Chapter 10 - The Second WillHelen Ward disliked the phrase “second will.”
“It sounds like television.”
Ethan stood beside her conference table.
“Then what do you call it?”
“A trust restatement held in escrow.”
“Which changes everything after we nearly get murdered.”
“Which is precisely why lawyers should name things instead of television writers.”
Claire almost smiled.
Medina did not.
Helen placed a sealed binder on the table.
Victor Blake had signed the restatement seven months before his death.
It had never taken effect.
Instead, Victor instructed Helen to activate it only if Marcus Vale attempted to regain influence over Blake Meridian through Nia.
“That sounds incredibly subjective,” Medina said.
“It is not automatic,” Helen replied. “The document authorized the independent trust protector to petition for replacement of the voting structure upon specified events.”
“What events?”
“Fraud, coercion, criminal conspiracy or proven misuse of a beneficiary’s authority.”
Ethan looked at her.
“Why didn’t Dad simply change the trust while he was alive?”
Helen’s eyes lowered.
“Because Nia discovered a draft.”
Ethan went still.
“When?”
“About eight months before he died.”
“She confronted him?”
“Yes.”
“What did he tell her?”
“That he was reviewing tax planning.”
Ethan laughed without humor.
“Another lie.”
Helen continued.
“Victor became afraid that if Nia knew he intended to restrict her further, she would move against him legally or Marcus would.”
“So he hid it.”
“Yes.”
The trust restatement would have placed both siblings’ voting shares under an independent fiduciary board for five years.
Neither Ethan nor Nia would have unilateral control.
Economic benefits remained equal.
“That would have solved the favoritism issue,” Ethan said.
“It would have removed direct control from both of you.”
“Why didn’t he sign it into effect?”
“He did sign it.”
“You just said—”
“He did not direct me to activate it.”
Helen slid forward a handwritten note.
Give Nia one last chance to walk away from him.
Ethan stared.
“He still thought he could fix her.”
“He still thought he could fix everything.”
Medina asked, “Where does the missing money fit?”
Helen looked at Ethan before answering.
“There is something else.”
Of course there was.
Victor had commissioned a forensic review.
The report confirmed approximately $8.7 million had left Blake Meridian through fictitious consulting contracts.
Marcus controlled two recipient entities.
But three transfers bore Nia’s legitimate digital authorization.
Not forged.
Legitimate.
Ethan felt nauseated.
“She knew?”
Helen shook her head.
“We don’t know what she knew.”
One transfer was accompanied by an email from Nia.
Approved. Dad wants this buried before quarter close. No more questions.
Ethan read it twice.
“That sounds terrible.”
“It is terrible.”
“But Dad admits he trained her to sign things.”
“Yes.”
Medina looked at the report.
“So either she knowingly assisted the theft or she believed she was following Victor’s instructions.”
“Exactly.”
Claire asked, “Can Marcus use this against her?”
Helen gave a grim smile.
“He has been using it against her for years.”
That afternoon Ethan received an email from an unknown address.
No subject line.
One attachment.
An audio recording.
Nia’s voice.
“I need to know whether Dad actually told you to move those funds.”
Marcus answered.
“He told me verbally.”
“When?”
“The night before.”
“You said he emailed.”
“I deleted it.”
“Why would you delete proof?”
“Because Victor asked me to.”
Then Nia.
“You keep changing the story.”
The recording ended.
Ethan looked at the date.
Two years before Victor died.
Nia had already suspected Marcus.
Why had she stayed?
A message appeared beneath the attachment.
He lied to me too. I am not asking you to forgive me. I need you to know what he is capable of.
Ethan typed.
Where are you?
No response.
Then another email arrived.
A photograph.
Nia standing inside a wooden cabin.
Her face bruised near the cheekbone.
Behind her, barely visible in the reflection of a window, Marcus held a phone.
The caption contained four words.
Don’t come looking alone.
Medina saw it.
“This could be staged.”
Ethan nodded.
“It could.”
“But you’re going.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“She’s my sister.”
“She tried to kill you.”
“And somebody may be trying to kill her.”
Medina stepped between him and the door.
“You do not get to turn family loyalty into a suicide pact.”
Ethan stared at her.
Then Claire’s phone buzzed.
A GPS coordinate appeared.
Sent from the same anonymous account.
Claire looked at it.
“I know that area.”
Medina asked, “Where?”
Claire’s expression changed.
“It’s near an old Blake Meridian property.”
Ethan frowned.
“What property?”
Helen answered before Claire could.
“A mountain tract Victor bought twelve years ago.”
Ethan looked at Helen.
“Why?”
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Helen’s voice was quiet.
“Because that is where Marcus Vale first met your sister.”
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