Chapter 6 - CELESTE’S OTHER PROBLEM
The family trust gave us the second motive.
Not the central secret.
Not yet.
It was called the Sutton Descendant Support Trust.
Created by Stellan’s late father, Malcolm.
Funded with family real-estate interests and investment assets.
Purpose:
Support descendants raising children without giving any one family member direct control over large sums.
Each child-bearing household could qualify for:
Education reserve.
Medical support.
Childcare reimbursement.
Housing assistance.
Limited annual family support distributions.
Camille’s household branch existed but remained inactive because she had no child.
If she lawfully adopted one, it could activate.
Potential housing support:
Up to $1.4 million toward an approved family residence.
Education reserve:
Approximately $900,000 over time.
Annual support:
Variable, not guaranteed.
Was that enough to explain stealing a baby?
No.
Camille was wealthy already.
Successful event designer.
Owned a condominium.
Investment account.
Money helped.
Did not explain obsession.
Then one separate clause surfaced.
The Sutton family residence.
Celeste lived in a large historic house owned by a residence trust.
Upon her death, occupancy preference went first to a descendant household raising a minor child.
If Camille remained childless and Stellan had the only child, Stellan’s household received first preference.
Meaning me.
Celeste hated that.
I remembered an argument last year.
She said:
“Arden will repaint Malcolm’s library beige over my dead body.”
I laughed then.
Apparently she had been reading occupancy clauses.
Would Camille adopting our daughter move preference to Camille’s household?
Potentially, depending on timing and trustee discretion.
Not automatic.
Still.
Another incentive.
Control over where family continuity lived.
Stellan said:
“This is insane.”
I looked at him.
“Money or house?”
“All of it.”
“Your mother doesn’t think so.”
He rubbed his face.
“She always treated the house like hers.”
“It isn’t?”
“Residence trust.”
There it was again.
Temporary use mistaken for ownership.
Naomi warned us not to decide motive too early.
“People can have five reasons and still act mainly from one.”
Correct.
Camille’s infertility.
Celeste’s favoritism.
Trust support.
Residence preference.
Control.
Legacy.
All seeds.
No central answer yet.
Then Detective Ellis received a message extracted from Camille’s phone.
CAMILLE:
What if Arden never agrees?
CELESTE:
She will after the baby is here.
CAMILLE:
How?
CELESTE:
You underestimate exhaustion.
I stopped reading.
That was the strategy.
Wait until labor.
Pain.
Sleep deprivation.
Then pressure.
Another:
CAMILLE:
I don’t want her saying later we stole the baby.
CELESTE:
Then we make the paperwork clean.
Not:
We get consent.
We make paperwork clean.
I looked at Naomi.
“Can they actually take a baby in a hospital with this?”
“No.”
“Then why am I still scared?”
May you like
“Because law and fear operate at different speeds.”
Exactly.
