Brady had barely finished speaking when we heard another vehicle outside.
He turned toward the front window.
“That's Mom.”
I remained where I was.
Victor adjusted the blanket over his legs.
Neither of us said anything.
A moment later, the front door opened again.
Elaine came in carrying her luggage.
She looked tired from traveling, but she didn't seem particularly concerned.
Then she saw Brady standing in the living room.
She looked at me.
And finally, she looked at Victor.
Her expression changed.
“What happened?”
Nobody answered immediately.
She set down her bag.
“Why is everyone looking at me like that?”
Victor spoke before I could.
“Come here, Elaine.”
She hesitated.
Then she walked into the room.
“What is it, Victor?”
He looked at her.
“I want to know why you left me alone.”
Elaine's face tightened.
“We thought Jenna was coming.”
“I couldn't get water.”
She glanced toward Brady.
He looked away.
“I thought you were going to take care of him,” she said to me.
I stared at her.
“You left before I arrived.”
“You knew you were coming home.”
“That doesn't mean I agreed to take responsibility for his care without any arrangements.”
Elaine shook her head.
“This is getting blown out of proportion.”
I felt my hands tighten at my sides.
Then I looked at Victor.
He was watching her closely.
I reminded myself why I had stayed calm for days.
This was not about winning an argument.
It was about making sure the truth wasn't buried beneath excuses.
Victor spoke again.
“Did you make sure I had everything I needed before you left?”
Elaine folded her arms.
“We thought you would be fine.”
Victor looked down at the blanket.
Then he looked at her.
“I wasn't.”
She had no immediate response.
I watched her glance toward the kitchen.
Her eyes landed on the island.
The note was no longer there.
She looked back at me.
“What have you been doing while we were gone?”
“Making sure Victor received care. Preserving the evidence. Arranging legal advice about his trust.”
The word trust changed the room.
Elaine went still.
Brady looked at me sharply.
“What trust?”
Victor answered.
“My trust.”
Elaine looked confused.
“What are you talking about?”
Victor held her gaze.
“I have a trust worth three million dollars.”
Brady stared at his father.
Elaine's mouth opened slightly.
For several seconds, neither of them spoke.
I watched the surprise settle over their faces.
It was the first time since their return that they seemed to understand the situation was bigger than an uncomfortable family conversation.
Brady finally found his voice.
“Three million?”
Victor nodded.
Elaine looked from him to me.
“Why didn't anyone tell us?”
Victor answered quietly.
“Because my finances are mine to discuss.”
She looked as though she wanted to argue.
Then she stopped.
I could see her trying to understand what the information meant.
I didn't know what she had believed about Victor's money before that moment.
I didn't know whether Brady had ever suspected his father had significant assets.
But their surprise was plain.
Victor continued.
“The trust is being reviewed with legal guidance. My interests will be protected.”
Brady looked at me.
“You contacted an attorney?”
“Yes.”
“Without talking to me?”
I felt the old instinct to explain myself.
I pushed it aside.
“This concerns Victor's finances and his future. He asked for help protecting his interests.”
Brady frowned.
“I'm his son.”
Victor's response was immediate.
“And I'm the one who owns the trust.”
The words settled over the room.
Elaine shifted her weight.
“What does this have to do with the cruise?”
Victor looked at her.
“That's what I'd like you to explain.”
She shook her head.
“We needed a break. We couldn't stay home every minute.”
“Nobody asked you to stay home every minute,” I said. “You needed to arrange proper care.”
Elaine turned toward me.
“You don't understand how difficult this has been.”
I thought about the freezing room.
The thin blanket.
The lack of water.
“I understand that Victor was left without the care he needed.”
She looked away.
I didn't add anything.
The facts were already there.
Then I asked about the medication.
“Elaine, I found Victor's morphine bottle. The contents looked unusual, so I preserved it for professional examination.”
Her face changed.
“What are you suggesting?”
“I'm not making an accusation. I'm saying the bottle needs to be examined.”
“You think I did something?”
“I think we need answers.”
She looked toward Victor.
“He gets his medication through me.”
Victor nodded faintly.
“You collected it.”
Elaine's voice became sharper.
“Because you needed help getting it.”
“That doesn't answer the question,” I said.
Brady stepped between us verbally, if not physically.
“Can we stop this? Everyone is tired.”
I looked at him.
“Victor was left alone. We're not going to stop asking questions because the conversation is uncomfortable.”
He looked at his father.
Victor didn't look away.
“I want the truth,” he said.
Elaine picked up her bag from where she'd left it near the doorway.
For a moment, I thought she might leave the room.
Instead, she set it down again.
Nobody spoke.
The trust had surprised them.
The preserved bottle concerned them.
And Victor was no longer willing to let the conversation end with an excuse about needing a vacation.
I knew we still had unanswered questions.
But those questions were finally being asked in the open.
Click here to continue reading: PART 19: The Three Million Dollars Had Changed Their Expressions, but the Questions About Victor’s Care and Medication Still Needed Real Answers
I Thought I Was Coming Home for Thanksgiving, Until the Cold Inside That House Told Me Something Was Terribly Wrong
Part 18 of 20
