Chapter 88 - The Secret That Could Destroy EverythingDaniel refused to explain the bank transfer at first.
He paced through the workshop, repeatedly insisting that the payment had been part of a legitimate business transaction.
But the document told a different story.
The money had come from a company connected to Caldwell.
Its description read:
Trust Administration Adjustment.
Helen examined the transfer.
"If this payment was connected to an unauthorized amendment, it could undermine the original trust."
Daniel sat down.
"I didn't know what the payment meant."
Michael looked at him.
"Then explain why you received it."
Daniel finally admitted that Caldwell had approached him shortly before Dad established the trust.
He offered Daniel money to convince my father to change the beneficiary structure.
Daniel claimed he had refused.
But the payment had still been deposited into his business account.
"I thought it was reimbursement for previous expenses."
I stared at him.
"Did you return it?"
Daniel lowered his head.
"No."
The silence was devastating.
"Then you accepted money from the person trying to control the property."
"I didn't understand the consequences."
"That is what you always say."
Daniel looked at me with tears in his eyes.
"I know."
Michael took the bank statement.
"We need to establish whether the original trust was altered."
Helen immediately contacted the legal archive.
They located another copy of the trust agreement.
The original listed all the beneficiaries.
The later version contained several changes.
One beneficiary had been removed.
Sarah Collins.
Another had been added.
Eleanor Whitmore.
And the replacement administrator had been changed from Michael Bennett to Daniel Bennett.
I stared at the paper.
"Someone altered the trust."
Helen nodded.
"And Daniel's payment may be connected."
Daniel stood.
"I never signed this."
Thomas looked at him.
"Your signature is on the amendment."
Daniel examined it.
Then he shook his head.
"That's not my handwriting."
Helen compared it with his known signatures.
She immediately noticed several differences.
"We need a forensic examination."
But before she could arrange one, a police officer arrived.
He carried a formal notice.
Daniel was being requested to attend an interview concerning suspected financial misconduct and document alteration.
Daniel looked terrified.
Mom took his hand.
"Tell them the truth."
He nodded.
"I will."
After the officer left, Thomas revealed something else.
His mother had discovered that Caldwell's company had transferred money to several accounts connected to the original development project.
One account belonged to a company registered in Daniel's name.
Another belonged to a person identified only as R.B.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who is R.B.?"
Thomas shook his head.
"We don't know."
Michael examined the records.
"Could it be Robert Bennett?"
My father's name.
I felt cold.
"Why would Dad receive money?"
Daniel looked up sharply.
"Your father never accepted money from Caldwell."
"Then who is R.B.?"
Helen warned us not to jump to conclusions.
But the timing was troubling.
The payment had occurred shortly before Dad signed the original trust.
That night, I searched through Dad's remaining letters.
I found one addressed to Michael Bennett.
It contained a single sentence.
If anyone ever discovers the payment to R.B., explain that it was never intended for me.
I read it again.
Then I noticed a second page.
It contained an account number.
The same account number from the bank transfer.
Michael leaned over my shoulder.
"That account belonged to a charitable foundation."
I looked up.
"What foundation?"
He checked the records.
The Mountain Children's Home Foundation.
My father had established it decades earlier to help families who had lost their homes.
The money hadn't gone to him.
It had gone to children in need.
But someone had used the foundation's account to disguise the payment.
And that meant the original trust dispute might be connected to something much larger.
Before we could investigate further, the power failed.
A loud crash came from outside.
Then the fire alarm began screaming.
Michael ran toward the front door.
I followed.
May you like
Smoke was rising from the workshop roof.
Someone had set fire to the building.
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