The Files They Were Never Supposed to See
I found a quiet room near the library and called Elias Vance, my attorney of almost twenty years.
He answered immediately.
“Arthur? Shouldn’t you be celebrating?”
“Freeze Lucas’s trust payment.”
Silence.
“Tonight?”
“Tonight.”
“What else?”
“The Willow Creek arrangement.”
“All right.”
“And cancel negotiations on the Grand Building expansion.”
Elias’s voice changed.
“What happened?”
“Lucas and Sophia know details they should not know.”
He paused.
“Give me a few minutes.”
While he worked, I called security at our home.
Because of previous insurance requirements, the study and exterior corridors were monitored.
I asked for recordings from the previous month.
Within twenty minutes, Elias called me back.
“I think you need to see what I just received.”
The files appeared on my phone.
Three evenings earlier, while Clara and I had been out to dinner, Lucas entered my study using the security code I had given him years before.
Sophia followed.
The footage showed Lucas opening my filing cabinet.
Then Sophia began photographing documents.
Not one document.
Dozens.
Property records.
Trust papers.
Corporate ownership files.
Lease agreements.
She even photographed documents connected to Blackwood Manor.
I watched the footage twice.
The second viewing hurt more.
Because Lucas did not look hesitant.
He knew exactly where to search.
Elias called again.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
“Do you remember Lucas asking me about transferring inherited assets into a spouse’s joint ownership?”
“Yes.”
“He also asked whether your trust restrictions would disappear after inheritance.”
I gripped the phone tighter.
“At the time, I assumed he was trying to understand estate planning. Given what we know now…”
He did not finish.
He did not need to.
My anger became colder.
“Save everything.”
“Already done.”
“Multiple copies.”
“Yes.”
“And Elias?”
“I’m listening.”
“Come to Blackwood.”
