Chapter 4 - What Lauren Knew

Lauren called at midnight.

Not from the family group.

Privately.

“Why are you asking about Richard?”

Adeline sat up in bed.

“You told me Mom hadn’t discussed the house with you.”

“She hasn’t.”

“That wasn’t my question.”

Lauren lowered her voice.

“She’s asleep.”

“Then answer.”

“I know Richard from when Dad was alive. That’s it.”

“Did he pay your credit cards?”

Silence.

Adeline heard the faint hum of the ship through the phone.

“What?”

“Forty-two thousand dollars, Lauren.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Then explain why payments from estate funds covered your lease, travel, and cards.”

Lauren whispered something Adeline could not hear.

“Did you know?”

“Mom said it was family money.”

“What family money?”

“Dad’s reserve.”

“Dad’s reserve was not yours.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“But you took it.”

“I didn’t take anything. Mom helped me.”

Adeline stood and walked toward the kitchen so she would not wake the twins.

“How long have you known she wanted to change the inheritance?”

Lauren said nothing.

“How long?”

“Please don’t do this.”

“Do what?”

“Turn everything into a trial.”

Adeline laughed once.

“You lied to me yesterday.”

“Because Mom told me not to upset you.”

“That sentence doesn’t even make sense.”

Lauren began to cry.

“You always think I’m weak.”

“I think you’re answering every question except the one I asked.”

Another silence.

Finally Lauren said, “She told me the house should come to me because you already had enough.”

Adeline closed her eyes.

“When?”

“Last year.”

“And you believed her?”

“I didn’t ask for it.”

“But you didn’t refuse.”

“What was I supposed to say? ‘No, Mom, please don’t leave me the house I grew up in’?”

“It wasn’t hers to leave.”

Lauren inhaled sharply.

“What?”

Adeline said nothing.

“What do you mean?”

“You heard me.”

“That’s impossible.”

“No. It’s documented.”

Lauren’s voice shifted from defensive to frightened.

“Does Mom know you know?”

“I don’t know what she knows.”

“Adeline, listen to me. Do not do anything until we get home.”

“The trustee is already doing something.”

“What?”

“The estate is being sold.”

Lauren gasped.

“You can’t.”

“I can.”

“That’s Mom’s home.”

“It’s a trust asset.”

“She’ll have nowhere to go.”

“She has money.”

“No, she doesn’t.”

Adeline stopped.

“What do you mean?”

Lauren’s crying changed.

“Mom said things were tight. That’s why she used the reserve.”

“How tight?”

“I don’t know.”

“Lauren.”

“Really. I don’t.”

“Then why was she giving you forty-two thousand dollars?”

“Because I was struggling.”

“With what?”

“My business failed. The lease on the salon. Taxes. I was embarrassed.”

Adeline leaned against the counter.

Lauren had never told her the salon had failed.

Instead, she had posted photographs from grand openings, client events, and weekend trips.

“You could have asked me.”

“I didn’t want your lecture.”

“I would have helped you.”

“That’s the problem.”

“What does that mean?”

“You help, but you make people feel like children.”

Adeline went still.

It hurt because part of it might be true.

She did not answer immediately.

Lauren continued, “Mom never made me feel stupid.”

“No. She just took money that wasn’t hers and used it to keep you grateful.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Maybe not. But it is what happened.”

Lauren whispered, “She said Dad wanted me protected.”

“Dad left a letter.”

The line went quiet.

“What letter?”

“One that says the opposite.”

Lauren began breathing fast.

“Send it to me.”

“No.”

“Why?”

“Because you are on a ship with her.”

“She’s my mother.”

“And I don’t know which side of this you’re on.”

The words landed hard.

Lauren said, “You think I’m stealing from you.”

“I think I don’t know what you knew.”

“I knew she wanted me to have the house. I knew she helped with my debt. I did not know the house belonged to a trust. I swear.”

Adeline wanted to believe her.

Love made belief feel like a moral duty.

Evidence did not care about love.

“Did you ever sign anything?”

Lauren hesitated.

“What kind of thing?”

“Anything related to the house.”

“No.”

“Bank accounts?”

“No.”

“Companies?”

“No.”

“Lauren.”

“No. I swear.”

Then Lauren whispered, “But Mom asked for a copy of my signature last month.”

Adeline’s hand tightened around the phone.

“Why?”

“She said she was updating emergency papers.”

“What did you send?”

“A scan of my passport and a signed blank page.”

Adeline closed her eyes.

“Lauren.”

“I know how it sounds now.”

“Where did you send it?”

“To her email.”

“Forward that message to me.”

Lauren did.

Within minutes, Adeline had the original email.

Constance’s reply was one line.

Perfect. I’ll take care of the rest.

Adeline sent it to Vance.

He called immediately.

“This changes things.”

“How?”

“Because if Constance used Lauren’s signature the way she used yours, Lauren may not be a participant.”

“She may be a target.”

“Yes.”

Adeline looked at the clock.

“Can we stop the sale?”

Vance sounded surprised.

“Why would you?”

“Because if the house is tied to fraud, I don’t want an innocent buyer dragged into it.”

“The title is clean. The sale can proceed.”

“Then proceed.”

She returned to bed but did not sleep.

At dawn, Lauren sent one final message.

I found something in Mom’s cabin.

A photograph followed.

It showed a folder inside the open safe.

On the cover were typed words:

CARTER FAMILY HOLDINGS — TRANSFER PLAN.

Below them, in handwriting Adeline recognized, were three names.

Constance.

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Lauren.

And, crossed out twice in black ink, Adeline.