What Ellen Knew
Chapter 04 - What Ellen Knew
The letter was dated six weeks before Ellen died.
Claire read it aloud.
My dear Claire,
I know you will hate needing help. You always have. But after what happened with Michael, you deserve a chance to begin again without fear.
Claire stopped.
Her ex-husband had left her with debt, two children, and a mortgage she could not afford.
She had never told her parents how close she had come to losing everything.
Apparently, her mother had known anyway.
The letter continued.
I have placed part of my insurance benefit and savings aside for you. Your father disagrees. He believes the money should be used to pay a private debt he has kept from all of us.
Claire lowered the page.
She looked at Richard.
“What debt?”
Richard turned away.
Noah stepped forward.
“Dad.”
“It’s none of your business.”
Claire laughed once, without humor.
“You hid nearly three hundred thousand dollars with my name on it, and now it’s none of my business?”
Richard gripped the suitcase handle.
“I said I’m leaving.”
But Claire was no longer crying.
She walked to the front door and closed it.
Then she locked it.
“No.”
Richard stared at her.
May you like
She placed the check on the coffee table between them.
“First, you’re going to tell us what Mom died trying to protect us from.”
