Chapter 10 - The Will Reading
The mansion dining room was filled by noon.
Celeste wore gold.
Not mourning black.
Gold.
My mother's diamonds glittered around her neck.
Grant stood behind me with his hand on my shoulder.
Henry sat opposite us.
Retired officers.
Trustees.
Attorneys.
Family friends.
And the man Margaret had identified.
Senator Warren Kessler.
A longtime friend of Dad.
Henry began.
Celeste expected millions.
Instead, Henry read Dad's words.
“To my wife, Celeste Vale, I leave the personal property specifically identified in Appendix C.”
Her smile weakened.
“To my daughter, Claire Elizabeth Vale, I leave controlling beneficial interest in the Vale Family Trust, including the residence known as Vale House.”
Silence.
Celeste stared at Henry.
“This house?”
Henry continued.
Grant removed his hand from my shoulder.
Dad had left me virtually everything.
Not because he hated Celeste.
Because months before his death, he had amended the estate after discovering fraud.
Celeste stood.
“He was manipulated!”
Grant immediately produced the psychiatric evaluation.
Right on schedule.
“Claire isn't competent to administer this estate.”
Gasps.
Celeste pointed toward me.
“She has been paranoid since Marcus died.”
I lowered my head.
Letting them speak.
Letting them perform.
Grant presented documents.
The doctor entered.
He described my instability.
Then Henry asked one question.
“Doctor, did Celeste Vale pay you eighty thousand dollars through Harrow Consulting?”
The doctor's face changed.
Celeste turned white.
Grant froze.
The doors opened.
Daniel Reyes walked in.
Half the room gasped.
Senator Kessler stood so quickly his chair fell backward.
That was the reaction investigators had been waiting for.
Daniel looked directly at him.
“Hello, Senator.”
Kessler ran.
He made it six steps.
Federal agents entered from both sides.
And suddenly Celeste understood.
The will reading had never been about the will.
May you like
It had been a trap.
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