Chapter 10: My Grandfather's Last Gift
I stared at the thick envelope in Detective Brooks' hands.
"What did my grandfather leave me?"
He glanced around the nearly empty courtroom.
"Let's not discuss it here."
Reporters were already flooding into the hallway, shouting questions at anyone connected to the case.
"Mrs. Carter!"
"Did you know your brother was in debt?"
"Do you believe your parents helped him?"
"Do you think Preston planned this for months?"
Camera flashes exploded around us.
Detective Brooks placed a hand on my shoulder.
"This way."
He guided me through a side exit reserved for courthouse staff.
Ten minutes later, we were sitting inside a quiet conference room.
Only three people were there.
Detective Brooks.
Assistant State's Attorney Linda Morales.
And me.
Brooks carefully placed the envelope on the table.
"It was sealed by the probate court."
He slid it toward me.
"It wasn't supposed to be opened unless certain conditions were met."
"What conditions?"
"The death of Harold Carter..."
"Or evidence that someone attempted to interfere with his estate."
I frowned.
"So why now?"
Linda folded her hands.
"Because we believe your brother's actions may have been motivated by this document."
With trembling hands, I opened the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten letter.
The paper had yellowed slightly with age.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
My grandfather's.
Tears blurred my vision before I even read the first sentence.
My Dearest Evelyn,
If you're reading this, it means one of two things.
Either I am no longer here...
...or someone has finally shown you exactly who they are.
I stopped.
My grandfather had always spoken in riddles.
Now every word felt deliberate.
I continued reading.
You've spent your life believing that love must be earned.
It doesn't.
Real love is given freely.
Never let anyone convince you otherwise.
A tear rolled onto the page.
He knew.
He had always known.
He had seen the way my parents treated Preston and me differently.
He simply never said it aloud.
The letter continued.
I have watched your brother become increasingly desperate.
Not because he lacks opportunity...
But because nothing is ever enough for him.
I looked up.
"He knew about Preston?"
Linda nodded.
"Keep reading."
Several years ago, Preston came to me asking for money.
I loaned him a substantial amount under one condition—that he never ask again.
He promised.
Within eighteen months, he returned asking for even more.
My hands began shaking.
When I refused, he became angry.
He blamed you.
He claimed I loved you more.
He said one day everyone would finally see you for who you really were.
A chill ran through the room.
"He threatened Grandpa..." I whispered.
Brooks nodded slowly.
"We believe that's when everything began."
I continued reading.
After that conversation, I quietly hired an investigator.
My heart skipped.
An investigator?
I needed to know whether my concerns were justified.
Unfortunately...
They were.
The letter ended with a single instruction.
Inside this envelope is the investigator's report.
If anyone ever tries to destroy your reputation for personal gain...
Give it to the authorities.
They'll know what to do.
Love always,
Grandpa
Behind the letter lay another document.
Much thicker.
More than sixty pages.
The cover read:
CONFIDENTIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
Prepared for:
Harold Carter
Prepared by:
Mason & Pierce Investigations
Date:
Five Years Earlier
Detective Brooks carefully opened the report.
The first page summarized the findings.
Then he stopped.
His eyes widened.
"What?"
He slowly turned the report toward Linda.
She read one paragraph.
Then another.
"Oh..."
She looked stunned.
"This changes everything."
I leaned forward.
"What does it say?"
Brooks took a slow breath.
"The investigation found evidence that Preston had been stealing from your grandfather for years."
I couldn't speak.
"He forged signatures."
"He diverted money from business accounts."
"He even sold family property without authorization."
Linda turned another page.
"It gets worse."
"There's evidence he manipulated financial records to hide hundreds of thousands of dollars."
Brooks looked directly at me.
"Your grandfather never reported him."
"Why?"
"He hoped Preston would change."
"He wanted to protect the family."
I laughed bitterly.
"The family he almost destroyed."
Nobody disagreed.
A soft knock interrupted the silence.
An FBI agent stepped into the room.
He introduced himself.
"Special Agent Ryan Keller."
He handed Brooks a business card.
"We've been monitoring this case."
Brooks frowned.
"The FBI?"
Keller nodded.
"When the financial records crossed state lines..."
"It became our jurisdiction as well."
He placed another folder on the table.
"We've compared your grandfather's investigator's report with recent banking records."
"And?"
Keller looked directly at me.
"We believe your brother's financial fraud didn't stop five years ago."
"It escalated."
He opened the folder.
"There are at least twelve additional victims."
My stomach dropped.
"Twelve?"
"Small business owners."
"Private investors."
"Even a charitable foundation."
Linda slowly closed the grandfather's report.
"So the wedding..."
Keller finished the thought.
"...was never just about humiliating Sophie."
Brooks nodded.
"It was about protecting a much bigger lie."
Agent Keller looked at all of us.
"If Preston's reputation collapsed..."
"So would every fraudulent investment scheme connected to his name."
Silence filled the room.
Then Brooks quietly said,
"We're no longer investigating one violent assault."
He looked at the stack of evidence spread across the table.
"We're uncovering the life of a career criminal."
Outside the courthouse...
Another news alert flashed across television screens.
Federal Authorities Join Investigation Into Wedding Assault Case.
The country thought they had witnessed one shocking crime.
May you like
They had no idea...
It was only the first chapter of Preston Carter's secrets.
