📦 The Box Thomas Left Behind

Chapter 14 - Gregory's Roses

Greg had always believed in presentation.

Nancy saw it in the roses, wrapped in brown paper with a ribbon too tasteful to be accidental. She saw it in the soft blue sweater he had changed into, the one Karen once said made him look approachable. She saw it in the way he held his shoulders down, signaling humility while keeping his chin high enough to remain in charge.

Men like Greg did not arrive.

They staged themselves.

Karen stood on the porch above him, still wearing yesterday's mascara under her eyes. Michael stood at the fence with both arms crossed. Dorothy had retreated to Nancy's living room, because courage apparently had business hours.

Eleanor walked down the porch steps.

"Hello, Gregory," she said again.

Greg swallowed. "Aunt Eleanor."

Karen turned sharply. "Aunt?"

Greg closed his eyes for half a second.

Nancy almost admired the speed of his calculation. Almost.

"It's distant," he said. "Not really an aunt in the practical sense."

Eleanor's eyebrows rose. "I hosted your tenth birthday party after your mother threatened to cancel it because you cheated at Monopoly. That feels practical."

Michael gave a short laugh.

Greg's face reddened.

Karen stepped down one stair. "You told me the Voss connection was nothing."

"Because it is nothing. Old family. Old money. Old problems. I didn't want you dragged into it."

Nancy said, "You filed to have me declared incompetent. That's a mighty odd way to avoid dragging."

Greg's charm cracked.

"I filed because you were about to be used by a dying man's vendetta."

"Was I?"

"Yes. Thomas hated my family. He hated Graham. He hated the Voss name."

Eleanor said, "Many decent people have."

Greg ignored her. "He designed all of this to destroy reputations over things that happened before any of us were born."

Nancy looked at the roses.

"People always want history to stay dead when they inherited the house built over it."

Karen came down the rest of the steps.

"Did you sign transfers for Graham?"

Greg's mouth tightened.

"Business transactions are not crimes."

"Answer me."

"Yes. Some. As counsel."

"Did you know they involved Cedar House?"

He hesitated.

Karen's face changed.

That was the answer that would end a marriage, though perhaps not in that moment. Endings often arrive quietly and then spend months moving furniture.

"Did you know Thomas named me alternate trustee?" Karen asked.

Greg looked at Miles. "That clause was irresponsible."

"Did you know?"

"Yes."

"And you didn't tell me."

"I was trying to manage risk."

Karen laughed, a broken little sound. "You mean me. I was the risk."

Nancy reached for her daughter's hand.

Karen did not take it yet. She was still standing inside the ruins of the life Greg had explained to her so confidently.

Greg lowered the roses. "Karen, listen. Graham is dangerous. If your mother pushes this, she could lose everything in legal fees. Cedar House is falling apart. Those women need resources. Selling the property and relocating them is reasonable."

Rose, who had stepped onto the porch unnoticed, said, "Relocating people is what men call eviction when they have stationery."

Greg looked startled to see her.

Good, Nancy thought. Let him discover women in doorways.

Miles said, "Gregory Voss, you are now on notice that any further communication with Nancy regarding the trust goes through counsel."

Greg's eyes flashed. "This is family."

"Then behave better," Miles said.

The roses shook in Greg's hand.

He turned to Karen. "Come home. We'll talk privately."

Karen looked at him for a long time.

"Where were you the night Thomas died?"

The question startled everyone.

Even Nancy.

Greg frowned. "What?"

Karen's voice gained strength. "You left at nine. You said an emergency client called. I checked the home security this morning because something felt wrong. You didn't come back until after midnight. Thomas died at dawn, and by breakfast you already knew about Mr. Kincaid's visit. So where were you?"

Greg's expression went carefully blank.

Eleanor said, "Gregory."

He looked at her, and for one second Nancy saw the boy who had cheated at Monopoly and been furious the room noticed.

"I met Graham," he said.

Karen stepped back.

"At the hospital?"

"In the parking garage."

Miles went very still.

Greg lifted one hand. "Thomas was alive when I left. I had nothing to do with that."

"No one said you did," Rebecca said from behind Miles.

Greg glanced at her.

Too late.