Lucas explained that he had gone to the house early to accompany her to the funeral because he knew she would be devastated. As he passed by the garage, he saw the rag tightly tucked inside the exhaust pipe. It didn’t look accidental.
“I wanted to take it out without scaring you, but when I heard you coming down… I just reacted,” he said.
Helen tried to think clearly.
“Who went into the garage? Who has keys?”
The list was short: her two children, Anna and David; her daughter-in-law, Laura; and Lucas himself. No one else.
His stomach churned.
Lucas looked at the floor.
“I heard something else last night,” he murmured. “Mom and Uncle David were arguing in the kitchen. They didn’t know I was on the stairs. I heard them saying that… that when you signed the papers today, everything would be easier.”
“What papers?” Helen asked, confused.
Lucas looked up.
