Chapter 3 - The Hidden Ledger
I didn't sleep that night. I sat at Arthur’s kitchen table, reading through eighteen years of meticulous records. Arthur wasn't just a carpenter; he was a silent genius. The ledger detailed every single investment, every property purchase, and every legal loophole he anticipated Evelyn might use.
He had documented every time she called during that first year, including transcripts of her asking for money before vanishing completely. Worse, he had documented Marcus, the man she left with. Marcus’s dealership had been a front for laundering money, and Arthur had hired a private investigator of his own years ago to keep tabs on them, ensuring they never came near me.
The next morning, I threw the ledger onto Helen’s desk. Her eyes widened as she scanned the pages.
"Leo," she breathed, looking up at me in disbelief. "This is a goldmine. He documented his exact mental state, his intent, and her absolute negligence. He outplayed them from the grave."
"There's more," I said, pointing to the silver USB drive. "I haven't watched it yet. I couldn't do it alone."
May you like
Helen plugged it into her laptop. A grainy video popped up. There was Arthur, sitting in his workshop, looking directly into the camera. He looked older, tired, but his eyes were sharp and clear.
"Hello, Leo," his rusty voice filled the office. Tears instantly blurred my vision. "If you're watching this, my ticker finally gave out. And I bet my bottom dollar your mother is sitting in a courtroom right now playing the victim. So, let’s set the record straight."
