Mrs. Bennett said gently:
“She may have.”
That hurt.
Because perhaps he had simply not heard.
Then Thomas added:
“There’s one final attachment.”
A maintenance request from Catherine.
REMOVE SEALANT / TEST EAST WING AIR.
Status:
CLOSED.
Reason:
OWNER DECLINED DURING RENOVATION FREEZE.
Nathan stared.
“I never declined this.”
Thomas looked uneasy.
“The system lists N. Coleman.”
Nathan.
Or another Coleman?
Nathan’s face changed.
“My father.”
His father’s name had been Nicholas Coleman.
Dead six years.
Thomas nodded slowly.
“Could be.”
The old estate software used first initial only.
Nathan whispered:
“My father hated maintenance disruptions.”
Mrs. Bennett closed her eyes.
“He may have closed it.”
So Catherine had noticed.
Michael had promised correction.
Nicholas may have blocked renovation disruption.
Then Catherine died.
The request disappeared into closed files.
Nobody connected it to the twins.
Years later, an air-freshening system was installed on top of the original problem.
Layer after layer.
