Chapter 12: The Grandfather I Never Knew
I stared at my mother.
“My grandfather is alive?””
She nodded.
“His name is Edward Jones.””
I had seen his photograph exactly twice in my life.
One was in Grandma's old family album.
The other was a faded picture in a box of Christmas decorations.
Mom had always told me he died when she was young.
Now I was discovering that he had simply disappeared.
“Where is he?””
Mom shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“Then why did you say he has been trying to contact me?””
She looked toward Thomas Reed.
“Because someone sent letters to the house over the years.””
Thomas frowned.
“Letters from whom?””
“Edward.””
I felt dizzy.
“How many?””
“Three, perhaps four.””
“Where are they?””
Mom lowered her eyes.
“I kept them.””
I stared at her.
“You kept letters from my grandfather and never told me?””
“I didn't know what to do.””
“You could have given them to me!””
Mom began crying again.
I turned away.
Daniel gently touched my left shoulder.
“Emily, let's get the letters first.””
We returned to Mom's house under the investigator's supervision.
She led us to a small storage room upstairs.
The room smelled of dust and old cardboard.
She moved several boxes before reaching a wooden cabinet.
Inside was a blue envelope.
Then another.
And another.
Three letters.
All addressed to me.
The first was dated six years earlier.
The second was dated four years earlier.
The third had been sent only eight months ago.
I opened the most recent one.
The handwriting was shaky but elegant.
My dear Emily,
You don't know me, and I cannot blame you for that.
Your grandmother told me about you. She said you were kind, stubborn in the best way, and always willing to give people another chance.
I have wanted to meet you for many years, but I stayed away because I believed my presence would put you in danger.
I stopped reading.
Daniel leaned closer.
I continued.
I know Michael Bennett has been involved in the family business. I also know he has never forgiven your grandmother for keeping the records.
If anything happens to her documents, please understand that the truth still exists elsewhere.
I have copies.
My hands began shaking.
The letter continued.
There is one person I do not trust. Richard Hale.
I looked at James.
He immediately took the letter.
“Richard?””
Mom nodded.
“He was the family solicitor.””
James examined the envelope.
“Did he deliver these?””
“No. They came through the post.””
Daniel frowned.
“Why didn't you give them to Emily?””
Mom looked at me.
“Because Richard told me Edward was unstable. He said your grandfather was trying to extort the family.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Did you believe him?””
Mom didn't answer.
That was becoming her answer to everything.
Thomas photographed the letters and arranged for them to be examined.
James contacted the trust administrator to verify the details.
Then Daniel received a call.
He stepped into the hallway.
A few minutes later, he returned.
“Michael has been arrested.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“The police located him at his office. They're questioning him about the vehicle, the financial records, and the forged documents.””
I exhaled.
“What about Ethan?””
“They found him.””
I sat down.
“Where?””
“He's agreed to cooperate.””
Thomas nodded.
“His statement may help establish who gave the instructions regarding the vehicle.””
I looked at the photograph of my grandfather.
“Can we find him?””
James examined the most recent letter.
“There may be a return address.””
He turned the envelope over.
A small town name was printed beneath the postage mark.
It was about three hours away.
Thomas looked at me.
“We'll need to verify the address before anyone travels there.””
I nodded.
For the first time in days, I felt something other than fear.
Hope.
The following morning, Daniel and I traveled with Thomas to the address.
Olivia wanted to come, but I asked her to stay behind.
My shoulder was improving slowly, although the pain remained.
During the drive, Daniel kept glancing at me.
“Are you nervous?””
“Terrified.””
“That's understandable.””
I looked out the window.
“What if he doesn't want to see me?””
Daniel shook his head.
“Then we'll respect that.””
“What if he knows something terrible?””
“Then we'll deal with it.””
I smiled faintly.
“You make everything sound simple.””
“It's not simple.””
He looked at me.
“But you don't have to face it alone.””
I turned back toward the window.
For the first time since the accident, I believed him.
The house stood at the end of a quiet country road.
It was small, with a green front door and a garden full of roses.
Thomas knocked.
No answer.
He knocked again.
A moment later, the door opened.
An elderly man stood in the doorway.
He had silver hair, deep-set eyes, and a walking stick.
His gaze moved from Thomas to Daniel.
Then it settled on me.
He went completely still.
“Emily?””
I couldn't speak.
He took one small step forward.
“Emily Jones?””
I nodded.
His eyes filled.
“Oh, Margaret's girl.””
My throat tightened.
“Are you Edward?””
He nodded slowly.
“Yes.””
For several seconds, neither of us moved.
Then he opened the door wider.
“Please come inside.””
The living room was modest but tidy.
Photographs covered one wall.
I recognized Grandma in several of them.
There was one of her holding me as a baby.
I had never seen it before.
I touched the frame.
“Where did you get this?””
“Your grandmother sent it to me.””
He smiled sadly.
“She said you had her eyes.””
I looked at him.
“Why didn't you ever come to see me?””
His smile disappeared.
He lowered himself into a chair.
“Because I was a coward.””
The honesty surprised me.
He continued.
“When I discovered what Michael was doing, I confronted him. I thought I could stop him.””
“What happened?””
“He threatened your grandmother. Then he threatened your mother.””
I frowned.
“Mom said you left.””
“I did. But not because I wanted to abandon my family.””
He looked down at his hands.
“Michael had information that could have implicated several people. He told me that if I stayed, he would make sure your grandmother lost everything.””
I sat opposite him.
“Did you know she was being threatened?””
“Yes.””
“Did you know about the trust?””
He nodded.
“I helped her create it.””
I felt my heartbeat quicken.
“You helped Grandma?””
“Yes. I insisted that the money be protected in separate shares. I wanted you and Vanessa to have something nobody could take away.””
He paused.
“Your grandmother was especially worried about you.””
“Why?””
Edward looked at me.
“Because Vanessa had been taking things from you since you were children.””
I stared at him.
He continued.
“Your grandmother saw how your mother handled the two of you. Vanessa was always forgiven. You were always expected to understand.””
I felt tears gather.
“She noticed?””
“Every bit of it.””
He leaned forward.
“She told me you once gave Vanessa your birthday present because she cried about not getting the same thing.””
I remembered.
I had been seven.
Vanessa had wanted the doll Grandma bought me.
Mom told me to share.
Grandma had watched from the doorway.
Edward smiled faintly.
“She said you never complained.””
I looked down.
“I complained sometimes.””
He shook his head.
“Not enough.””
Silence settled between us.
Then I asked the question I had been avoiding.
“Did you know Michael was involved in my accident?””
Edward's expression changed.
He slowly stood and walked toward a cabinet.
From a locked drawer, he removed a thick envelope.
“I suspected something was going to happen.””
My stomach dropped.
“What?””
He returned to his chair.
“Three weeks before your accident, I received a message from someone inside Michael's company.””
He handed me the envelope.
Inside was a printed email.
The sender was an employee named Ethan Cole.
The subject line read:
*THE GIRL WITH THE TRUST.*
I read the first paragraph.
Michael has asked us to monitor Emily Jones. He believes she has access to documents that could expose the financial transfers.
My fingers trembled.
The next paragraph was worse.
Vanessa has been informed that Emily needs to be persuaded to cooperate.
I looked up.
“Persuaded?””
Edward nodded.
“I didn't know what that meant.””
I continued reading.
If she refuses, Michael says the situation may need to become more serious.
I felt sick.
Daniel leaned forward.
“Did you report this?””
Edward nodded.
“I contacted the police at the time. But the message disappeared from the employee's account, and I had no proof beyond a printed copy.””
Thomas took the document.
“This is important.””
Edward looked at me.
“Emily, there's something else.””
He opened the envelope again.
At the bottom was a small photograph.
It showed Vanessa standing beside Michael.
They were outside a restaurant.
But it wasn't the engagement party photograph.
It was dated three weeks before my accident.
And Vanessa was holding a folder.
I stared at the image.
Edward's voice became quiet.
“She knew what Michael was planning.””
I swallowed.
“How can you be sure?””
He pointed to the back of the photograph.
There was a handwritten note.
Vanessa confirmed Emily's schedule. Friday. 8:30 p.m.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Friday.
The night of the accident.
Daniel stood abruptly.
“That's enough. We're taking this to the police.””
But Edward caught my hand.
“Wait.””
I looked at him.
He reached into his pocket and removed a small silver key.
“Your grandmother gave me this before she died. She said that if you ever came looking for the truth, I should give it to you.””
“What does it open?””
Edward's eyes filled with tears.
“Something Michael has been trying to find for nearly thirty years.””
He placed the key in my palm.
Then he spoke the words that changed everything.
“Emily, your grandmother didn't just leave you an inheritance.””
He paused.
“She left you ownership of the company Michael has been stealing from.””
I stared at him.
Daniel slowly sat down.
And suddenly, the two hundred and fifty thousand dollars Vanessa had been promised seemed very small.
Because my grandmother hadn't been protecting a little money in a trust.
May you like
She had been protecting an entire empire.
And Michael Bennett had been trying to steal it all along.
