Chapter 9 - FAMILY MONEY
The company was called Harbor Ridge Consulting.
It had no employees, no office, and almost no public business activity.
Its registered agent was Evelyn’s brother, Warren Pike.
Martin Dale met Lucas and Priya in a parking garage because, as he put it, “I don’t want Evelyn seeing me walk into your attorney’s office.”
He carried a thick envelope.
“I stopped the transfer,” he said. “That’s why the money never moved.”
Lucas stared at him. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I tried. Your mother told me you were overwhelmed and had authorized her to handle family matters.”
“I never did.”
Martin nodded grimly. “I know that now.”
He opened the envelope.
Inside were printed emails from Evelyn.
One said: Once Hannah is declared unstable, Lucas will be easier to manage.
Another said: The trust should never have been placed in that girl’s hands.
Hannah read the sentence twice.
“That girl.”
Lucas felt embarrassed by every dinner where he had let his mother make little jokes about Hannah’s family, her job, her apartment before marriage.
He had called it personality conflict.
Now he saw the pattern.
Control dressed up as concern.
Priya tapped the last email.
This one was to Warren.
After the guardianship is entered, we can restructure everything.
Lucas looked at Martin.
“Everything?”
Martin hesitated.
“Your father’s estate plan gives the guardian of a minor beneficiary limited voting authority over certain family shares held for that minor.”
“So if Mom controlled Sophie—”
“She could influence the Mercer Foundation and part of the family holding company.”
The room seemed to tilt.
This was not only obsession. There was money and power attached.
Then Martin pulled out one final sheet.
A schedule.
Dates. Appointments. Court filings.
At the top, in Evelyn’s handwriting, were three words.
Phase Two: Lucas.
May you like
Under it was a date.
Tomorrow.
