Page 360 of Wicked Brutal

Arthur looks to the judge. “It goes to the circumstances of the document’s execution and the reason its existence was unknown to the people named in it.”

“Overruled, for that limited purpose.”

Margaret folds her hands. “She said she wanted it prepared somewhere her husband would have no reason to look.” A chill runs the length of my body. “She said he was well connected, that he knew many of the attorneys used by families in their circle. She wanted privacy.”

“Did she ask you to contact Walter or Cassandra Harrington? To tell them they were named? Did she indicate Alison knew the will existed?”

“No. To all of it. As far as I understood, no one named in that document knew it existed.”

“No further questions.”

Roman’s attorney crosses her on the formalities — whether Jane could have changed it later, whether Margaret had any contact after execution, whether she knew a single thing about our family beyond what Mom told her. No. No. No. She doesn’t know us. That’s the point.

When she steps down, Arthur picks up Mom’s will, and my heart starts to pound. “Your Honor, the relevant provision addresses what should happen to both O’Toole children in the event of Jane’s death or incapacity.”

Both. I turn toward Cassandra. She looks confused. So does Walter.

Arthur reads. “’Should my death or permanent incapacity occur while my daughter, Alison O’Toole, remains under the age of eighteen, I nominate Walter Harrington and Cassandra Harrington to serve as guardians of both Alison and my son, Tobias O’Toole.’”

Cassandra gasps. Walter goes completely still. Ryan’s head snaps toward his parents. I can’t move.

“’It is my express wish that my children remain together.’”

Oh my God. Cassandra covers her mouth. Walter reaches for her. Arthur stops — just long enough for all of us to understand. They didn’t know. My mother chose them, and they never knew.

Then he continues. “’Upon Alison attaining the age of eighteen, it is my wish that Tobias remain in the care of his sister. I nominate Alison O’Toole to assume guardianship of Tobias, and ask that every reasonable effort be made to preserve the bond between my children and allow them to remain together.’”

I make a sound. I don’t know what it is. “Mom.”

Ryan’s hands land on my shoulders.

My mother wrote that when Tobias was a baby. Before Ryan. Before the pregnancy. Before Switzerland. Before any of us knew where this would end. She chose me. And while I was still too young, she chose Walter and Cassandra to keep us together until I wasn’t.

Cassandra is sobbing. “I didn’t know.”

I turn. She’s shaking her head over and over.

“I swear to you, Ally. I didn’t know.”

“I know.”

Walter is crying too, staring at the will like he can’t understand how his name got onto it.

And then Cassandra’s testimony comes rushing back. Jane calling. Can you take Tobias? Again. Again. More often as things got worse. The Harrington house. His snacks. His toys. His Walter.

“Oh my God.”

Arthur looks at me. “What?”

I look at Cassandra. “All those times Mom called you.”

Cassandra freezes.

My voice breaks. “She wasn’t just asking somebody to watch him.” Walter closes his eyes. “She was sending him to you.”

Cassandra sobs. “To the people she picked.”

Mom knew. Maybe not exactly how she’d die — maybe she never truly believed Roman would go that far. But she knew him. She knew enough to make a plan somewhere he’d never find it, and then she spent years quietly making sure Tobias knew the people she’d chosen. She wasn’t just asking Cassandra for help. She was sending her baby somewhere she knew he’d be safe. I fold forward. Ryan’s arms come around me from behind. Nobody tells him to move.