The Lawyer's Trap

Victoria: I am calling Arthur Vance right now. I want him in this house within the hour.

Evelyn: Be careful, Victoria. He is a powerful man with deep connections in this city.

Victoria: He works for ME! My family's company pays his law firm's retainer!

Victoria pulled out her iPhone and dialed the lawyer's direct office number, her thumb pressing hard against the screen.

Arthur: Victoria? To what do I owe the pleasure on a Thursday afternoon?

Victoria: Arthur, I need you at the estate immediately. There's a urgent discrepancy in the annual audit of my mother's trust fund.

Arthur: An audit discrepancy? That's impossible, I oversee all those accounts personally.

Victoria: That's exactly why you need to be here. Bring the original adoption and estate settlement records from twenty years ago.

Arthur: Why on earth would you need records from twenty years ago?

Victoria: Just bring them, Arthur. Unless there's something in those files you don't want me to see?

Arthur: ...I will be there in twenty minutes.

Victoria hung up the phone and looked at Evelyn and Lily. Her expression had changed from arrogant heiress to a fierce, protective mother.

Victoria: Step into the study behind the double doors. I want you to hear everything he says before he knows you're here.

Lily: What if he tries to do something? He sounded scary on the phone.

Victoria: He can't hurt us here. I have security posted at every entrance now. You are safe with me, Lily.

Evelyn: It's strange... seeing you stand up like this. You look just like your mother used to, before the greed consumed her.

Victoria: My mother consumed herself with lies. I won't let her lawyer do the same to my daughter's life.

Twenty minutes later, the heavy front doors chimed. Arthur Vance walked into the grand foyer carrying a sleek black leather briefcase, his tailored suit spotless.

Arthur: Victoria, my dear, what is this sudden emergency? You sounded quite frantic on the phone.

Victoria: Take a seat, Arthur. Let's talk about my mother's estate payments to New Mexico.

Arthur froze mid-step, his polite smile instantly vanishing from his face.

Arthur: New Mexico? I have no idea what you're referring to.

Victoria: Don't play dumb with me, Arthur! The fifty thousand dollar annual disbursements listed under 'miscellaneous property maintenance'!

Arthur: Those were routine upkeep fees for your mother's vacation property near Santa Fe.

Victoria: My mother sold that property in 2002! So where was that money going for the last twenty years?