Chapter 4 - The Instructions Margaret Left Behind
Alexander stared at Veronica.
“You were supposed to destroy Elena’s records?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Veronica looked toward the ceiling.
“Because I needed them.”
“For what?”
“Protection.”
Alexander laughed bitterly.
“Against whom? My dead mother?”
“Against Preston.”
Alexander frowned.
“My brother?”
The Mercer family was smaller than people assumed.
Alexander had one younger brother, Preston Mercer, forty-one, who managed the family’s luxury real-estate division in New York.
They were not close.
But they were not enemies.
At least Alexander had believed that.
“What does Preston have to do with Elena?”
Veronica said nothing.
Celia looked at Dean.
“Your client has already made multiple partial admissions. Either she stops or gives a coherent statement through counsel.”
Dean whispered to Veronica.
She nodded.
“Tomorrow.”
Alexander stepped toward her.
“No.”
Celia stopped him with one look.
Process.
Veronica stood.
“I am leaving tonight.”
“You are not taking anything from the locked room.”
“I know.”
“Sofia stays away from you.”
Her face hardened.
“I am still her stepmother.”
“Not tonight.”
Veronica left with Dean.
Alexander watched her car disappear.
Then he called Preston.
His brother answered from Manhattan.
“Alex?”
“Did you know Elena?”
Silence.
Too long.
Alexander closed his eyes.
“Preston.”
“Where is this coming from?”
“Did you know my wife before she died?”
“Yes.”
Another betrayal.
“How?”
“She contacted me.”
“Why?”
“About Mom.”
Alexander sat.
“What about Mom?”
“Money.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because Elena asked me not to until she had proof.”
“And after she died?”
Preston went quiet.
“Mom told me Elena had been wrong.”
“You believed her?”
“I wanted to.”
Alexander felt sick at the phrase.
Everyone wanted to.
“What did Elena tell you?”
“That Mom was hiding losses in Mercer Capital.”
“How much?”
“I didn’t know.”
“What else?”
Preston hesitated.
“She thought Veronica was helping.”
“Did you know Veronica before Elena died?”
“Yes.”
Alexander closed his eyes.
Of course.
“Everyone knew her except me.”
“Alex—”
“You attended my wedding to Veronica.”
“I know.”
“And never said you knew she worked for Mom?”
“Veronica asked me not to.”
“Why?”
“She said you would assume she was part of what happened.”
“She was.”
“I didn’t know that.”
Alexander stood.
“Did Elena meet Martin Dorsey the night she died?”
“I think so.”
“Why?”
“Because she called me afterward.”
Alexander stopped.
“What?”
Preston’s voice changed.
“She called me at 9:38.”
The crash occurred roughly an hour later.
“What did she say?”
“She had proof.”
Alexander’s pulse pounded.
“Of what?”
“That money from Sofia’s trust had covered margin calls inside Mercer Capital.”
“What else?”
“That Mom forged at least one authorization.”
“Did Elena mention Veronica?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“She said Veronica had given her documents.”
Alexander frowned.
“Given her?”
“Yes.”
That contradicted the image of Veronica as willing conspirator.
“Why would Veronica help Elena?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did Elena say exactly?”
Preston was silent.
Then:
“She said, ‘Veronica finally chose the right side.’”
Alexander sat slowly.
Everything shifted.
Veronica had known.
Helped Margaret.
Then perhaps turned.
“What happened next?”
“Elena said she was going home to confront you.”
“Why me?”
“She thought you had signed something.”
“I didn’t.”
“She didn’t know that yet.”
“Did she sound afraid?”
“Yes.”
“Of Mom?”
Preston hesitated.
“Not only Mom.”
Alexander’s hand tightened around the phone.
“Who?”
“She said someone had followed her from Dorsey’s office.”
Alexander felt cold.
“Did she identify the car?”
“No.”
“Did you tell police this?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Mom begged me not to.”
Alexander stood so fast the chair tipped.
“You withheld that after Elena died?”
“Mom said grief was making me connect things that weren’t related.”
“You had a call from my wife saying she was being followed one hour before she died!”
“I know.”
“You let the police call it weather.”
“I know.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
Preston’s voice broke.
“I was twenty-nine and terrified of destroying the family.”
Alexander laughed.
“That excuse is getting old.”
He hung up.
Celia had heard enough.
“We need the call records.”
“From six years ago?”
“Carrier retention may be limited, but device backups, estate records, or Preston’s own phone archive could help.”
Marcus interrupted.
“I found something in Margaret’s files.”
An expense reimbursement.
October 14.
A private driver.
Vehicle:
Black Lincoln Navigator.
Route:
Richmond to Charlottesville.
Passenger listed only as M.M.
Margaret Mercer.
Alexander stared.
“My mother was in Richmond that night.”
“Yes.”
“She told me she was home.”
“Apparently not.”
Another line showed a second vehicle billed to Mercer Capital.
A silver Audi.
Driver:
D. Kane.
Alexander recognized the name.
David Kane.
Former head of security for Mercer Capital.
He had retired shortly after Elena’s death.
“Where is he now?”
Marcus searched.
“North Carolina.”
Alexander looked at Celia.
“We find him.”
She nodded.
The next morning, Veronica arrived at Celia’s office for a formal interview with counsel.
Alexander attended.
She began with Margaret.
“Your mother hired me at twenty-six.”
“For what?”
“Financial administration.”
“You prepared trust transactions?”
“Yes.”
“Were they legal?”
“Some.”
“And the others?”
Veronica swallowed.
“Margaret told me the family adviser provisions allowed temporary loans.”
“They didn’t.”
“I know that now.”
“When did Elena find out?”
“About eight months before she died.”
“What did she do?”
“She confronted me.”
“And?”
“I lied.”
“Then?”
“She kept digging.”
Veronica looked at Alexander.
“Eventually I showed her records.”
“Why?”
“Because Margaret was moving more money than I understood.”
“What did you think she was doing?”
“Covering business losses.”
“What was she actually doing?”
Veronica looked toward Dean.
He nodded.
“She was covering Preston.”
Alexander froze.
“My brother?”
“Yes.”
“For what?”
“His investment division had hidden losses.”
“How much?”
“Initially eight million. Then more.”
Alexander’s mind raced.
Preston had been running a speculative acquisitions desk then.
“Did he know Mom was using Sofia’s trust?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did he know Elena discovered it?”
“Yes.”
“Did he know she met Dorsey?”
“Yes.”
Alexander stared.
“He told me she called him.”
Veronica’s face changed.
“You spoke to Preston?”
“Yes.”
“What didn’t he tell me?”
Veronica looked down.
“Elena wasn’t only going home to confront you.”
“What else?”
“She was going to give you a copy of the internal loss report showing Preston had concealed nearly twelve million dollars from the board.”
Alexander felt sick.
Money.
His daughter’s trust.
His wife’s insurance.
His mother.
His brother.
Then he asked the question that frightened him most.
“Who followed Elena?”
Veronica’s eyes filled.
“I don’t know.”
“But you have a guess.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“David Kane.”
Alexander stared.
“Mom’s security chief.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Margaret sent him after Elena.”
The room went silent.
“To stop her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did Margaret tell you?”
“No.”
“How do you know she sent him?”
May you like
Veronica took a breath.
“Because I heard her give the order.”
