Chapter 11 - EVELYN SPEAKS
Evelyn Whitmore looked small beneath the hospital blankets.
Her left arm was fractured.
A deep cut crossed her forehead.
But she was conscious.
When Arthur entered the room, she turned her face away.
“You took your time.”
Arthur stopped near the bed.
“I didn’t know you wanted to see me.”
“I didn’t.”
Elena entered behind him.
Evelyn looked at her.
Her expression changed instantly.
“Caleb’s granddaughter.”
Elena sat beside the bed.
“You knew who I was.”
“Before Michael married you.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“You knew that early?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because you were happy.”
“That excuse is becoming very popular in this family.”
Evelyn almost smiled.
“You sound like your grandfather.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“Was Victoria in the car with you?”
Evelyn’s expression hardened.
“She was.”
“What happened?”
“She called me from the train station.”
“Why did you pick her up?”
“Because she threatened Elena.”
Elena leaned forward.
“What did she say?”
“That if I didn’t come, she would give the police evidence proving Elena stole the trust money.”
Arthur clenched his jaw.
“So you helped her escape.”
“I intended to get the evidence.”
“You could have called me.”
Evelyn looked at him sharply.
“You?”
“You are the last person I would trust when money and family reputation are involved.”
Arthur absorbed the insult.
He knew he deserved part of it.
Elena asked.
“What happened on the bridge?”
“Victoria received a phone call.”
“From whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“She became frightened.”
“Then angry.”
“She grabbed the steering wheel.”
Arthur’s eyes widened.
“She caused the crash?”
“Yes.”
“The car hit the barrier.”
“I lost consciousness.”
“When I woke, she was gone.”
Elena looked at Reed, who stood near the doorway.
“Did she take anything?”
Evelyn nodded.
“My handbag.”
“What was inside?”
“Copies of the original Caleb Mercer records.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
Evelyn looked at him.
“I kept everything.”
“Your father’s altered ledgers.”
“The false testimony.”
“The letters proving he knew Caleb was innocent.”
Arthur sat down.
“You had proof all these years.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you clear Caleb’s name?”
“I tried.”
“Father’s lawyers buried me.”
“He threatened Robert’s business.”
“He threatened my children.”
“So you walked away?”
Evelyn’s voice became sharp.
“Just as you walked away when Michael told you Caleb was Elena’s grandfather.”
Arthur said nothing.
Elena interrupted.
“The twenty-eight million.”
Evelyn looked at her.
“I created ELM Holdings nine years ago.”
“To recover money?”
“To hold funds for a restitution case.”
“I never stole from the Whitmore trust.”
“Victoria discovered the company.”
“Then she accessed it?”
“Yes.”
“I believe she began moving money through it to make the transfers appear connected to the Mercer family.”
“Why?”
Evelyn looked at Arthur.
“Because she wanted control of the Whitmore estate.”
Arthur frowned.
“She already had a fortune through our marriage.”
“She didn’t want a fortune.”
“She wanted the company.”
Jonathan stepped into the room.
“You’re saying she wanted to remove all the heirs?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Michael controlled thirty-two percent.”
“You control twenty-six.”
“The grandchildren and charitable trusts control most of the rest.”
“Victoria’s marital rights were significant but limited.”
Jonathan’s face changed.
“If Michael died and Lily was disqualified…”
“His share would be redistributed.”
Arthur completed the thought.
“Mostly to Jonathan.”
Jonathan stiffened.
Evelyn nodded.
“And if Jonathan then became legally compromised…”
Everyone looked at him.
He whispered.
“She would pressure Dad to restructure.”
Evelyn looked at Arthur.
“And eventually, she would own effective control.”
Elena’s mind returned to Michael’s crash.
“She killed Michael.”
Evelyn did not answer immediately.
“I believe she helped.”
“Helped?”
Elena’s voice sharpened.
“Who else?”
Evelyn reached for Elena’s hand.
“Michael called me the week before he died.”
“He said he had discovered the person behind Victoria.”
Arthur leaned closer.
“The person behind her?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Evelyn looked frightened for the first time.
“He refused to say over the phone.”
“He told me he had hidden the name somewhere only Elena could find.”
Elena frowned.
“Where?”
“He said one sentence.”
“What sentence?”
Evelyn squeezed Elena’s fingers.
“Tell Elena the blue bird still knows our song.”
Elena stopped breathing.
Arthur looked confused.
Jonathan too.
But Elena understood.
Michael had given her a music box on their first anniversary.
A small silver box with a blue enamel bird on top.
It had not played music since the week before he died.
Victoria had suggested throwing it away.
May you like
Elena had kept it.
And it was still sitting in the locked drawer beside her bed.
