I confronted her separately.
This time we met in Nathaniel’s conference room.
My father was not invited.
Mom arrived angry.
Then she saw the transaction record.
Her anger vanished.
“Where did you get that?”
“Wexford.”
She sat.
“Mom.”
Nothing.
“What was the $2.4 million?”
Her hands trembled.
“Sylvie, some things happened before you were old enough to understand.”
“I am twenty-nine.”
“I know.”
“Then explain.”
She looked at the attorneys.
“I won’t speak with them here.”
I told Nathaniel and his associate to step out.
They did.
Mom waited until the door closed.
Then she whispered:
“Your father didn’t know.”
“Didn’t know what?”
“The money was mine.”
“Where did it come from?”
“Elaine.”
I stared.
“Grandma’s half-sister?”
Mom nodded.
“She contacted me when you were little.”
“Why?”
“Because she wanted to see Robert.”
“Did she?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because Opal stopped it.”
That sounded wrong.
Everything I had learned about Grandma suggested she would not prevent contact without reason.
“Why?”
Mom’s eyes filled.
“Because Elaine wasn’t trying to reconnect.”
“What did she want?”
“Money.”
Of course.
“She threatened to expose the Wexford fraud.”
“What fraud?”
“Robert’s.”
So Mom knew.
Years earlier than I thought.
“She blackmailed you.”
Mom looked away.
“She said she had documents linking Robert to Elias Lane.”
“Did she?”
“Yes.”
“And Wexford paid her?”
“No.”
Mom swallowed.
“I did.”
“With what money?”
She started crying.
Real crying.
Not delicate tears.
Her shoulders shook.
“I borrowed it.”
“From whom?”
She covered her mouth.
Then whispered:
“Opal.”
I sat back.
Grandma had given my mother millions to pay off the woman who had abandoned my father.
“Why would Wexford records show it as a corporate payment?”
“Because Opal arranged it through a settlement.”
I called Nathaniel back in.
He confirmed pieces.
Yes, there had been a confidential settlement.
No, he had not known Mom personally received funds.
Then I asked the question.
“Where is Elaine now?”
No one answered.
Nathaniel looked at my mother.
Mom looked down.
My skin prickled.
“Where is she?”
Finally Mom said:
“Dead.”
“When?”
“Twenty-three years ago.”
“How?”
