Chapter 5: The Woman They Buried
Margaret Carter was alive.
That was the first thing I learned when I saw her sitting on the bench outside the courtroom.
The second was that she looked nothing like the family photographs Benjamin had shown me.
Those photographs had always been carefully arranged.
Dorothy in pearls.
Benjamin beside his father.
Everyone smiling beneath chandeliers.
Margaret had never appeared in any of them.
But I recognized her immediately.
She had the same pale blue eyes as Benjamin's father.
She stood when she saw me.
“Emma?””
“Yes.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You look just like him.””
I frowned.
“Like who?””
“My brother.””
Michael stepped between us.
“Mrs. Carter, I'm Michael Peterson.””
“I know.””
His eyebrows lifted.
“You know me?””
“I've been following this case.””
“From where?””
Margaret looked toward the courtroom.
“From a place where people don't ask questions.””
I didn't understand.
“Why did you come here?””
She looked at me for several seconds.
Then she reached inside her coat.
I tensed.
She pulled out a small brass key.
She placed it in my hand.
“Your father-in-law wanted you to have this.””
My fingers closed around it.
“What does it open?””
“A safe.””
“Where?””
“In the old Carter warehouse.””
Michael frowned.
“The warehouse on Mercer?””
“Yes.””
“That property was sold years ago.””
Margaret nodded.
“That's what Dorothy wanted everyone to believe.””
My heart started pounding.
“What is inside?””
Margaret looked at Michael.
“Documents.””
“What documents?””
“The originals.””
I stared at her.
“Originals of what?””
“Everything Benjamin changed.””
The hallway seemed to disappear.
Michael stepped closer.
“Mrs. Carter, how long have you known about this?””
“Eight years.””
“Why didn't you contact Emma?””
Margaret's face hardened.
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of Dorothy?””
Margaret gave a bitter laugh.
“Dorothy isn't the person you should have been afraid of.””
My stomach tightened.
“Benjamin?””
She didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
I looked at the key.
“Why now?””
“Because I saw what they were doing to you.””
She reached into her bag again.
This time she pulled out a photograph.
She handed it to me.
I stared.
It showed Benjamin and his father standing outside a building.
Benjamin looked younger.
His father looked exhausted.
And between them was a third person.
A woman.
I recognized her.
Veronica.
I looked up.
“This picture was taken nine years ago.””
Margaret nodded.
“Before Benjamin's company was successful.””
“That can't be.””
“It can.””
I looked again.
Veronica was standing beside Benjamin.
They weren't touching.
But they were clearly together.
“How?””
Margaret lowered her voice.
“She wasn't his employee when you thought she was.””
Michael took the photograph.
“Then who was she?””
Margaret answered.
“Your father-in-law's financial investigator.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“She was investigating Benjamin.””
My mind struggled to catch up.
“You're telling me Veronica was working for his father?””
“Yes.””
“Then why did she end up with Benjamin?””
“Because she stopped investigating him.””
“Why?””
Margaret looked away.
“That's the part you need to discover yourself.””
Michael glanced at his watch.
“We have to go back inside.””
Margaret nodded.
“Then take me with you.””
Michael hesitated.
“You're prepared to testify?””
“I didn't come here to watch.””
She looked at me.
“I came because I'm tired of being afraid.””
We returned to the courtroom.
Benjamin saw Margaret before I did.
His entire body went rigid.
Dorothy looked over.
Her face lost all color.
“No.””
The word came out almost inaudibly.
Margaret stopped beside me.
Dorothy stood.
“You.””
Margaret smiled sadly.
“Hello, Dorothy.””
“You're supposed to be dead.””
The courtroom went silent.
Judge Hawkins looked up.
“Excuse me?””
Dorothy's face changed instantly.
“I didn't mean—”
Margaret stepped forward.
“You told them I died.””
Dorothy's hands began shaking.
Benjamin stood.
“Aunt Margaret.””
She looked at him.
“You remember me.””
He didn't answer.
“You were twelve when your father taught you how to lie,” she said.
“I suppose you've gotten very good at it.””
Benjamin's face darkened.
“Don't do this.””
“Don't do what?””
“Come here and make accusations.””
Margaret looked at me.
“Your father loved you.””
Benjamin flinched.
Margaret continued.
“He knew what you were doing.””
Richard stepped between them.
“Your Honor, this witness has not been sworn.””
Judge Hawkins nodded.
“Then perhaps she should be.””
Margaret walked to the witness stand.
She raised her hand.
“Do you swear the testimony you are about to give is truthful?””
“I do.””
She sat.
Judge Hawkins looked at Michael.
“Mr. Peterson?””
Michael approached.
“Mrs. Carter, did your brother believe Emma Carter contributed to his son's company?””
“Yes.””
“Did he believe Benjamin was honest with her?””
“No.””
Benjamin whispered, “This is insane.””
Judge Hawkins looked at him.
“One more interruption, Mr. Carter, and I will hold you in contempt.””
He went silent.
Michael continued.
“Did your brother know about the transfer of Mrs. Carter's ownership?””
“Yes.””
“Did he approve it?””
“No.””
“Did he know the signature was forged?””
“Yes.””
Dorothy stood.
“That's a lie!””
The judge's voice cracked across the courtroom.
“Mrs. Carter, sit down.””
Dorothy obeyed.
Michael turned back.
“Why didn't your brother stop it?””
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
“He tried.””
“When?””
“Three months before he died.””
“What happened?””
“Benjamin confronted him.””
“About what?””
“The company.””
Margaret looked at Benjamin.
“He told his father that Emma was becoming a problem.””
My throat tightened.
“What did he say?””
Margaret looked at me.
“He said you knew too much.””
Benjamin's face went white.
Michael asked, “What did your brother do?””
“He threatened to expose Benjamin.””
“And?””
“Benjamin told him that if he went public, the company would collapse.””
Margaret took a breath.
“My brother refused.””
“What happened next?””
“He changed his will.””
I leaned forward.
“Changed it how?””
Margaret looked directly at me.
“He left you something.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“His controlling interest in Carter Holdings.””
Benjamin stood so violently that his chair struck the floor.
“No.””
Judge Hawkins slammed her gavel.
“Mr. Carter!””
“No,” he repeated.
“He couldn't have.””
Margaret's voice remained calm.
“He did.””
Benjamin turned toward Dorothy.
“You said he changed it.””
Dorothy stared at him.
“I—”
“You said he signed everything.””
“I thought—”
“You lied to me?””
Dorothy's face collapsed.
Margaret looked at me.
“The original will is in the safe.””
I looked down at the brass key in my hand.
“And the safe?””
“At the warehouse.””
Michael's expression changed.
“Mrs. Carter, if that will exists, why haven't you produced it?””
“Because Dorothy found out where it was.””
The courtroom went silent.
“What did she do?”” Michael asked.
Margaret looked at Dorothy.
“She burned the building.””
Dorothy shook her head.
“No.””
Margaret continued.
“The building burned six days after my brother's funeral.””
I remembered Benjamin telling me about the fire.
He had said it was an electrical accident.
He had held me that night.
He had told me, “There's nothing left there.””
I believed him.
Margaret reached into her bag.
“But he made one mistake.””
She placed a small envelope on the witness stand.
“The safe wasn't inside the building.””
I stared at it.
Michael picked it up.
“What is this?””
Margaret smiled faintly.
“The address.””
Michael opened it.
His eyes widened.
“Emma.””
“What?””
He handed me the paper.
I read the address.
It wasn't the warehouse.
It was a storage facility across town.
One I had driven past hundreds of times.
Margaret stood.
“I've spent eight years waiting for someone brave enough to open that safe.””
Judge Hawkins looked at me.
“Mrs. Carter, do you know what is inside?””
I closed my fingers around the paper.
“No.””
Margaret looked at Benjamin.
“I do.””
Benjamin's voice was barely audible.
“What?””
Margaret turned toward him.
“Proof that your father knew exactly what you were planning.””
She paused.
“And proof that he knew Veronica was helping you.””
Benjamin's head snapped toward her.
“What did you say?””
Margaret's expression hardened.
May you like
“She wasn't investigating you anymore.””
“She was working with you.””
