Chapter 9: The Buyer
I couldn't speak.
Thomas Reed.
The name Grandpa had written about.
The name my mother had tried to erase.
The man who had supposedly disappeared.
“You're alive,” I whispered.
A low laugh came through the phone.
“Obviously.””
“Where are you?””
“That doesn't matter.””
“It matters to me.””
“No, Claire. What matters is that you don't sell that property tomorrow.””
“Why?””
“Because the buyer isn't buying the house.””
I looked at Mark.
He was staring at me.
“What is he buying?””
“You.””
My blood ran cold.
“What does that mean?””
“It means your grandfather knew someone would eventually come looking for the documents.””
“Who?””
“You're holding them.””
I looked down at the box.
Thomas continued.
“Six years ago, your grandfather discovered where the missing money went.””
I said nothing.
“He also discovered who was behind the fraud.””
“Who?””
“You're not ready to hear it.””
“Try me.””
He exhaled.
“Your grandfather didn't die believing the money was gone.””
“What?””
“He knew exactly where it was.””
I looked at Mom.
She had gone completely still.
“Where?””
“Inside the property.””
I frowned.
“The house?””
“No.””
“The cabin?””
“Yes.””
I looked at the metal box.
“There's nothing else here.””
“There is.””
“Where?””
“You'll find it.””
“Why are you helping me?””
“Because your grandfather asked me to.””
I stared at the phone.
“When?””
“The night before he died.””
Mom whispered, “No.””
I turned away from her.
“What did he tell you?””
“He said, ‘If they ever try to sell the property using Claire's name, stop them.’”
My stomach tightened.
“Using my name?””
“Yes.””
“Why would someone use my name?””
“Because your grandfather put something valuable in your name.””
“What?””
Thomas paused.
“An account.””
I looked at the statement.
“The account?””
“Yes.””
“Who owns it?””
“You do.””
“What is in it?””
“Enough money to make people kill for it.””
Silence.
I swallowed.
“How much?””
“Just over three million dollars.””
Mom gasped.
Mark stepped forward.
“What did he say?””
I covered the phone.
“Three million.””
Mark's face drained of color.
Thomas heard him.
“Mark is there?””
“Yes.””
“Then listen carefully.””
I put the phone on speaker.
Thomas's voice filled the cabin.
“Mark knows what happened to the original money.””
Mark shook his head.
“No.””
Thomas continued.
“He moved it.””
Mark said, “That's not true.””
“You moved it from Diane's account into a trust.””
Mark went silent.
I stared at him.
“What trust?””
He looked at Mom.
She whispered, “Mark.””
I stepped toward him.
“What trust?””
He finally answered.
“Your grandfather's.””
I couldn't breathe.
“Why?””
“Because he told me to.””
“You keep saying that.””
“He threatened to expose Diane if I didn't.””
Mom looked horrified.
“You told me the money was gone.””
“I lied.””
I turned back to the phone.
“Thomas, where is the money?””
“I don't know.””
“Then who does?””
“The buyer.””
I froze.
“The buyer has the money?””
“No.””
“Then what does he have?””
“The trust documents.””
I looked at Rebecca's message.
*The cash buyer may not be who he claims to be.*
Suddenly, everything clicked.
The buyer wasn't interested in a lake house.
He was interested in the paper trail.
The property.
The account.
My name.
Grandpa's documents.
“What is his name?”” I asked.
Thomas said it.
I felt my knees weaken.
It was the same name I'd seen on the fourth signature of the family agreement.
The lawyer.
The man who had supposedly been helping Mom create a claim.
I looked at the document.
The signature wasn't just a lawyer's.
It belonged to the buyer.
I stared at Mom.
“You knew him.””
She shook her head.
“No.””
“You signed a document with him.””
“I thought he was an attorney.””
“He's the buyer.””
Her face went white.
Thomas said, “He's been using your mother for years.””
I looked at Mark.
“And you?””
“He threatened me.””
“What did he threaten?””
“To expose the money.””
“And Grandpa?””
Thomas's voice softened.
“Your grandfather refused to cooperate.””
“What happened?””
“He was going to go to federal authorities.””
The cabin went silent.
My grandfather had died six years ago.
Suddenly, his death didn't feel like a peaceful ending.
It felt like the end of something unfinished.
“Are you saying he was murdered?””
“I don't know.””
“But you suspect it.””
“Yes.””
Mom covered her face.
I looked at her.
“You knew he was in danger.””
“I didn't know.””
“You went to the cabin the night before he died.””
She looked at me.
“He asked me to meet him.””
“What did he say?””
“He said he'd found everything.””
“What everything?””
“The money.””
“Where?””
She shook her head.
“He wouldn't tell me.””
“Why?””
“He said someone was listening.””
I looked toward the walls.
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
Thomas spoke again.
“Claire.””
“Yes?””
“You need to leave the property.””
“Why?””
“The buyer knows you're there.””
My phone buzzed.
A new message from Rebecca.
*Police are at the title company.*
Then another.
*The buyer's documents are fraudulent.*
Then:
*Do not meet him.*
I looked at the cabin door.
Outside, the trees were still.
Too still.
Then headlights appeared again.
But this time there were two vehicles.
I stepped toward the window.
A black SUV.
And a dark sedan.
Mom whispered, “Who is that?””
I recognized the SUV.
Rebecca.
But the sedan was unfamiliar.
The doors opened.
Three men stepped out.
One of them looked directly at the cabin.
Then my phone rang again.
Thomas.
I answered.
“They're here.””
“Who?””
“The buyer.””
“How do you know?””
“Because I know what he looks like.””
Thomas's voice became urgent.
“Claire, listen to me.””
I waited.
“Your grandfather didn't leave you the lake house.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“He left you the trust.””
My heart stopped.
“The house was just where he hid the evidence.””
A man's voice suddenly came from outside.
“Claire Bennett!””
I froze.
The voice continued.
“Come outside.””
Mom grabbed my hand.
“Don't.””
The man shouted again.
“Claire!””
Then I heard another voice.
Rebecca.
“Claire, stay inside!””
A car door slammed.
Then another.
And suddenly there was shouting outside.
Thomas whispered through the phone:
“Whatever happens next, don't give them the key.””
I looked down.
The old brass key was still in my hand.
“The key to what?””
May you like
He answered:
“The safe.””
