Chapter 7 - THE SECOND POLICY
Two days after my funeral, Rebecca found another insurance policy.
This one was worth ten million dollars.
The insured person was not me.
It was Michael.
And I was supposedly the beneficiary.
At first, I didn't understand why that mattered.
Then Rebecca showed me the application date.
Three weeks before our mountain trip.
"Michael insured himself?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Rebecca turned the document around.
"Because someone changed the beneficiary four days ago."
The new beneficiary was Ashley.
Daniel frowned.
"Michael authorized it?"
"His digital signature was used."
"Could Ashley have done it?"
Rebecca nodded.
"She has access to several of his business credentials."
I stared at the page.
A dark possibility formed.
"She was planning to kill him too."
Rebecca didn't answer immediately.
"We can't prove that."
"But you think it."
"I think seventy million dollars creates alliances."
She tapped the second policy.
"And ten million dollars can end them."
Suddenly Michael did not look like the mastermind anymore.
He looked like a future victim who didn't know his partner had already calculated his value.
I felt no sympathy.
But I saw an opportunity.
"Can we make Michael find out?"
Daniel immediately shook his head.
"No."
Rebecca looked interested.
"If Michael learns Ashley changed the policy, he may confront her."
"And if they start blaming each other?"
"They may expose details."
Daniel's voice hardened.
"I'm not using my daughter as bait."
"I'm not bait."
He looked at me.
"I nearly lost you before I even found you."
The room went quiet.
I understood his fear.
For thirty years, Daniel had imagined what it would be like to find me.
Then the first time he touched my face, I had been bleeding into the snow.
"I won't go near either of them."
Daniel remained tense.
"Promise."
"I promise."
Rebecca devised the plan.
A confidential financial notice would be delivered to Michael's attorney.
Nothing illegal.
Nothing fabricated.
The insurer would simply request confirmation of recent beneficiary changes.
Michael would see Ashley's name.
Then we would listen.
The confrontation happened faster than expected.
Michael called Ashley within seven minutes.
The call was recorded legally by investigators working with law enforcement after a judge approved surveillance based on the hotel recording and financial evidence.
"What did you do?"
Michael shouted.
Ashley sounded confused.
"What are you talking about?"
"My policy."
Silence.
Then Ashley said, "Calm down."
"You changed the beneficiary."
"We talked about protecting each other."
"No, we talked about Emma."
My heart stopped.
Rebecca raised one finger.
Everyone stayed silent.
Michael continued.
"We talked about her policy."
Ashley lowered her voice.
"You should be careful what you say on the phone."
"Why?"
"Because you sound guilty."
Michael laughed without humor.
"I'm guilty?"
Another silence.
Then Ashley said something that made everyone in the room look at one another.
"You pushed her."
Michael answered.
"You told me when."
Daniel slowly leaned forward.
Ashley said, "You chose the cliff."
Michael snapped back.
"And you chose the storm."
May you like
Rebecca smiled for the first time.
"Now we're getting somewhere."
