Chapter 6 - The Missing File.
By noon, Daniel had stopped believing in coincidences.
Claire's letter mentioned Westbridge Road.
Minutes later, Hannah received a warning about the same place.
Only a handful of possibilities made sense.
Someone knew what Claire had written.
Someone had been inside the locked desk.
Or someone had expected Daniel to find the letter eventually.
Maya told them not to go to the storage facility alone.
“First we confirm whether a unit exists and whose name is on it.”
Daniel called the facility using the public number.
The manager would not disclose customer information without proper authorization.
Daniel respected that.
Maya began working through legal channels.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Hannah focused on the missing estate file.
Claire's original attorney, Robert Ellison, called back that afternoon.
He remembered Tabitha well.
“She objected to the final structure.”
Daniel sat straighter.
“What final structure?”
“Claire wanted Sophie's trust insulated from family pressure.”
Robert paused.
“She was very specific.”
“Did Tabitha know?”
“She knew she wasn't trustee.”
Daniel glanced at Hannah.
“Did she know who was?”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Harbor Fiduciary Services, if you were unable or unwilling to serve in the role permitted under the documents.”
Daniel felt a small wave of relief.
Tabitha could not simply control the trust by becoming Sophie's guardian.
Robert added another fact.
“Claire also deposited a sealed statement with our office.”
Daniel's heart kicked.
“What statement?”
“She asked us not to open it unless custody of Sophie was contested by a member of her family.”
Daniel stood.
“That's happening now.”
“I know.”
Robert's voice softened.
“I received notice of the petition this morning.”
Daniel looked toward Claire's letter.
“Can I get a copy?”
“Your attorney can coordinate with us.”
For the first time all day, Daniel felt like the truth might have been prepared for.
Claire had known her mother better than anyone.
She had left doors Daniel did not know existed.
That evening, Sophie sat at the kitchen table drawing three people under a huge yellow sun.
Daniel recognized himself because the figure had dark hair and a blue shirt.
Sophie drew Hannah beside him.
Then she drew herself between them with a bright pink dress.
Daniel noticed there was no fourth person.
“Tell me about your picture.”
Sophie pointed to the little house.
“This is when nobody moves my stuff.”
Daniel looked at her.
“What stuff?”
“My bunny.”
She pointed toward the stairs.
“My backpack.”
Then she lowered her voice.
“My machine.”
Daniel kept his expression steady.
“Did Grandma move other things?”
Sophie nodded.
“Sometimes she put my phone watch in her purse.”
Daniel's breath caught.
The watch allowed Sophie to call him through approved contacts.
“Why?”
“She said I didn't need to call you every time I missed you.”
Daniel pushed his chair back slightly because he needed space to contain his anger.
Hannah sat across from Sophie.
“Did she ever tell you where she kept those things?”
“In the drawer by the garage.”
Daniel knew the drawer.
It was part of a narrow console where they kept batteries and spare keys.
He opened it.
At first he found nothing unusual.
Then he removed the drawer completely.
A thin envelope had been taped to the underside.
Inside were photocopies of Sophie's school records, a duplicate of Daniel's work calendar, and several printed emails.
One of the emails was from Daniel to his employer asking for flexible hours after Claire died.
Tabitha had highlighted one sentence.
I may need occasional coverage when Sophie's care needs change unexpectedly.
Underneath it, she had written, Admission of inability to maintain schedule.
Hannah stared at the note.
“She turns normal parenting into evidence.”
Daniel found another page.
It was a draft letter addressed To Whom It May Concern.
The draft claimed Tabitha had observed Daniel repeatedly place work above Sophie.
Several paragraphs were exaggerated.
Two were completely false.
At the bottom was a blank signature line followed by Hannah Reed.
Hannah's face went still.
“She was going to put my name on this.”
“Did she ever ask you to sign anything?”
“Only that note I told you about.”
Daniel photographed every page.
Then he found a small plastic key taped inside the envelope.
A white label had been stuck to it.
W-217.
Hannah stared at him.
“Westbridge?”
Daniel nodded.
The next morning Maya called.
“I have confirmation.”
Daniel held his breath.
“Unit 217 at Westbridge Storage was rented by Claire three years ago.”
Daniel looked at the key.
Maya continued.
“The account was transferred after her death.”
“To me?”
“No.”
May you like
Daniel already knew the answer before she said it.
“To Tabitha Vale.”
