— He didn’t want to involve you or Jason until he could prove it without risking your lives. I felt a wave of nausea at the thought of my husband fighting this battle alone. The danger Franklin spoke of hovered like a dark cloud, and I shivered involuntarily, as if cold tendrils were wrapping around my heart.
— Why didn’t he come to me? — I asked, tears pricking my eyes. — He was protecting you, Marilyn, — Lydia said softly.
— But now, you need to be aware. We think the people behind this fraud might come after anyone who knows too much. A sense of foreboding filled the room, and I realized my son, Jason, and his wife, Tessa, were unknowingly tangled in this web.
They had to be warned, but I couldn’t risk telling them yet, not without knowing who was safe to trust. — What do I do now? — I asked, the strength returning to my voice as a new resolve took hold.
Franklin leaned forward, his expression earnest. — We need to gather evidence, keep it safe. Lydia and I are working from the inside, but we need you to be cautious.
Act normal, and let us handle the investigation. I nodded, the gravity of the situation settling upon me like a mantle. The world as I knew it had shifted, but the pieces of Edward’s life, and now mine, needed to be put right.
With a newfound determination, I left Franklin’s office, knowing the truth, though terrifying, was a necessary compass. Edward’s legacy was at stake, and I was now an unwitting guardian of his secrets. The funeral was indeed just the beginning, but I was ready to face whatever lay ahead, for Edward, for Jason, and for the truth.
