Chapter 8 - Patricia's Perfect Lie
Thomas Cole was alive.
Samuel traced the number to Mexico.
The discovery rewrote everything.
Thomas had staged his death after stealing from Patricia and Marissa.
Rebecca had helped him disappear.
Robert discovered him while investigating Blue Palm.
That was why Rebecca had been at Cancún.
She wasn't Robert's mistress.
She was negotiating Thomas's return.
When I confronted Rebecca, she admitted it.
“Thomas has the original ledgers.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because he demanded money.”
“How much?”
“Two million.”
“And Robert?”
“Refused.”
Thomas threatened to expose Daniel's signatures as proof Daniel masterminded the theft.
Robert knew it wasn't true.
At least, he believed it wasn't.
Then Patricia discovered Thomas was alive.
Everything accelerated.
Police investigators took the medication evidence.
Financial investigators took the ledgers.
And Patricia began losing control.
She tried charming Daniel.
Then threatening him.
Then blaming me.
Finally, she came to my new house.
“You destroyed this family.”
I stood in the doorway.
“No.”
“Daniel won't speak to me.”
“That's Daniel's decision.”
“You turned him against me.”
“I spent years doing the opposite.”
That landed.
“You think money makes you powerful?”
“No.”
“Then what does?”
“Being able to live with my decisions.”
She slapped me.
The sound echoed.
Lucky barked.
Daniel, who had arrived behind her, saw everything.
“Patricia.”
She turned.
He looked different.
Not strong exactly.
But awake.
“Leave my mother alone.”
Patricia laughed.
“Now you're brave?”
“No.”
His voice shook.
“I'm trying to become brave.”
She stared at him.
Then left.
Three days later Thomas returned to the United States under an agreement with investigators.
He brought the ledgers.
They proved Patricia had orchestrated the transfers.
Marissa participated.
Rebecca had concealed evidence.
Daniel had signed documents but received no direct benefit from most transactions.
The $900,000 account in his name had never been accessed by him.
Then Thomas produced something else.
A recording.
Patricia's voice.
“If Robert keeps digging, everything falls apart.”
Thomas answered, “Then stop him.”
“How?”
A pause.
Patricia said, “I'll handle Robert.”
The recording ended.
Not proof of murder.
But close enough to terrify me.
Then investigators found Robert's missing medication bottle.
It had been recovered from a trash bag collected from the house the morning after his death.
Patricia's fingerprints were on it.
So were mine.
And Daniel's.
We had all handled Robert's medications before.
Again, nothing decisive.
Until the toxicology specialist called.
Robert had not died from the drug interaction.
My knees almost gave out with relief.
The medication had affected him.
But his fatal heart attack was consistent with his existing disease.
Patricia might have tampered with his medication.
But she had not murdered him.
Truth mattered.
Even when revenge wanted something cleaner.
Patricia still faced fraud and forgery investigations.
I returned to the Houston estate one final time to collect Robert's belongings.
Inside his desk I found a sealed envelope.
Not addressed to me.
To Daniel.
I took it upstairs.
Daniel was packing.
“This is yours.”
He recognized his father's handwriting.
His hands shook.
He opened it.
Son,
If you're reading this, I probably failed to say these things while I was alive.
Daniel stopped.
He couldn't continue.
I took his hand.
For the first time in months, my son let me.
Then the front door opened downstairs.
Sophie screamed.
“Dad!”
Daniel and I ran toward the staircase.
Patricia stood in the foyer.
She wasn't alone.
May you like
Two investigators stood behind her.
And one of them was holding the original forged trust amendment.
