“With accumulated interest over the last sixteen years, it is closer to five million now,” Rebecca said.

Caroline did not gasp, nor did she look excited.

She simply reached out with her hand, took the document from me, and turned to the third page.

“The distribution terms,” Caroline muttered, her finger tracing a line of neat type.

“The principal and all accrued interest shall be distributed in full to the beneficiary upon her eighteenth birthday.”

“That is less than two years from now,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

“Yes,” Rebecca said, finally looking Caroline in the eye.

“My parents tried to contest it when my grandfather died, but they couldn’t touch it.”

“And Thomas?” I asked, the name tasting like ash in my mouth.

“Did Thomas know about this?”

Rebecca shook her head quickly, her wet hair shifting against her collar.

“No,” she said.

“If Thomas had known, he would have found a way to spend it before Caroline was old enough to walk.”

I looked down at the carpet, thinking of my son.