Chapter 5: Section Four, Clause Nine
Silvio called his father's solicitor at seven the next morning.
The man's name was Aldric Pemberton.
He had managed the Reyes family estate documents for over two decades, and when Silvio read him the words from Lucinda's note over the phone, there was a silence on the other end that lasted long enough to mean something.
"Where did you get that language?" Aldric said.
"Does it exist?"
Another pause.
"There was an amendment filed fourteen months ago.
Your father signed it six weeks before he passed.
I advised against it strongly.
He overruled me."
"What does it say?"
"The trust distributes to Lucinda's children — Ethan and Mia — on the occasion of their joint survival to the estate's anniversary date.
That date is the thirtieth of this month." Aldric's voice was careful and slow.
"If both children are living on that date, the primary estate assets transfer into a protected trust in their names.
Grant and Lucinda retain the house and a fixed annual income, but control of the capital passes entirely to the children's trust, administered by you."
Silvio sat down.
"If the children don't survive to that date?"
"Then the amendment is void.
The original distribution stands.
Everything goes to Lucinda outright, with Grant as co-signatory."
"Aldric." Silvio kept his voice flat.
"The anniversary is in eleven days."
"I know."
"And Grant knows about this amendment."
"He was present when it was filed.
He contested it.
Your father refused to change it." A pause.
"Silvio, I want to be careful about what I say next.
I am a solicitor and not a detective.
But I have been thinking about this amendment every day since your father passed, and I am very glad you called me this morning."
Silvio looked at the folded note on the desk in front of him.
*If something happens to them before the anniversary.*
Lucinda had written it.
She had thrown it away.
Which meant she knew.
Which meant she had known and said nothing and let it happen anyway — the car, the shed in April, Mia going silent in February.
"I need a copy of the full amendment," Silvio said.
"Today."
"I'll have it to you within the hour."
"And Aldric — don't tell anyone I asked."
He ended the call and sat for a moment with his hands flat on the desk.
Then he went upstairs and knocked on the guest suite door.
Ethan opened it.
He was still in his pajamas.
He looked up at Silvio with the careful, measuring look that children develop when they have learned that adults are not always safe.
"Are you hungry?" Silvio said.
Ethan nodded.
"Come downstairs.
Both of you.
I'll make breakfast."
Mia appeared behind her brother.
She was dressed already, her hair brushed, her shoes on.
She looked at Silvio the way she had looked at the pavement the night before — like she was checking something.
Then she reached past Ethan and took Silvio's hand.
They went downstairs together.
Silvio made eggs and toast and sat at the kitchen table with them while they ate.
He didn't ask questions.
He just sat there, and after a while Ethan started talking about a cartoon he liked, and Mia ate three pieces of toast, and Silvio drank his coffee and watched them and felt the weight of eleven days pressing down on everything.
Grant appeared in the kitchen doorway at half past eight.
He looked at the three of them at the table.
His eyes moved from the children to Silvio and stayed there.
"Family breakfast," he said.
"How nice."
"Sit down if you want something," Silvio said.
"I'm fine." Grant didn't move from the doorway.
"Lucinda wants the children back upstairs after they eat.
She has plans for them today."
"What plans?"
"Family plans.
That's between her and her children."
Silvio looked at Ethan.
The boy had stopped talking about the cartoon.
He was looking at his plate.
"Ethan," Silvio said quietly.
"Do you want to go with your mum today?"
Ethan didn't answer for a moment.
Then he said, very quietly: "Can I stay with you?"
Grant's expression didn't change.
But he stepped back from the doorway.
"I'll tell Lucinda," he said.
And he was gone.
Silvio looked at Mia.
She was still eating her toast.
She hadn't looked up once.
He refilled his coffee.
May you like
Eleven days.
He needed to move faster than that.
