Chapter 5 - MY DEAD HUSBAND'S LOGIN
Dead people do not log into school portals.
Old systems do.
That was the first thing Westbridge IT explained.
Andrew's account had never been fully deleted.
After he died, it was marked inactive.
But years earlier, he authorized Carter Family Office to manage tuition payments, emergency contacts and transportation forms while he traveled.
That delegated permission survived a system migration.
Not good.
Not supernatural.
“Who used it today?”
I asked.
The administrator could see the institution tied to the login.
CARTER FAMILY OFFICE SSO
Not the individual employee yet.
Rebecca's office.
Daniel leaned back.
I closed my eyes.
Dr. Warren continued.
“Whoever changed the record also uploaded an old PDF.”
A 2019 emergency-contact form.
Andrew's signature.
Daniel listed as backup pickup.
I remembered it.
Before Andrew got sick.
Before everything.
Back when Daniel came to Sunday dinner and Noah climbed into his lap to watch basketball.
The form itself was real.
The person using it today was not authorized by me.
Dr. Warren looked at Daniel.
“Because your identity appeared in the system when you arrived, front security did not immediately remove you.”
That explained how he got as close as he did.
Someone had made sure Daniel could approach Noah before anyone challenged him.
I looked at Elliot.
“And somebody told you to be here too.”
“Yes.”
“Using a fake version of my number.”
“Yes.”
Daniel said:
“So two invitations.”
“Three.”
Elliot looked at us.
“The removal petition was also timed for this morning.”
I hated where that thought went.
Rebecca.
But I had spent enough of the afternoon hitting people before checking.
I stopped.
“Call her.”
Elliot said:
“Not yet.”
I turned on him.
“Why?”
“Because right now we have evidence a Carter Family Office credential was used. We do not know by whom.”
“Rebecca runs it.”
“She employs fourteen people.”
Daniel said:
“She also benefits if I'm removed.”
I looked at him.
“You benefit if she looks guilty.”
“Yes.”
That stopped him.
Good.
He did have an interest.
If Rebecca's petition collapsed, Daniel remained protector.
No one was neutral.
Then Elliot placed the sealed Bluebird envelope on the table.
“I can open this now.”
I stared.
“Why now?”
“The petition triggered Andrew's instruction.”
Daniel asked:
“Does Rebecca know?”
“No.”
“Does anyone?”
“My office knew a memorandum existed. Not contents.”
I looked at the envelope.
My husband's handwriting on the front.
IF THEY TRY TO REMOVE DANIEL BEFORE NOAH IS 18
Below:
CLAIRE MUST BE PRESENT.
I laughed without humor.
“Nice of him.”
Elliot did not open it.
“Do you want me to?”
I looked at Daniel.
Then at the door where my son had left an hour earlier.
“Yes.”
Elliot broke the seal.
Inside was one page.
Andrew's handwriting.
The first line:
If you're reading this, somebody decided Daniel is the problem again. He may be. Check Harbor before you decide.
Daniel frowned.
“I've never heard of Harbor.”
Neither had I.
But Rebecca had.
I knew because Elliot read the next line—
and the color left her name right out of the room.
May you like
Rebecca knows what Harbor is. Claire does not. That was my decision, not hers.
My dead husband had just joined the list of people who had been hiding things from me.
