Fullepub 
Chapter 42
42
Catherine has made an appointment for that afternoon at one o’clock at the lawyer’s office to discuss the wills. She’d arranged it with Walter Temple and let her siblings know. This is what they’ve all been waiting for.
Ted had left work and picked up Catherine at home. She’d had to Uber it to and from her interview with the detectives that morning, because they’d taken her car away. Now, as they walk into the building in downtown Aylesford that houses the law firm, Catherine finds herself feeling slightly sick. She’s still reeling from the interview with the detectives this morning, and a combination of anticipation and fear is making her stomach churn. Or maybe it’s the beginning of morning sickness. She hugs her secret to herself, her little spark of private joy. She will wait to tell Ted at the right moment. She reminds herself they have nothing to worry about. Their father hadn’t changed his will, despite what Audrey said. Walter had told Dan as much.
She and Ted are the first to arrive. As they’re sitting in the waiting room, Dan and Lisa come in. Catherine rises and Lisa automatically goes to her for a brief hug, while Dan stands a few feet away. When Jenna arrives, the women manage some small talk while Ted and Dan remain mostly silent.
Walter comes out to the waiting room promptly at one o’clock and ushers them all into a boardroom, around a long rectangular table. He’s holding a file, which he places on the table.
“I’m glad you’re all here,” he says, looking at each of them, “although I never dreamed it would be in such tragic circumstances.”
Catherine can feel the tension in the room. Their father might have changed his will years ago and never told them. She imagines him laughing at them from beyond the grave. She imagines him sitting in that empty chair, preparing to enjoy himself. Catherine glances furtively at each of her siblings, suspecting similar thoughts are running through their minds. Dan is pale and fidgety, and Lisa grabs one of his hands to still it.
“Your mother’s will is quite straightforward. Years ago, she’d signed documents agreeing to leave her out of your father’s will, in return for the house and a sum of her own. She didn’t want to stand in the way of you children receiving the bulk of your inheritance should your father die first. Her estate is to be divided among the three of you equally. Your father’s will is of greater significance. I’ll begin with his specific bequests, then talk about the remainder of the estate,” Walter says. “There are some minor bequests to various organizations—” He names a local hospital and a few other small charities her parents were involved with. Catherine shifts in her seat with impatience and nerves. Finally he gets to the crux of it.
“To Irena Dabrowski, one million dollars.”
That’s a substantial sum. She glances around the table at the others. They’re mildly surprised, too, but they seem pleased for their old nanny.
“To Audrey Stancik, one million dollars.”
Catherine allows herself to relax. It’s true then. He hadn’t changed his will to give her half.
Walter continues. “The remainder of the estate, after tax, expenses, and so on—I’ll spare you the legal language.” He looks up at them. “The remainder of your father’s estate is to be divided equally among his children.” He looks around the table at them.
Catherine can feel the relief in the room, like an exhalation. She realizes now it’s not just her and her brother and sister who have been tense. Ted beside her visibly relaxes, and she can see a calmness come over Lisa’s face too. They’ve all been on tenterhooks these last few harrowing days. She glances at Ted and squeezes his hand.
Dan actually sits back in his chair and closes his eyes, the very picture of relief. Catherine catches Walter looking at him with distaste. She wonders what he’s thinking. Walter was at the funeral, and he was one of their father’s closest friends.
Catherine speaks up. “And can you tell us what the estate is worth, roughly?” She watches Dan’s eyes snap open as he sits up and directs his attention back to the attorney.
“Just a moment,” Walter says heavily.
They all look back at him expectantly.
“This may come as a bit of a surprise, but the three of you are not Fred’s only children.”
• • •reyes reviews dan merton’s finances again, taking a closer look. They know that about six months ago, just before his father sold his company, Dan withdrew the majority of his money from his investment firm to loan half a million dollars to one Amir Ghorbani, secured by a first mortgage on his home in Brecken Hill. This is why Dan has no ready money. But what jumps out to Reyes this time is the name of the attorney on the document. Rose Cutter. He stares at the name. Rose Cutter is the illegitimate half sibling of the Mertons, who is inheriting an equal share under Fred’s will. The one that the legitimate siblings don’t know about. He says to Barr, “Take a look at this.”
• • •catherine gapes at walter and then looks around the table; there is dismay on all their faces. “What?” Catherine says. “We don’t know about any other children.”
“I don’t believe it! Dad had some bastard child, is that it?” Dan says. “And now they get a share? No fucking way.”
“Who is it?” Catherine asks.
“A young woman,” the attorney says, “by the name of Rose Cutter.”
Catherine immediately turns to Dan and he stares back at her, in shock. Lisa, beside him, has also gone suddenly still.
“Do you know her?” Walter asks, clearly surprised.
“She’s a close friend of mine,” Catherine says in disbelief. She feels like the breath has been sucked out of her.
After a moment, Dan says, “She persuaded me to make an investment with her and tied up most of my savings. She’s the reason I needed money.” Now everyone stares at Dan. For long seconds, the room is quiet. Then Dan says, raising his voice, “It’s because of her that the police think I killed our parents.” He turns to Catherine. “This is your fault. You’re the one who suggested she talk to me.”
At first Catherine has no response. But then she snaps back, “I didn’t realize you were going to commit almost all your money to her. And I didn’t know Dad would sell the business and you’d be out of a job.”
“Yeah, well, neither did I,” Dan says.
Walter clears his throat. “I didn’t realize you were acquainted with her. No one knew that Rose Cutter was in the will except your father. Not even your mother knew. Certainly Rose Cutter does not know.”
“I guess he wanted it to be a surprise,” Jenna says sarcastically.
“But does she know that we have the same father?” Catherine asks. She wonders if Rose has known all along. All these years they’ve been friends, and Catherine had no idea. But maybe Rose did.
“That I don’t know,” Walter says. “Her mother might have told her. But her mother would not have known about the will, I’m certain of that.”
If Rose has known all along, Catherine thinks, she can’t help feeling betrayed, used, even spied upon. “Can we fight it?” Catherine asks.
“I wouldn’t advise it,” Walter says. “Fred acknowledged to me long ago that she was his daughter. Her mother, Ellen Cutter, worked for your father at one time. He paid her for Rose’s upkeep for over twenty years. And then there’s DNA testing.” He adds, “It would be expensive to fight it and you would lose.”
Catherine thinks bitterly, Maybe Rose knows exactly who she is. And maybe she expects Catherine and the others to welcome her into the family as a sister and happily share their money.
She doesn’t know them very well.
“How much is the estate worth?” Dan asks now.
“After tax, about twenty-six million,” Walter says. “Your mother’s property adds about another six.” His face takes on a look of thinly veiled disgust. “Congratulations. Even with your half sibling, you are all now very wealthy.”
Catherine stares at the attorney, reading his expression. She realizes that he thinks one of them is a murderer. Maybe, Catherine thinks, when this is all over, they should find a new lawyer.
They leave the attorney’s office and stop to talk in the parking lot afterward. The ice seems to have broken between Dan and the rest of them. They are united now against a common enemy, a usurper.
“I don’t fucking believe it,” Jenna says.
“I don’t know why we didn’t see this coming,” Dan says. “He was so shitty to Mom.” He grimaces. “I suppose we’re lucky there aren’t more.”
“As executor, I have to call Audrey and tell her she’s getting a million dollars,” Catherine says. “But I’m not going to be the one to tell her about us having to split the rest with Rose—I don’t want to give her the satisfaction. I’m happy for Irena, though.” The others nod their heads in agreement.
They talk for a little while longer. Before they disperse to their various cars, Catherine says to Dan and Jenna, “We have to stick together. Don’t tell the police anything. This is all going to blow over, and we’ll all be rich.”
