Chapter 6 - THE DEAD MAN'S OFFICE
Michael wanted to go.
Brooks wanted him wired.
I wanted him nowhere near Margaret.
He looked at me.
"I helped create this mess."
"Yes."
"I need to fix part of it."
"You don't fix it by obeying her again."
That stopped him.
Brooks arranged a controlled call instead.
Michael called Margaret back.
"What do you want?"
"The originals."
"What originals?"
"Don't play stupid."
"Why would Rachel go to prison?"
Margaret laughed softly.
"Ask her about Monterrey."
My stomach dropped.
Three months earlier, I had gone to Monterrey for work.
Nothing illegal.
Nothing secret.
Margaret continued.
"Customs records can be very persuasive."
Brooks muted the line.
"Has anyone used your passport?"
"My passport went missing for one day after that trip."
Michael stared.
"You said the airline lost your bag."
"They did."
Margaret spoke again.
"Bring the trust documents, and the customs evidence disappears."
Michael looked at Brooks.
"What evidence?"
"A declaration showing Rachel transported undeclared cash across the border."
I almost laughed.
"I didn't."
"I know," Michael said.
Margaret replied, "A jury might not."
Brooks ended the call.
"She's blackmailing you with fabricated federal evidence."
Denise spoke from the doorway.
"There's a safe in Mr. Patterson's office."
Michael turned.
"How do you know?"
"Your father showed me once. He said if anything happened to him, someone had to know."
Margaret had gone there for the safe.
We drove to Patterson Foods with police.
The executive floor was dark.
Richard's office door stood open.
The safe was empty.
Except for one envelope.
MICHAEL - IF YOUR MOTHER OPENS THIS BEFORE YOU, RUN.
Michael's hands shook as he opened it.
Inside was a letter from his father.
May you like
One sentence had been underlined twice.
MARGARET HAS BEEN STEALING FROM EMMA'S TRUST SINCE BEFORE EMMA WAS BORN.
