Chapter 11 - DANIEL'S LAST WEEK
Daniel had gone to Catherine’s temporary apartment six days before his heart attack.
Catherine kept the security footage.
Of course she did.
Daniel entered at 8:14 p.m.
Left at 10:02.
No audio.
But Catherine recorded part of their conversation on her phone.
She played it for Laura.
Daniel’s voice:
“I’m done protecting my father.”
Catherine:
“Twenty years late.”
Daniel:
“I know.”
Catherine:
“Tell me where Julian is.”
Daniel:
“I think under the east line near the pool.”
Laura closed her eyes.
Daniel knew.
At least by then.
Catherine’s voice sharpened:
“Then dig it up.”
Daniel:
“If I do that now, Evan loses the house.”
Catherine laughed bitterly.
“Still protecting your own.”
Daniel:
“I’m trying to find a way that doesn’t destroy him.”
Catherine:
“There is no clean way out of buried bodies.”
The recording ended.
Laura stared.
“Why didn’t you tell police?”
Catherine looked at her.
“Because he promised to tell them himself.”
“He died.”
“Yes.”
“Then why not after?”
Catherine’s jaw tightened.
“Because I thought the Millers would bury it again.”
“And instead you buried the pool.”
The irony landed between them.
Catherine looked away first.
Laura continued:
“You had evidence Daniel planned to confess.”
“Yes.”
“You let Evan think his father died a coward.”
Catherine’s eyes hardened.
“He was a coward.”
“He was changing.”
“Too late.”
Laura stepped closer.
“Maybe. But that was Evan’s truth to know.”
Catherine said nothing.
Laura finally understood her.
Catherine did not merely want justice.
She wanted the Miller family morally frozen at the worst moment.
If Daniel changed, if he confessed, if he became more than the young man who protected Frank, Catherine’s hatred became harder to hold in one shape.
That threatened her.
Then Richard uncovered Daniel’s final appointment.
He had scheduled a meeting with the district attorney for the morning after his death.
Laura stared.
“He really was going to tell.”
“Yes.”
Richard handed her another document.
Daniel had also updated his will.
He instructed that if the Hayes boundary dispute ever reopened, the pool should be removed voluntarily and the east strip transferred into a memorial easement for Mason and Julian.
Laura began crying.
The pool was never meant to remain forever.
Daniel had planned to give the land back.
He died before he could.
Evan read the will.
His face broke.
“So Dad knew.”
“Yes.”
“He was going to destroy the pool?”
Laura nodded.
“To uncover Julian.”
Evan looked toward the gray concrete.
Then whispered:
“I wish he told me.”
Laura hugged him.
“So do I.”
Then Richard said:
“There’s one problem.”
“What?”
“The will amendment was never witnessed properly.”
Laura stared.
“So legally?”
“Probably unenforceable.”
May you like
Catherine heard by afternoon.
And immediately filed to invalidate it.
