Chapter 5 - A House Full of Missing Things
Missing camera clips.
Missing caregiver reports.
Missing medical logs.
Missing emails.
Ethan stood in his office while family attorney Malcolm Rourke insisted everything could be explained by "procedural confusion."
"Three separate systems don't become confused on the same subject," Ethan said.
Rourke adjusted his glasses. "You're emotional."
"My employee is in jail. My daughter says her medication makes her feel detached. And my security chief isn't answering his phone."
Grant Callahan leaned against the fireplace.
"You're letting Nora manipulate you after the fact."
Ethan turned toward his uncle.
He was family.
"Why did you approve Celeste as emergency trustee last month?" Ethan asked.
Grant blinked. "What?"
"I found the draft."
Celeste straightened.
Rourke interrupted. "That was contingency planning."
"For what contingency?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Ethan opened the folder in front of him.
Sophie's trust held seventeen percent of voting shares in Callahan Holdings, inherited from Lillian.
The shares could not be sold.
But if Sophie were declared medically unable to participate in beneficiary reviews when she reached certain ages, her acting trustees could exercise limited voting authority on her behalf.
Seventeen percent was enough to decide a board fight.
Ethan looked at Grant.
"Were you planning a board fight?"
Grant laughed. "Don't be absurd."
The office door opened.
Sophie stood there in pajamas, clutching the wooden rabbit Nora had given her.
"Daddy?"
Ethan's anger vanished.
"Hey. You should be resting."
"I can't find Nora."
He walked to her and knelt.
"She's away for a little while."
"Because Miss Celeste said she stole things?"
The adults in the room went silent.
Sophie looked at Celeste.
"Nora doesn't steal."
Celeste smiled too brightly. "Sweetheart, adults sometimes do things children don't understand."
Sophie frowned.
"Like breaking my piano?"
Ethan looked at her.
"What piano?"
"The yellow one. Nora fixed the G key yesterday because it was loose."
Across the room, Grant's hand stopped halfway to his coffee.
It was small.
Almost nothing.
But Ethan saw it.
"Where is the piano now?" he asked.
Sophie pointed upstairs.
Grant set down the cup.
"Ethan, we have more serious matters to discuss."
May you like
Ethan stood.
"I think this just became the most serious matter in the house."
