Chapter 10
“Could Julian have opened it?”
“Possibly. But banks require identification and documentation. We’ll need the account-opening file.”
I pressed my fingertips against the edge of the table. My hands were cold.
The idea that Julian had created a financial account in my name was frightening, but not because I believed he could take everything from me. Northstar was separate from our marriage, and my mother’s estate had been carefully structured long before Julian entered my life.
What hurt was the intimacy of it.
He had known which papers to look for. He had known the names of my mother’s former advisers. He had known exactly how much I disliked discussing money and how readily I trusted him to handle ordinary household matters.
I had thought privacy meant leaving certain subjects untouched.
Perhaps to him, it had meant leaving them unguarded.
“I need to call Margaret,” I said.
Malcolm glanced at the clock. “Margaret Hale?”
“Yes. She represented my mother’s estate.”
“She may not appreciate a late-night call.”
“She’ll understand.”
Margaret answered on the fourth ring.
“Nora?” Her voice was warm but alert. “Is everything all right?”
“No. I need to ask you about a company called Vance Family Ventures.”
There was a pause.
“Where did you hear that name?”
The question landed harder than I expected.
“Please answer me.”
“I’m trying to understand why you’re asking.”
“Did my mother create it?”
Another silence followed, longer this time.
“Yes,” Margaret said. “She did.”
My breath caught.
“When?”
“About six years before her death. It was a dormant holding company. Eleanor intended to use it for certain family investments, but she changed her plans. The company never became active.”
“Are you sure?”
“I prepared the paperwork myself.”
“Did she name herself as manager?”
“Yes.”
“Did she name me?”
“Not initially.”
“Initially?”
Margaret exhaled slowly. “Nora, I’m at home. I don’t have the complete files in front of me.”
“Then tell me what you remember.”
“I remember Eleanor wanted the company kept separate from her operating businesses. She was considering moving a small collection of properties into it. Later, she decided it was unnecessary. After her death, the entity should have remained inactive unless you chose to revive it.”
“Did you revive it?”
“No.”
“Did you file anything on my behalf?”
“Never without your written instruction.”
I looked at Daniel. He was listening, but he did not interrupt.
“Margaret,” I said, “the company received four hundred thousand dollars from Aurelia Systems nine months ago.”