Chapter 6: The Beneficiary
Emma stared at her father.
“What do you mean, he was looking at me?””
David didn't answer immediately.
He held the phone loosely at his side, his knuckles white.
Victoria stood frozen near the staircase.
Claire had stopped beside the kitchen counter.
Nobody seemed willing to breathe.
Emma finally whispered, “Dad?””
David looked at her.
“The beneficiary on your mother's life insurance policy was changed to you.””
Emma blinked.
“Me?””
“Yes.””
“But I was fourteen.””
“I know.””
“I couldn't have changed it.””
“I know.””
“Then why did you look at me like that?””
David's expression softened.
“Because Daniel said the person who authorized the change was connected to you.””
Emma shook her head.
“I don't understand.””
David raised the phone again.
“Daniel, are you still there?””
“Yes.””
“Tell me exactly what you found.””
Daniel paused.
“The policy was originally set up with you as the beneficiary.””
David closed his eyes.
“That makes sense.””
“Six weeks before your wife's death, the beneficiary designation was changed.””
“To Emma?””
“Yes.””
David frowned.
“That's strange.””
“Why?””
“Because I don't remember changing it.””
“You didn't.””
David looked at Victoria.
She stared at the floor.
Emma noticed.
“Victoria?””
Victoria didn't respond.
Emma stepped closer.
“Did you know?””
Victoria's eyes lifted.
“I knew there was a change.””
David's voice became dangerously calm.
“You knew?””
“I didn't authorize it.””
“But you knew.””
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.””
“How?””
“I saw the paperwork.””
“Where?””
“In your office.””
David shook his head.
“You said you never went through my files.””
“I lied.””
Claire whispered, “Victoria…”
Victoria snapped toward her.
“Stay out of this.””
“No,” Claire said.
“Not anymore.””
Emma's hands trembled.
“Why would anyone change the policy to me?””
David answered quietly.
“Because your mother may have wanted to make sure you were protected.””
Emma looked down.
She remembered her mother.
The smell of lavender.
The way she used to tuck Emma into bed.
The little notes she left inside Emma's lunchbox.
The last morning.
The last hug.
The words she had whispered.
Be brave for your dad.
Emma swallowed.
“She knew she was sick?””
David shook his head.
“No.””
“She didn't?””
“Your mother wasn't expecting to die.””
Emma looked at him.
“Then why would she change it?””
David stared at the documents.
“I don't know.””
Daniel interrupted.
“There is another issue.””
David's head lifted.
“What?””
“The signature on the beneficiary change doesn't match the original signature on the policy.””
Emma's heart raced.
“Whose signature is it?””
Daniel said, “That's what we haven't determined yet.””
David turned toward Victoria.
“You told me this was legitimate.””
“I thought it was.””
“You knew about it.””
“Yes.””
“You saw the paperwork.””
“Yes.””
“And you never told me.””
Victoria's eyes filled.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“That you'd investigate.””
David stared at her.
“Why would you be afraid of me investigating my own wife's death?””
Victoria flinched.
Claire covered her mouth.
Emma felt the temperature in the room drop.
David noticed the reaction.
He slowly turned to Victoria.
“Why did that question scare you?””
“I wasn't scared of the question.””
“You were.””
“I was scared of losing you.””
“You keep saying that.””
“Because it's true.””
David stepped closer.
“Then tell me the truth.””
Victoria looked at Emma.
“I don't know who changed the policy.””
“Who had access to my office?””
“I did.””
“Who else?””
“My sister.””
Claire shook her head.
“Not me.””
David looked at her.
“You said you helped Victoria move the money.””
“I did.””
“Did you help her change the policy?””
“No.””
“Swear it.””
“I swear.””
David turned back to Victoria.
She was crying now.
“I didn't do it.””
“Then who did?””
“I don't know.””
Emma suddenly noticed something.
A small red folder was sticking out from beneath the black folder on the desk.
She reached for it.
Victoria reacted instantly.
“Don't touch that.””
Emma stopped.
David looked at the folder.
“What is it?””
“Nothing.””
“You've said that twice tonight.””
David picked it up.
Victoria moved toward him.
“David, please.””
He opened it.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
The paper was yellowed with age.
Emma recognized the handwriting immediately.
Her mother's.
Her breath caught.
“That's Mom.””
David stared at the page.
He slowly unfolded it.
His eyes moved across the first line.
Then the second.
His face collapsed.
“What does it say?”” Emma whispered.
David couldn't speak.
Emma took the letter.
The first sentence made her heart stop.
*David, if you're reading this, something happened that I was afraid to tell you about.*
Emma looked at her father.
Then at Victoria.
Victoria whispered, “You weren't supposed to find that.””
Emma's blood ran cold.
“What weren't we supposed to find?””
Victoria said nothing.
David grabbed the letter.
“Where did you get this?””
Victoria backed away.
“I found it after she died.””
“You found it?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't you give it to me?””
Victoria's voice broke.
“Because I was trying to protect you.””
David laughed bitterly.
“From my dead wife?””
Victoria stared at him.
“No.””
She looked at Emma.
“From what she was about to tell you.””
Emma's fingers went numb.
“What?””
Victoria swallowed.
“She knew someone in this family was stealing from her.””
David stopped breathing.
Emma stared at the letter.
May you like
And suddenly, the beneficiary change didn't look like protection anymore.
It looked like a warning.
