Chapter 18 - THE LAWYER HAD ALREADY TOLD THEM NO
My parents had consulted three lawyers.
We knew about the family-law attorney from the criminal case.
We did not know about Thomas Greer.
Probate.
Guardianship.
Trust administration.
Beth met him nineteen days before the assault.
His intake notes became available because representation never proceeded past preliminary consultation and my parents later circulated portions of his advice to third parties.
The meeting topic:
Potential minor guardianship / inherited trust
Beth told Greer:
Her daughter was emotionally unstable.
Her granddaughter had “significant assets.”
The family business provided housing.
The child’s biological father was dead.
The grandparents might need to intervene.
Greer asked the obvious question.
“Is the child unsafe?”
Beth said:
“Not yet.”
Not yet.
I had to stop reading.
Greer then explained:
guardianship would not transfer ownership of Evie’s trust.
The independent trustee remained.
Any guardian would owe fiduciary duties.
Using trust distributions to subsidize an unrelated failing business would be prohibited.
Beth asked:
“What if the business provides the child’s housing?”
Greer said legitimate fair-market housing costs might be considered, but related-party arrangements would receive heightened review.
Then Harold asked:
“Could a guardian replace the trustee?”
Greer wrote:
No absent cause / court proceeding / trust terms.
Then:
Advised clients strongly against viewing child’s trust as source of family-business capital.
There it was.
Clear.
Professional.
No ambiguity.
They knew.
At least nineteen days before the assault, a lawyer told them Evie’s money was not theirs.
Then why continue?
Because Greer’s notes showed the next question.
Beth:
What if Claire is found financially abusive toward the child?
My hands became cold.
They were already thinking about discrediting me.
Greer asked whether evidence existed.
Beth claimed:
I had used child-support money for myself.
False.
That I was planning to move Evie into Noah’s house before marriage.
True.
That I had recently quit working at the store.
True.
That I “allowed a boyfriend to influence financial decisions.”
Meaning:
Noah helped me understand the family business was collapsing.
Greer told them none of that established abuse.
He declined further representation after they began discussing “emergency filing strategies” without concrete evidence.
Another lawyer said no.
Another door closed.
And my parents kept walking down the hallway.
Then Rachel found Beth’s handwritten summary from the consultation.
Greer too cautious.
Then:
Need emergency first. Money later.
Three words.
Money later.
The custody plan and the trust plan were not separate.
They were sequential.
First create the family emergency.
Then use the court order.
Then approach Commonwealth.
But the most disturbing note sat underneath:
Need property guardian named too.
Not just Evie’s body.
Her estate.
Then Harold:
Bond required — get quote.
That explained the $1,842 refund.
They had planned enough to price insurance.
Enough time to stop.
Enough time to know exactly what they were doing.
And yet the bond application also contained one detail that made no sense.
Proposed co-guardian:
Amanda Rowan.
May you like
My sister.
The woman who later claimed she knew nothing about the trust.
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