Chapter 9: Thomas Calls
I let it ring twice.
Then I answered.
**"Ms.
Callahan."** His voice was assured.
The voice of a man who made calls he expected to control.
**"I think we should talk."**
**"You have thirty seconds to explain how you got my number,"** I said.
**"Daniel called me,"** Thomas said.
**"Just now.
From the coffee shop."**
I turned slightly.
Through the window, I could still see Daniel at the table, phone to his ear, not looking at the door.
**"He told you where he was,"** I said.
**"He told me quite a lot, actually.
He's worried.
He tends to overcorrect when he's worried — he told me about your conversation this morning, the meeting just now, the things Carol apparently shared with you.
He wanted to give me a chance to—"** a pause, **"—contextualize."**
**"To contextualize,"** I repeated.
**"You've been given a partial picture, Ms.
Callahan.
Carol has her own reasons for the things she told you.
She and Daniel didn't end well.
People in that situation sometimes—"**
**"Thomas."** I kept walking.
**"I'm going to stop you.
I know what you did with the Hartley policy four years ago.
I know about the contestability clause.
I know your name is in Daniel's estate documents.
And I know that my daughter has nothing."**
Silence.
**"So the contextualization I actually need,"** I said, **"is this: are you planning to challenge the insurance payout when Daniel dies?
Yes or no."**
**"That's not a question I'm in a position to—"**
**"Yes or no, Thomas."**
**"Any legal action I might take would be entirely within the framework of—"**
**"That's a yes,"** I said.
**"Thank you."**
**"Ms.
Callahan, I'd strongly encourage you not to make this adversarial before you understand the full—"**
**"I'd strongly encourage you,"** I said, **"to have your attorney available this afternoon.
Because Daniel is making changes to his estate documents today.
And if anything about that process becomes complicated, I will make sure the investigators who looked at Daniel's accounts twelve years ago receive a very detailed account of the arrangement you and Daniel made.
Including the payment."**
A beat.
**"That would be inadvisable,"** he said.
His voice had changed.
Not panicked — men like Thomas didn't panic audibly — but the ease had gone out of it.
**"I'm sure,"** I said.
**"You're opening yourself up to—"**
**"To what?
I didn't do anything, Thomas.
I was home with a one-year-old.
I found out my joint account was fourteen thousand dollars short after my husband disappeared.
There's nothing to open me up to."**
Another silence.
Longer this time.
**"What exactly do you want?"** he asked.
**"I want my daughter protected.
That's it.
I want her named in his estate.
I want you removed as executor.
I want someone with no connection to either of you managing the process.
And I want the insurance policy to pay without interference when the time comes."**
**"And in exchange."**
**"In exchange, I have a very poor memory for twelve-year-old financial arrangements that I was never part of."**
He was quiet for a moment.
**"I'll need it in writing."**
**"So will I,"** I said.
**"Have your lawyer call mine.
I'll send you his contact details by end of day."**
**"You have a lawyer."**
**"I do now."** I didn't yet, but I would within the hour.
**"Goodbye, Thomas."**
I ended the call.
My hands were not shaking.
I noticed that specifically.
They had been shaking under Maya's bed two days ago.
They were not shaking now.
Carol was standing a few feet away, watching me.
**"Well?"** she asked.
**"He'll agree,"** I said.
**"He's not stupid.
He knows what exposure looks like."**
**"What if Daniel doesn't go through with the documents?"**
**"Then Thomas has a bigger problem than I do, because he's just confirmed on a recorded call—"** I held up my phone, **"—that he was planning to contest the payout."**
Carol looked at the phone.
**"You recorded it."**
**"I turned it on when I saw his name,"** I said.
**"I didn't know what he'd say.
I wanted to have whatever he said."**
She was quiet for a moment.
Then she smiled, slightly, with something that looked almost like relief.
**"Daniel always said you were the smartest person he knew,"** she said.
**"He said it like it made him proud and terrified at the same time."**
I looked at her.
**"Why did you help me?"** I asked.
**"You didn't have to.
This could have made your life complicated."**
She looked down at her untouched coffee, which she had carried out to the pavement with her without seeming to notice.
**"Because I have a daughter too,"** she said.
**"And if someone had information that affected her, I'd want them to tell me."**
I nodded.
We stood on the pavement together for a moment.
Two women in the cold, outside a coffee shop, having just handled something that most people would have called impossible before breakfast.
**"Are you going to be all right?"** I asked.
**"Yes,"** she said.
**"Are you?"**
I thought about the question honestly.
**"I think so,"** I said.
**"Eventually."**
My phone buzzed again.
Daniel.
I answered it.
**"It's done,"** he said.
He sounded exhausted.
**"I called my lawyer from the table.
He's drawing up the amendment now.
Maya is named.
Thomas is removed."**
**"Who is the new executor?"**
**"A trust company.
No personal connection to anyone."**
**"Good,"** I said.
**"Renee—"**
**"Not now, Daniel.
I need to go home."**
**"Can I — can I call Maya?
Tonight?"**
I stood very still.
Then I said, **"Ask her.
It should be her choice."**
I hung up.
I walked to my car.
I got in.
I sat with both hands on the wheel.
Then I texted Maya: *Come straight home after school.
We need to talk.
I'm not angry.
I just need you to know everything.*
She responded in under a minute: *OK Mom.
I love you.*
Three words on a screen.
May you like
I sat with them for a long moment.
Then I started the car.
