Chapter 8: What Emily Signed
The old records warehouse stood behind an abandoned furniture factory.
Its windows were boarded up, and weeds had grown through cracks in the parking lot.
A faded sign above the entrance read:
RIVERSIDE HOLDINGS — RECORDS STORAGE.
Thomas parked two streets away.
Mack looked at Nancy.
“You're not going in alone.””
“They specifically asked me to.””
“That's exactly why you're not going alone.””
Nancy held the notebook against her chest.
“That's my daughter in that photograph.””
Mack softened.
“I know.””
Thomas checked his phone.
“I've contacted two people I trust. They'll stay outside until we know what's happening.””
Nancy shook her head.
“I don't want anyone getting hurt.””
Mack opened his motorcycle compartment and removed a small flashlight.
“Then let's try to keep everyone alive.””
They approached the warehouse.
The side door was unlocked.
Inside, rows of metal shelves stretched into darkness.
Boxes covered the floor.
The air smelled of dust, damp cardboard, and old paper.
“Emily?”” Nancy called.
Her voice echoed.
A light flickered on near the back.
Emily stood beside a metal desk.
Her eyes were red.
Her hands were shaking.
“Mom.””
Nancy hurried toward her.
“Oh, sweetheart.””
Emily stepped backward.
“Don't come closer.””
Nancy stopped.
“What's happening?””
Emily looked at Mack.
“You brought him?””
“He's helping me find out what happened to your father.””
Emily shook her head.
“You don't understand.””
“Then explain it.””
Emily looked toward the office.
A man stepped out.
He was in his early sixties, wearing a tailored gray suit and carrying a leather folder.
Nancy recognized him from the photograph.
Richard Cole.
He smiled politely.
“Mrs. Miller. We've finally met.””
Nancy stepped in front of Emily.
“Where is my daughter's car?””
Richard ignored the question.
“Your husband was a difficult man.””
“He was a good man.””
“He was stubborn. He interfered in matters that didn't concern him.””
“He was trying to help people.””
Richard gave a small laugh.
“That's what he told himself.””
Mack moved beside Nancy.
“Where's the Ford?””
Richard looked at him.
“Still asking about that old truck?””
“Answer the question.””
Richard opened his folder.
“Let's discuss something more interesting.””
He removed a document.
It was a property transfer agreement.
Nancy recognized the address.
Their old house.
The house where she and Walter had raised Emily.
The house they had sold after Walter died because Nancy could no longer afford the mortgage.
She stared at the signature.
“What's this?””
Richard smiled.
“Your husband agreed to transfer the property to Riverside Holdings.””
“No, he didn't.””
“His signature says otherwise.””
Nancy examined the page.
The signature looked almost identical to Walter's.
Almost.
But she knew her husband's handwriting better than anyone.
The final letter in his surname was wrong.
“He didn't sign this.””
Richard shrugged.
“That's a difficult thing to prove after six years.””
Nancy looked at Emily.
“Did you sign something?””
Emily began crying.
“Mom, I'm sorry.””
Nancy's heart dropped.
“What did you do?””
Emily covered her face.
Richard answered for her.
“Your daughter helped us establish ownership of several properties. She was paid for her cooperation.””
Nancy slowly turned.
“How much?””
Emily whispered, “Thirty thousand dollars.””
The words seemed to drain the air from the room.
“Thirty thousand dollars?””
“I needed the money.””
“For what?””
Emily wiped her cheeks.
“My husband had debts. We were about to lose our house. I thought I could pay everything back.””
Nancy stared at her.
“So you helped these people steal from families?””
“I didn't know what they were doing at first!””
Richard interrupted.
“Your daughter was fully aware of the agreements she signed.””
Emily looked at him.
“Shut up.””
Richard's smile disappeared.
Emily turned toward Nancy.
“Dad found out. He discovered that I had signed documents using information from his old files.””
Nancy shook her head.
“What did he say?””
“He told me to go to the police.””
“And you didn't?””
Emily began sobbing.
“I couldn't. Richard said they would expose me. They had copies of everything.””
Mack stepped forward.
“Why was Emily's number on the accident report?””
Richard looked at him.
“Because she was the last person who spoke with Walter.””
Nancy's eyes widened.
“You were there that night?””
Richard said nothing.
Emily stepped toward her mother.
“Mom, I didn't know they were going to hurt him.””
Nancy looked at her daughter.
“Did you know your father was going to mile marker 214?””
Emily nodded.
“He told me he was meeting someone. I thought he was going to give them the documents.””
“Who?””
Emily looked toward Richard.
He moved his hand inside his jacket.
Mack immediately stepped between him and Nancy.
“Keep your hands where I can see them.””
Richard stopped.
Then he smiled.
“You really think you can walk out of here with those papers?””
Thomas appeared at the entrance.
“Actually, I think we can.””
Two investigators entered behind him.
Richard's expression changed.
Thomas held up his badge.
“Richard Cole, we need to talk about some property transfers.””
Richard laughed.
“On what evidence?””
Thomas raised the flash drive.
“Would you like to start with the recordings?””
Richard looked at Emily.
Then at Nancy.
And for the first time, he seemed genuinely worried.
But he wasn't finished.
He turned toward the shelves and shouted:
“Bring him out!””
A door opened behind the office.
Two men dragged an elderly man into the room.
He was thin, unshaven, and walked with a noticeable limp.
Nancy gasped.
The man looked directly at her.
His eyes filled with tears.
“Mrs. Miller,” he whispered.
Mack dropped his gaze.
Thomas went completely still.
Because the man standing before them was Daniel Reeves.
The missing investigator.
The man everyone had believed had disappeared.
May you like
And Daniel had one sentence for Nancy.
“Your husband is the reason I'm still alive.””
