Chapter 2 - Remove Me From What?
Nobody moved.
The video froze on Brooke’s face.
Mark looked at his sister.
“Remove Rachel from what?”
Brooke recovered first.
“She’s twisting it.”
“I haven’t said anything,” I replied.
Carol stepped forward.
“This is a family matter.”
“So was my daughter’s birthday.”
Lily gripped my dress.
I crouched beside her.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
Brooke laughed nervously.
“Rachel, please. She’s eight.”
“That is exactly why I’m saying it.”
Mark turned to Mason.
“Back it up.”
Brooke snapped, “No.”
It was the first time all afternoon he sounded like the man I married.
“Back. It. Up.”
Mason replayed the clip.
Brooke’s voice came through clearly.
If Rachel loses it on camera, we finally have what we need to remove her.
“Only if Mark signs.”
Mark stared at his mother.
“Signs what?”
Carol’s face lost color.
I knew before anyone answered.
Six months earlier, Mark’s father Thomas had died.
His will created a trust for Lily.
A minority interest in the Bennett family property company.
Because Lily was a minor, I had been named primary trustee.
Brooke was alternate.
If I were removed for misconduct or incapacity, Brooke could step in.
“You wanted to remove me as trustee.”
Brooke crossed her arms.
“This isn’t the place.”
“You shoved an eight-year-old into a cake to provoke me.”
“I barely touched her.”
Then Mason raised one hand.
“There’s more.”
Brooke turned toward him.
“No, there isn’t.”
“I was testing audio before the party started.”
My stomach tightened.
“What did you record?”
Mason looked at the screen.
“Mrs. Bennett’s sister went into the study with Mrs. Bennett’s mother-in-law.”
Brooke rushed toward the controls again.
Mark stepped in front of her.
“Don’t.”
Mason opened another clip.
The timestamp was 1:18 p.m.
Nearly two hours before the guests arrived.
Brooke and Carol entered Thomas’s old study.
Brooke was carrying a blue folder.
On the recording, she said:
“Once Rachel is out, we can move the lake property before the quarter closes.”
I stared at Mark.
He stared at his mother.
May you like
Then I asked the question that made Carol sit down.
“What exactly have you already moved?”
