Chapter 3 - The Son Who Already Knew
Evelyn turned toward Malcolm so quickly her walker scraped across the porch.
“What did you just say?”
Malcolm’s expression changed.
For one second, guilt cracked through it.
Then it vanished.
“I said these people don’t belong here.”
“No,” I said. “You said I wasn’t supposed to meet her.”
His wife stepped between us.
She was tall, elegant, and carried herself like everyone else had been invited into her world by mistake.
“Malcolm doesn’t owe some biker an explanation.”
I looked at her.
“And you are?”
“Celeste Brooks.”
“The wife.”
“The daughter-in-law.”
Evelyn’s voice was quiet.
Celeste glanced at her.
“Yes, Evelyn. We all know who everyone is.”
I saw Evelyn’s fingers tremble.
I stepped onto the porch.
Malcolm moved forward.
Deacon moved with me.
Nobody touched anybody.
Nobody needed to.
Malcolm looked past me at the five men beside the driveway.
“This is intimidation.”
I laughed once.
“You walked into your mother’s house before she got home.”
“I have a key.”
“Does she want you to?”
“It’s family property.”
Evelyn straightened.
“It is my property.”
Celeste sighed.
“Here we go.”
That tiny sentence told me more than twenty minutes of explanation.
Evelyn had heard that tone before.
A lot.
I looked at Malcolm.
“What do you know about me?”
“Nothing.”
“You recognized me.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“You said she found me.”
Celeste grabbed his arm.
“Stop talking.”
There.
That was confirmation.
Evelyn stared at her son.
“Malcolm.”
He turned.
She looked suddenly smaller.
“When did you learn about Victor?”
His jaw tightened.
“Mom, this is not the time.”
“When?”
“You’re upset.”
“Answer me.”
Celeste stepped in.
“We came here to help you.”
Evelyn laughed softly.
It was the saddest sound I had ever heard.
“By taking my house?”
“No one is taking anything,” Celeste said. “We’re protecting an asset before it deteriorates.”
“My home is not an asset.”
“Everything is an asset.”
I saw Deacon’s eyebrow rise.
Malcolm rubbed his forehead.
“Can we please go inside?”
“No,” Evelyn said.
Everyone stopped.
It was the first time I heard strength in her voice.
She lifted her chin.
“You can stay on the porch.”
Malcolm stared.
“Mom.”
“You told me this morning that I would sign papers at four.”
“I said we needed to discuss them.”
“You said you would have me declared incompetent if I refused.”
Celeste’s eyes sharpened.
“That is not what was said.”
“Yes, it was.”
“Evelyn, you’re confused.”
I felt my blood heat.
Then a voice came from inside the house.
“She’s not confused.”
A young woman appeared in the doorway.
Maybe nineteen.
Curly hair pulled into a loose bun.
College sweatshirt.
She looked terrified.
Malcolm spun around.
“Nia, go upstairs.”
She didn’t move.
“Nia,” Celeste snapped.
The girl swallowed.
“No.”
Celeste’s face went blank.
Evelyn whispered, “Baby?”
Nia stepped outside.
“I heard what Dad said this morning.”
Malcolm moved toward her.
“You have no idea what you heard.”
“I recorded part of it.”
Silence.
Celeste stared at her daughter.
“You did what?”
Nia backed against the doorframe.
“I got scared.”
Malcolm’s voice changed.
Not louder.
Worse.
“Nia. Give me your phone.”
“No.”
“I am your father.”
“You grabbed Grandma.”
Evelyn shut her eyes.
I looked at Malcolm.
“What does she mean?”
“Nothing.”
Nia started crying.
“He grabbed her wrist and told her if she made trouble today, he would put her somewhere nobody would listen to her.”
Malcolm lunged one step toward her.
Deacon moved instantly.
He didn’t touch Malcolm.
He simply placed himself between father and daughter.
Malcolm stopped.
“Move.”
Deacon folded his arms.
“No.”
“This is my family.”
Deacon looked at Nia.
“She doesn’t look like she wants you near her.”
Celeste pointed toward the yard.
“Every one of you needs to leave before I call the police.”
“Call them,” I said.
Malcolm stared at me.
I continued.
“Tell them your mother says money disappeared from her account. Tell them your daughter says you threatened her. Tell them you’re inside a house your mother owns after she told you not to come early.”
Celeste lowered her hand.
That answered another question.
They didn’t want police.
A man I hadn’t noticed before came around the side of the house carrying a briefcase.
Mid-sixties.
Nervous.
“Malcolm?”
Everyone turned.
He stopped when he saw us.
“Mr. Daniels,” Malcolm said. “You’re early.”
“So are you,” Evelyn replied.
The man looked embarrassed.
“Mrs. Brooks, I’m Howard Daniels.”
“What kind of lawyer are you?” I asked.
He frowned.
“Real estate.”
“Whose lawyer?”
Malcolm answered.
“Ours.”
Evelyn stared at Daniels.
“Are you representing me?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Then I have nothing to sign.”
Daniels looked at Malcolm.
“Mrs. Brooks is correct.”
Celeste’s face tightened.
“You said the documents were ready.”
“They are. That doesn’t mean she is required to execute them.”
I almost smiled.
Malcolm did not.
“Howard, can I speak with you privately?”
“No,” Evelyn said.
Malcolm turned on her.
“You’re making this impossible.”
“My answer is no.”
“Mom—”
“No.”
Her hand stopped shaking.
“My house is not for sale.”
Malcolm’s face hardened.
“You cannot maintain this place.”
“I can hire help.”
“With what money?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“The money that was in my savings account.”
Nia covered her mouth.
Celeste stepped closer.
“That money paid your expenses.”
“Show me the bills.”
“We don’t have to stand here and be interrogated.”
“You took twelve thousand dollars.”
Malcolm snapped.
“It was my money too!”
Every person on the porch went still.
Malcolm realized what he had said.
Evelyn stared at him.
“No,” she whispered. “It wasn’t.”
He looked away.
Celeste grabbed the leather folder from Daniels.
“This is ridiculous.”
She shoved it against Malcolm’s chest.
“We are leaving.”
Nia stepped backward.
“I’m staying with Grandma.”
Celeste froze.
“No.”
“I’m nineteen.”
“You live under our roof.”
“Not tonight.”
Malcolm looked at his daughter.
“You have ten seconds to get in the car.”
Nia shook her head.
I saw rage flash across his face.
Then Evelyn stepped between them.
It shocked everyone.
Even me.
“My granddaughter is staying.”
Malcolm stared down at his mother.
“Move.”
“No.”
“Mom.”
“No.”
He reached for the walker.
I moved.
So did Deacon.
But Nia screamed first.
“Don’t touch her!”
Malcolm stopped.
His fingers hovered inches above Evelyn’s hand.
Then he turned on me.
“This is because of you.”
“I got here thirty minutes ago.”
“You don’t understand anything.”
“Then explain.”
His chest rose and fell.
Celeste grabbed his arm.
“Malcolm.”
He ignored her.
“You think she’s some sweet old woman who lost you?”
Evelyn’s face drained.
“Don’t.”
Malcolm laughed bitterly.
“Oh, now you don’t want the truth?”
I looked at Evelyn.
“What truth?”
She whispered, “I don’t know what he means.”
Malcolm stared at me.
“Ask her why Lorraine never answered her.”
My skin went cold.
“What?”
He smiled without humor.
“Ask her about the letters.”
Evelyn’s voice cracked.
“What letters?”
Malcolm’s face changed again.
He realized he had said too much.
I stepped toward him.
“What letters?”
He backed toward the stairs.
Celeste pulled him.
“We’re leaving.”
I blocked neither of them.
I didn’t need to.
Because Evelyn was staring at her son with horror.
“Malcolm.”
He stopped.
She held the walker so tightly her knuckles turned white.
“You found Lorraine’s letters?”
Malcolm said nothing.
Nia began crying harder.
Evelyn whispered, “How long?”
Malcolm looked at her.
May you like
Then he said, “Long enough to know he was alive.”
And walked away.
