Chapter 8 - The Lawyer’s Office
The morning was bright and clinical,
the sun shining off the glass towers of the financial district.
I walked into the lawyer's office with Hannah's hand in mine,
my heart feeling like a drum of ice.
Kevin and Brenda were already there,
sitting in plush leather chairs,
looking smug and victorious.
Brenda wore a new black suit,
her hair perfectly styled,
as if she were attending a coronation rather than a funeral.
Kevin looked nervous,
his foot tapping a rhythmic beat against the thick carpet.
"Ah,
Elena,
so glad you could join us,"
the lawyer said,
a man with a shark-like smile and eyes that saw only dollar signs.
"We have the papers ready for the sale of the diner."
"As the executor of the estate,"
"Kevin has the right to sign,"
"but we wanted you here to acknowledge the distribution of the assets."
I sat down in the chair opposite Brenda,
not saying a word,
just watching them like a hawk.
Brenda leaned forward,
her voice a stage whisper of fake concern.
"It's for the best,
dear,"
she said.
"The diner is a relic,"
"and this money will ensure Hannah has a bright future."
I looked at the contract on the desk,
the shell company's name written in bold letters.
"Is that right,
Brenda?"
I asked,
my voice sounding strangely calm.
"And what about the five hundred thousand dollars from the insurance policy?"
Kevin jumped in his seat,
his face going pale.
"That's none of your business,"
he snapped.
"That's a private matter between me and the insurance company."
"Actually,
it's everyone's business,"
I said,
leaning forward.
"Especially when the policy was signed while my mother was incoherent."
The lawyer cleared his throat,
looking uncomfortable.
"Let's just get the signatures and be done with it."
Kevin picked up the pen,
his hand shaking as he touched the paper.
"Wait,"
I said.
I pulled out the recording device Miller had given me and laid it on the desk.
"Before you sign,"
"I think you should listen to a bedtime story."
I pressed play,
and the room was filled with the sound of Kevin and Brenda planning the 'accident'.
The lawyer froze,
his pen hovering over the paper.
Brenda's face went from pale to a terrifying,
ghostly white.
Kevin dropped the pen,
his eyes darting to the door.
"What is this?"
the lawyer asked,
his voice trembling.
"This is the sound of a murder confession,"
a new voice said.
Detective Miller stepped into the room,
followed by two uniformed officers.
"Kevin Adams,
Brenda Adams,"
he said,
his voice like a hammer.
"You're under arrest for the murder of Mary Evans,"
"conspiracy to commit insurance fraud,"
"and grand larceny."
The room erupted in a flurry of movement,
Brenda screaming and Kevin trying to bolt for the window.
But the officers were faster,
the handcuffs clicking shut with a sound that felt like music to my ears.
I sat there with Hannah,
watching them being led away,
their masks of perfection finally shattered.
I looked at the lawyer,
who was now trying to hide the contract under his desk.
"Don't bother,"
I told him.
"Detective Miller has the originals."
I walked out of the office,
the air outside feeling fresh and clean for the first time in years.
The diner was mine,
May you like
the truth was out,
and the key in my pocket was no longer a secret.
