“But you may have signed documents without knowing what they contained,” Alexander replied.
Richard looked at his son.
“That is exactly what Margaret wanted me to do.”
Before anyone could respond, a vehicle pulled into the driveway.
Through the window, Alexander saw a dark sedan.
A man stepped out and approached the house.
He was in his late fifties, wearing a navy suit and carrying a leather briefcase.
Richard recognized him immediately.
“Jonathan Pierce.”
“Who is he?” Emily asked.
“My former attorney.”
Jonathan entered the library without waiting for an invitation.
“I was hoping you’d find the ledger,” he said.
Alexander stood.
“You knew it was here?”
Jonathan placed his briefcase on the table.
“Thomas contacted me shortly before he died. He asked me to preserve certain legal records in case the investigation was reopened.”
“Why didn’t you tell the authorities?”
“Because the records implicated people who had considerable influence over the investigation.”
Emily folded her arms.
“You’re asking us to believe that you protected evidence for twelve years without telling anyone?”
“I’m asking you to understand that I was trying to keep it from disappearing.”
Jonathan opened his briefcase and removed a sealed envelope.
Inside was a copy of a handwritten statement signed by Thomas Whitmore.
It described a meeting with Margaret Hale on the night before his death.
The final paragraph read:
If anything happens to me, investigate the person who benefits most from the Carter trust.
Alexander looked up.
“Who benefits from the trust?”
Jonathan’s face became grave.
“According to the original document, the beneficiary is not Emily Carter.”
He paused.
“It’s Victoria Hale.”
