Chapter 5
Robert asked to meet.
Naomi chose Maya’s office.
Not the house.
Robert arrived looking ten years older than he had at the barbecue.
He sat across from his daughter.
“I didn’t know Carla would hit Lily.”
Naomi said nothing.
“I swear.”
“Why were you filming?”
Robert looked toward Maya.
“She told you about the developer?”
“Yes.”
He sighed.
“Carla said you were going to explode when you found out.”
“Found out what?”
“That Diane and I had been discussing the land sale.”
Naomi stared.
“So you recorded me because you expected me to be angry?”
“I wanted proof of what happened.”
“For who?”
Robert rubbed his face.
“The lawyers.”
Maya leaned forward.
“What lawyers?”
Robert immediately looked uncomfortable.
There it was.
Maya waited.
Finally he said:
“Diane had been talking to a family-law attorney.”
Naomi felt cold.
“Why?”
“She was worried about Lily.”
Naomi nearly stood.
Maya stopped her with one look.
Robert continued quickly.
“Not like that.”
“Then explain.”
“Diane thought you were too emotional about the trust.”
Naomi stared at him.
“Too emotional about people trying to sell my daughter’s property?”
“She said you were blocking every practical solution.”
“What practical solution?”
“Selling the rear acreage. Paying down some estate costs. Giving everyone breathing room.”
Naomi laughed.
“Everyone?”
Robert looked ashamed.
His company had borrowed heavily before material prices spiked.
He owed almost seven hundred thousand dollars personally.
Westline’s consulting payment would help.
Carla’s fee would cover credit-card debt and a tax lien Naomi never knew existed.
Diane wanted a portion of the sale proceeds directed toward maintenance reserves for the main estate.
Nobody’s motive was exactly the same.
All three benefited.
None owned the land.
“What did the family lawyer say?” Maya asked.
Robert hesitated again.
“That if Naomi was found unable to manage Lily’s financial interests properly, a guardian ad litem or separate property guardian could become involved.”
Naomi’s face went still.
“You were trying to remove me.”
“No.”
Robert shook his head.
“No, I swear.”
“You were filming me before Carla attacked my child.”
“I didn’t know about that.”
“Then what did you know?”
Robert looked down.
“That Carla planned to confront you.”
“About what?”
“The land.”
Naomi understood part of it now.
The confrontation had been expected.
The skewer might not have been.
Her father claimed he wanted evidence of Naomi becoming irrational over the property.
Evidence that could later support Diane’s effort to challenge Naomi’s management around Lily.
Maya asked:
“Did Carla know you were recording?”
Robert closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
Naomi leaned back.
May you like
Her sister had walked toward a six-year-old with a steel skewer knowing a camera was pointed at the scene.
That knowledge made the incident harder to dismiss as sudden rage.
