The Reading Of The Real Will

Three weeks later, the morning sun poured through the high windows of the Henderson law offices in downtown Chicago.

Clara sat at the long mahogany boardroom table with Toby beside her, both dressed in clean, simple clothes.

Attorney Henderson: Clara, Toby, thank you for coming in today under such exhausting circumstances.

Clara: We just want this finished, Mr. Henderson. We want our lives back.

Attorney Henderson: The state prosecutor informed me this morning that Evelyn took a plea deal to avoid life without parole.

Toby: How long will she stay in prison?

Attorney Henderson: Twenty-five years minimum. Assistant Vance received twelve, and Dr. Morris was arrested at the Canadian border.

Marcus pulled out a chair beside Toby and ruffled the boy's brown hair.

Marcus: That means she won't ever set foot near either of you again.

Attorney Henderson: Now, regarding your father's true estate. Arthur knew his second marriage was a mistake within forty-eight hours.

Clara: Why didn't he divorce her right away?

Attorney Henderson: She threatened to fabricate financial fraud allegations against his company to tank the stock during the merger.

Toby: Dad wasn't a criminal. He was the most honest man in town.

Attorney Henderson: He was, Toby. That's why he established the Clearwater Trust before his sudden cardiac event.

The lawyer slid a thick blue binder across the polished glass table toward Clara.

Attorney Henderson: The family mansion, the commercial real estate portfolio, and the eight million dollar life insurance policy pass directly to you two.

Clara: Eight million?

Attorney Henderson: Divided equally. Clara retains full guardianship of Toby until his eighteenth birthday, with Marcus as secondary trustee.

Toby: Does that mean we don't have to sell our house?

Marcus: You don't have to sell anything, Toby. The house is completely paid off, and you have enough to fund college ten times over.

Clara covered her mouth as tears finally spilled down her cheeks, this time without terror or pain.

Clara: She almost took all of it. If Toby hadn't brought that hammer...

Toby: I knew your shoes were inside the hallway closet, Clara. The ones Evelyn said you were wearing when you supposedly passed away.

Clara: My running sneakers?

Toby: You never went anywhere without them. When I saw them under the coat rack, I knew she was lying about everything.