Chapter 13 - Evelyn's Night
Evelyn had told everyone she was in Boston the night Daniel died.
There were hotel receipts. Conference photographs. A breakfast charge the next morning.
"I drove back after the conference dinner," she said.
The family sat in Daniel's study while rain struck the windows. Richard had been released after ballistics showed his shot had struck a garage wall. Leonard remained missing.
Laura stared at Evelyn. "Why?"
"Dad called me."
"What did he say?"
"That he needed help moving money."
Mark stood. "What money?"
Evelyn reached into her bag and pulled out a small notebook. "I've kept this because I knew someday I might have to prove I wasn't crazy."
Eleanor whispered, "Evelyn."
"You don't get to stop this."
"Dad gave me access to an account called A.M. Trust. He said it was restitution money. He wanted me to move two million dollars into it before midnight."
"A.M.?"
"Anna Mercer."
"I never received two million dollars."
"I transferred it."
Mark took the notebook. "From where?"
"A Vale Development reserve account."
Laura frowned. "Why use you?"
"Because Dad said Leonard monitored his transactions."
"So you came here, moved the money, and left?"
"No."
"When I arrived, Dad was arguing with Mom in the driveway. Then Leonard pulled in."
"I stayed near the pool house because I didn't want them to see me. Dad came inside later. He was angry. He gave me Laura's old security token."
Laura blinked. "Mine?"
"You had replaced it months earlier. Dad said the old one still worked on an archive server."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because ten minutes later he collapsed."
Evelyn continued. "I saw Leonard kneel beside him. Mom was screaming. Dad grabbed Leonard's coat and said, 'You changed it.'"
"The medication," Laura said.
Evelyn nodded. "I thought he meant a document. I didn't know."
"And then you left?" Mark asked.
"I panicked. Mom told me to go. She said if police found me there, they'd ask about the transfer."
Mark looked at Eleanor. "You sent her away?"
"I was trying to protect her."
"What happened to the two million?"
"I don't know. The transfer showed complete."
"Give me the account number."
"What?" Laura asked.
The account existed.
Then, fourteen minutes after Daniel died, it had been transferred again.
To an offshore account controlled by a corporation called E.V. Holdings.
"E.V."
Her voice broke.
May you like
"Those are mine."
The House That Lied
