“What name?”
She looked at me.
“Richard Cole.”
My blood ran cold.
I knew that name.
Richard Cole had been the attorney who helped prepare the family trust before I left for Saudi Arabia.
But he had never contacted me after I left.
I picked up my phone.
It was nearly midnight.
I called him anyway.
He answered after several rings.
“Julian?”
“Yes.”
There was silence.
Then he asked:
“Are you home?”
“Yes.”
Another pause.
“Then you finally found out.”
I stood completely still.
“What are you talking about?”
Richard sighed.
“I’ve been waiting five years for you to ask me that question.”
My heart began pounding.
“Richard, what happened?”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said something that made the entire room feel colder.
“Your mother didn’t just steal your money.”
I gripped the phone.
“What else did she do?”
“She tried to take the house.”
