Vanessa's claim.
About the fourteenth.
About what you signed." The older woman's eyes were careful.
"Is there anything I need to know before James walks through that door?"
Elena looked at her steadily.
"Yes," she said.
"There is."
Mrs.
May you like
Howard set the pages on the table.
"Then tell me now."
