The Check in Noah’s Hand
Chapter 03 - The Check in Noah’s Hand
Richard had one foot outside when Noah shouted.
“Dad!”
Everyone turned.
Noah stood on the stairs holding the cashier’s check in one hand.
Richard went pale.
Claire looked from her brother to her father.
“What is that?”
Noah walked into the living room.
“I found it in Mom’s box.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“Put that down.”
“No.”
“Noah.”
“No.”
It was the first time in his twenty-six years that Noah had spoken to his father that way.
Claire took the check.
Her eyes moved across the page.
Then stopped at the amount.
$280,000.
Pay to the order of Claire Bennett.
She looked up slowly.
“Why is my name on this?”
Richard said nothing.
Claire’s voice broke.
“Dad?”
“It’s complicated.”
“No. It’s a check.”
Richard stepped toward her.
“That money was never really yours.”
Noah pulled the other documents from his pocket.
“Mom said it was.”
Richard’s face changed.
Not grief.
Not shame.
Rage.
“You had no right to go through her things!”
Noah shouted back, “She told me to!”
The room went silent.
Claire unfolded the notarized letter.
As she read, her knees nearly gave out.
Her mother had known.
May you like
She had known Richard might try to hide the money.
And she had prepared for it.
