Chapter 8 - THE STRANGER IN THE WAITING ROOM
Amy remembered the man because he had been unusually friendly.
It happened three months earlier.
Frederick had a routine appointment.
Teresa insisted on coming.
While Amy filled out paperwork, a man in the waiting room started asking questions about Frederick.
His age.
His health.
Whether Amy worked.
Whether I traveled often.
At the time, Amy thought he was making conversation.
Now we knew the man was Glenn Parker.
Detective Cole obtained security footage from the pediatric clinic.
There he was.
Glenn walked in six minutes after Teresa.
He sat across from Amy.
He never checked in.
Never saw a doctor.
He left three minutes after Teresa and Amy.
“That wasn’t random,” I said.
“No,” Cole replied.
“What did he want?”
“We’re asking him.”
Glenn was brought in for questioning.
At first, he claimed he barely knew my mother.
Then investigators showed him payment records.
Teresa had sent Glenn seven transfers over nine months.
Total amount.
$14,600.
His story changed.
He said Teresa hired him to “organize family financial documents.”
Then police showed him the camera account.
His story changed again.
Finally, he asked for an attorney.
That told us enough for the day.
Mason was more useful.
He agreed to meet me with Rachel present.
We sat in a private conference room.
Mason looked terrible.
Unshaven.
Dark circles under his eyes.
Hands constantly moving.
“I’m sorry,” he said immediately.
I did not answer.
He stared at the table.
“I thought Aunt Teresa was trying to protect family property.”
“From who?”
“Amy.”
I leaned back.
Mason swallowed.
“She told everybody Amy was spending your money.”
“She said Amy planned to leave you.”
“She said you were too embarrassed to admit it.”
I looked at Rachel.
She remained silent.
“What did she ask you to do?”
“At first?”
“Just move papers.”
“Then take pictures.”
“Of what?”
“Documents in your office.”
My jaw tightened.
“You went through my office?”
Mason nodded.
“Twice.”
I wanted to hit him.
I did not.
“What else?”
“She asked me to take the deed from your filing cabinet.”
“Why?”
“She said it belonged to your grandfather originally.”
“That is false.”
“I know now.”
“She said your grandfather wanted the house to stay with the Bradley family.”
“My grandfather died twelve years before I bought that house.”
Mason closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“You knew then.”
He said nothing.
That was answer enough.
Money had helped him believe.
“How much did she pay you?”
“Four thousand.”
Amy would later say that was the part that hurt most.
Not because of the amount.
Because Mason had joined an attack on our family for less than two months of Teresa’s allowance.
I kept asking.
“What was the birthday party?”
Mason rubbed his face.
“She needed you out of the house.”
“I was at work.”
“She thought you’d be there until at least seven.”
“Why did she need me out?”
“She planned to have Glenn come after everyone left.”
Rachel leaned forward.
“For what purpose?”
Mason looked at her.
“To get Amy to sign something.”
My hands went cold.
“What?”
“I don’t know exactly.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
“I’m not.”
He took a breath.
“Aunt Teresa said Amy would be exhausted after the party.”
“She said Amy would sign whatever she put in front of her if she thought it was about household bills.”
Rachel’s face hardened.
“What was in the document?”
Mason shook his head.
“I only saw the top page.”
“What did it say?”
He looked directly at me.
“Temporary guardianship.”
The room went silent.
I could hear the ventilation system above us.
Nothing else.
“Guardianship of who?”
Mason’s eyes filled with tears.
“Frederick.”
I stood so fast the chair rolled backward.
Rachel told me to sit down.
I did not.
Mason kept talking.
“She said Amy was unstable.”
“She said once Amy signed, Teresa could prove she was the responsible caregiver.”
“Then what?”
“I don’t know.”
“Yes, you do.”
He covered his face.
“She wanted you and Amy separated.”
“How?”
“I don’t know all of it.”
I leaned over the table.
“Mason.”
May you like
He lowered his hands.
“She was going to make it look like Amy stole money from you.”
