The house was in trust. Dad had violated the occupancy terms by moving Valerie in as a romantic partner and using trust-linked funds for personal expenses. Emergency petitions had been filed. The court had temporarily frozen certain accounts. A civil claim was being prepared.
“And the crash?” I asked.
Adrian’s expression changed.
“The police have reopened the file.”
Grandma reached for my hand.
Adrian continued, “The dashcam video does not prove Valerie intended to cause the collision. But it proves she lied about being present. It also raises questions about her leaving the scene.”
“She left my mother there,” I said.
His voice softened.
“Yes.”
Something hard formed in my chest.
“What about Dad?”
“He is exposed legally if he knowingly concealed information.”
“Good.”
Adrian didn’t flinch.
“Chloe, there’s something else.”
Of course there was.
He opened his briefcase and pulled out a photocopy of a handwritten page.
“Your mother kept a journal. This entry was dated one week before the crash.”
I read it.