Daniel lowered the phone.
My hands had gone cold.
“She knew,” I whispered.
When My Family Turned Away, the Uncle They Mocked Walked In at 2 A.M.
Richard handed it over.
Maren studied the trust addendum for a long moment. Then she removed a pair of reading glasses from her bag and read it again.
“This is not a casual family paper,” she said finally. “This is part of a larger estate structure.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“It means there should be records. Bank statements. Trustee reports. Annual notices. Tax filings.”
“I’ve never received anything.”
Maren’s expression did not change, but her pen stopped moving.
“Nothing?”
“Nothing.”
She turned to Richard. “Did you?”
“No. Not after Claire turned eighteen. Before that, I received two summaries through my attorney, then communication stopped.”
“On what basis?”
“My brother-in-law claimed Claire’s mother had assumed administrative control under a family agreement.”
Maren frowned. “Was there such an agreement?”
“No.”
The word was quiet but heavy.
