Chapter 8: The Woman Who Had Been Smiling All Along
“Patricia?””
Richard said the name as if he didn't recognize it.
Martin nodded.
“Eleanor documented several unauthorized access attempts associated with Patricia's credentials.””
Richard shook his head.
“No. Patricia helped us after Eleanor died.””
Martin remained silent.
“She handled family arrangements. She helped Danielle with the funeral. She was there when we needed her.””
Danielle looked at the document.
“Why would Aunt Patricia do something like this?””
Martin answered carefully.
“Eleanor believed your aunt had been involved in an attempt to gain control over the family foundation.””
Richard looked at him.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Your wife instructed me not to make an accusation without sufficient evidence.””
“And now?””
“Now we have the original access records.””
Martin opened the folder.
There were printed banking logs, authorization requests, and correspondence between several accounts.
Richard read the first page.
Then the second.
His expression became increasingly disturbed.
“Patricia was listed as a secondary emergency contact for Eleanor's financial accounts.””
Martin nodded.
“She was given limited access years ago, when Eleanor was recovering from surgery.””
Richard closed his eyes.
“She was supposed to help with paperwork.””
“Correct.””
Danielle looked at the documents.
“And she used that access after Mom died?””
Martin nodded.
“We believe so.””
Richard stood.
“Where is she?””
The security director checked his phone.
“She's still in the private dining room, sir.””
Richard looked at Danielle.
“Stay here.””
Danielle shook her head.
“Dad, she was my aunt too.””
Richard hesitated.
Then nodded.
“Then we'll face her together.””
They walked toward the private dining room.
Inside, several family friends were waiting.
Patricia Brooks sat at the center of the table in a tailored burgundy dress.
She was sixty-one, elegant, and always perfectly composed.
She had inherited their mother's delicate features and their father's ability to make people feel comfortable.
When Richard entered, she smiled.
“There you are. I was wondering what was taking so long.””
Then she saw Danielle.
Her smile widened.
“Oh, sweetheart. There you are.””
She stood and opened her arms.
Danielle didn't move.
Patricia lowered her hands.
“What happened?””
Richard placed the document on the table.
“Tell me about Eleanor's authorization credentials.””
Patricia's smile disappeared.
“What?””
“The accounts. The transfers. The foundation.””
Patricia glanced at the document.
Then she looked at Martin.
“I don't know what you're talking about.””
Martin opened his briefcase.
“Your access records are included here.””
Patricia laughed nervously.
“That's absurd.””
Richard pulled out a chair.
“Sit down.””
Patricia remained standing.
“Richard, I think you're making a mistake.””
“Then help me understand.””
She looked toward Danielle.
“Is this because of what happened at the restaurant? I heard Victoria was dismissed.””
Danielle stared at her.
“How did you hear that?””
Patricia shrugged.
“People talk.””
Richard leaned forward.
“Patricia, who told you what happened?””
She hesitated.
Then answered.
“Daniel called me.””
Richard looked toward his son.
Daniel had followed them into the room.
“Why did you call Patricia?””
Daniel didn't answer.
Patricia stepped between them.
“Don't start interrogating everyone. We have investors waiting.””
Richard looked at her.
“Investors?””
She gestured toward the other guests.
“Of course. This dinner was supposed to be about the company's future.””
Danielle slowly looked around.
Several people were sitting at the table.
Two wore business suits.
One was holding a folder.
Another had a laptop open.
Richard's expression changed.
“Who are these people?””
Patricia smiled.
“Potential partners.””
“For what?””
“The new restaurant expansion.””
Richard stared at her.
“I didn't approve an expansion.””
Patricia's smile vanished.
Daniel finally spoke.
“Dad, I was trying to secure additional funding.””
“Using the charitable funds?””
“No.””
“Then using what?””
Daniel looked at Patricia.
She immediately interrupted.
“Richard, let's not discuss financial matters in front of guests.””
Richard stood.
“These are my guests now. They can hear everything.””
One of the investors closed his folder.
“Mr. Brooks, perhaps we should reschedule.””
Richard nodded.
“That would be best.””
The guests began gathering their belongings.
Patricia watched them leave.
Then she turned toward Richard.
“You have no idea how much work I've done to keep this family together.””
Richard stared at her.
“Then explain why Eleanor believed you were accessing her accounts.””
Patricia's face tightened.
“Eleanor was paranoid toward the end.””
Danielle flinched.
“Don't talk about Mom like that.””
Patricia turned.
“Danielle, you were barely involved in the business when your mother was alive. You don't know what she was dealing with.””
“I know she trusted you.””
“And she trusted too many people.””
Richard placed the original access report on the table.
“Your credentials were used to request a change to the foundation's banking authorization three months before Eleanor died.””
Patricia shook her head.
“I don't remember that.””
“The request was submitted from your office.””
“Then somebody used my computer.””
“Your password was entered manually.””
“Passwords can be stolen.””
Martin spoke.
“The request included a verification code sent to your personal phone.””
Patricia looked at him.
Then she looked away.
Richard's voice became quieter.
“Did you do it?””
She shook her head.
“No.””
Richard nodded slowly.
“Then why did Eleanor record a video warning me about someone inside the family?””
Patricia's composure cracked.
“Because Eleanor always thought I wanted something from her!””
“What did you want?””
Patricia laughed bitterly.
“Recognition.””
Richard looked confused.
Patricia continued.
“Do you remember what happened when Briarwood House opened? I was there. I helped Eleanor with the books.
I worked weekends. I brought food to the staff. I helped you when you had nothing.””
Richard nodded.
“I remember.””
“But when the company became successful, you two acted like everything was yours. Your name on the building. Eleanor's name on the foundation.
Daniel got an executive position. Danielle got special treatment.””
Danielle stared at her.
“Aunt Patricia, I never asked for anything.””
“You didn't have to.””
Patricia turned toward Richard.
“You made me feel like an outsider in my own family.””
Richard shook his head.
“You were never an outsider.””
“Then why did Eleanor control everything?””
“Because it was her foundation.””
Patricia laughed.
“Exactly. Her foundation. Her rules.
Her decisions. And when she died, you continued acting as if I didn't exist.””
Richard stared at her.
“Is that why you accessed her accounts?””
Patricia's eyes filled.
“I deserved something.””
The room went silent.
Richard's voice hardened.
“You stole from a charitable foundation because you felt overlooked?””
Patricia looked down.
“I didn't steal.””
“Then where did the money go?””
She didn't answer.
Martin placed another document on the table.
“The transfers went through several holding companies. One of them was registered to a business called Grant Heritage Consulting.””
Patricia's face changed.
Richard noticed.
“You know that company.””
“No.””
Martin turned the page.
“Michael Grant's company.””
Patricia's fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
Richard leaned forward.
“Who is Michael Grant?””
Patricia shook her head.
“I have no idea.””
Danielle stepped closer.
“Then why are you afraid?””
Patricia looked at her.
“I'm not afraid.””
“Your hands are shaking.””
Patricia pushed her chair backward.
“I'm leaving.””
Richard signaled to the security director.
“Please wait.””
Patricia turned sharply.
“Are you having me detained now?””
“No. I am asking you not to leave before we finish establishing what happened.””
She laughed.
“You don't get to control me, Richard.””
Then she looked directly at Danielle.
“And you should be careful about believing everything your mother wrote.””
Danielle's expression hardened.
“What does that mean?””
Patricia stepped closer.
“Your mother wasn't the innocent woman you think she was.””
Richard's voice thundered.
“Enough!””
Patricia flinched.
But then she said something that made the entire room freeze.
“Ask Richard where the money came from when Eleanor first started the foundation.””
Richard went pale.
Danielle turned toward her father.
“Dad?””
Patricia smiled faintly.
“You think your father built everything honestly?””
Richard stared at her.
“What are you talking about?””
Patricia opened her handbag.
She removed a small photograph.
It showed Eleanor standing outside the original Briarwood House, holding a folder.
Beside her was a younger man Danielle didn't recognize.
On the back of the photograph was a handwritten date.
And a sentence.
*The day everything began.*
Patricia placed it on the table.
“Your mother knew exactly what she was doing. She built the foundation to hide something.””
Richard picked up the photograph.
His hands trembled.
“Where did you get this?””
“From Eleanor's old office.””
Danielle looked at the photograph.
“Who is the man?””
Patricia didn't answer.
Martin leaned closer.
Then his face changed.
“Richard…”
Richard looked at him.
“What?””
Martin pointed toward the photograph.
“I know that man.””
“Who is he?””
Martin swallowed.
“His name is Thomas Whitaker.””
Danielle looked at the attorney.
“Is he related to you?””
Martin shook his head.
“No. He's my older brother.””
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“Your brother?””
Martin nodded.
“He disappeared twenty-eight years ago.””
Patricia smiled.
“Not disappeared, Mr. Whitaker. He was paid to leave.””
Richard looked at her.
“Who paid him?””
Patricia's smile vanished.
Then she pointed directly at Richard.
“You did.””
Danielle turned toward her father.
“Dad, is that true?””
Richard stared at the photograph.
He looked as if the room had suddenly become too small.
“I don't remember that man.””
Martin shook his head.
“That's impossible. Thomas was the original investor in Briarwood House.””
Richard's voice dropped.
“No. I started Briarwood House with a bank loan.””
Martin looked at the photograph again.
“Then why did Eleanor keep this picture?””
Nobody answered.
Patricia picked up her handbag.
May you like
And as she walked toward the door, she delivered one final sentence.
“Because your wife spent the last four years trying to correct the biggest lie of your life.””