Chapter 6 - ELEANOR CARTER
Eleanor Carter arrived at the station in a cream coat and pearls.
She did not look like a woman whose fingerprint had been found beneath a hidden-room hatch.
She looked like a woman attending a board meeting.
Daniel interviewed her.
“You’ve been in the room.”
“Yes.”
No hesitation.
“Why?”
“Because Laura asked me to.”
Daniel frowned.
“Explain.”
Eleanor folded her hands.
“My daughter-in-law had a breakdown.”
“Michael says she ran.”
“She did.”
“After staying in a hidden room under the garage?”
“She hid there.”
“From whom?”
Eleanor’s eyes remained calm.
“From herself.”
Daniel almost smiled.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“It does if you understand Laura.”
Eleanor described Laura as paranoid after discovering the trust.
She claimed Laura became convinced Michael planned to steal the twins’ inheritance.
“She installed the camera herself.”
“Why remove the memory card?”
“I did not.”
Daniel showed her the prescription bottle.
“She was medicated?”
“She had anxiety.”
“Was she locked in?”
“No.”
“The hatch could be locked from outside.”
“It could also be locked from inside.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“Why did you petition to freeze her trust access?”
“Because she tried to transfer three million dollars.”
Daniel paused.
“What?”
Eleanor slid a folder across the table.
Bank records.
Laura had attempted a large transfer three days before disappearing.
The recipient was a company called North Bridge Education Fund.
Daniel searched it.
The company did not exist.
A routing number led to an offshore intermediary.
Daniel looked at Eleanor.
“Where did she intend the money to go?”
“I don’t know.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“I don’t care what you believe.”
For the first time, her tone sharpened.
“I care what you can prove.”
Daniel understood where Michael learned it.
Eleanor continued.
“My son is controlling. Laura is impulsive. Neither should have had sole access to that trust.”
“You knew Michael was giving Olivia medication.”
“No.”
“He says the syringe was Laura’s doing.”
“He says many things when cornered.”
Daniel watched her.
“You don’t sound protective of him.”
“I am protective of my granddaughters.”
“Even from their father?”
“Especially if necessary.”
That surprised him.
Then Eleanor said:
“Officer Reed, ask yourself one question.”
“What?”
“If Michael wanted Olivia sick, why bring her to doctors who could test her?”
Daniel said nothing.
Eleanor leaned closer.
“Someone needed symptoms documented.”
Insurance?
Trust reimbursements?
Custody?
Daniel did not know.
Then Eleanor gave him a phone.
Laura’s phone.
The one police had found in Michael’s office.
“I made a copy before Michael took it.”
Daniel stared.
“You had access?”
“Of course.”
On the phone was a deleted voice memo.
Laura’s voice:
“If anything happens to me, Michael will say I ran.”
A pause.
Then:
“But he isn’t the one I’m afraid of.”
Daniel looked at Eleanor.
May you like
The recording continued.
“I’m afraid of Eleanor.”
