Chapter 17: The Friend Who Betrayed Karl
Martin's disappearance changed everything.
Inspector Brandt issued a request for information about his whereabouts and began examining his recent financial activity.
Anna advised us to stay away from him.
But Alexander was furious.
"He sat across from us and pretended to be helping.""
I understood his anger.
Martin had known Karl for decades.
He had been at our wedding anniversary dinners.
He had stood beside me at Karl's funeral.
And he had looked me in the eyes while pretending he had no idea why Ewald was targeting us.
That evening, Daniel called again.
He sounded exhausted.
"I need to tell you something about Martin.""
Alexander answered.
"What?""
"Martin contacted me three weeks ago.""
I sat upright.
"Why?""
"He wanted to know whether I still had the DK Solutions bank records.""
"Did you tell him?""
"No. I said I'd destroyed everything.""
Alexander looked at Anna.
"Why would Martin care about Daniel's records?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Because DK Solutions wasn't just receiving money from Ewald. It was also receiving money from a company connected to Martin.""
Anna opened her laptop.
"What company?""
"Northbridge Consulting.""
She searched the name.
The company was registered to a holding structure in Luxembourg.
Its directors were listed as two corporate representatives.
But the bank account details matched those on the documents from Karl's metal box.
Daniel continued.
"Martin told me that the money was a temporary loan repayment. He said Ewald had arranged it to settle an old obligation.""
Alexander's expression hardened.
"How much?""
"€176,000.""
The same amount.
I closed my eyes.
So Martin hadn't simply known about the money.
He had been receiving it.
"Daniel," I asked, "did you ever meet Martin in person?""
"Once. At Ewald's office.""
"What did he say?""
"He told me that Karl had left behind a problem that could destroy several people if the wrong documents surfaced.""
My heart began pounding.
"Did he mention the foundation?""
Daniel went quiet.
Then he said, "Yes.""
Anna leaned toward the phone.
"What exactly did he say?""
Daniel swallowed.
"He said the foundation was never supposed to exist.""
I stared at Alexander.
"What?""
Daniel explained that Martin believed Karl had used the foundation to preserve records of the missing money and protect the people who had lost their savings.
The foundation had become a legal obstacle.
It held documents that could expose the entire arrangement.
And someone had been trying to close it.
"Who?"" Alexander asked.
"Martin.""
I felt sick.
"Did he succeed?""
"Not completely. The account was closed, but the records were moved.""
"Where?""
Daniel hesitated.
"To a storage facility.""
Anna asked for the address.
Daniel gave it to her.
She immediately contacted Inspector Brandt.
Within an hour, the police had obtained authorization to inspect the storage unit.
We followed them there.
The facility was on the outskirts of the city, surrounded by a high fence and security cameras.
A manager led us to unit 38.
The door opened with a metallic groan.
Inside were several filing cabinets, cardboard boxes, and an old office chair.
Inspector Brandt instructed everyone to remain outside while the officers examined the contents.
After twenty minutes, one officer emerged holding a folder.
"Inspector, you need to see this.""
Inside the folder were dozens of letters from people who had lost money through the old company arrangements.
Some were retired workers.
Some were small business owners.
Others were widows who had invested their savings.
Each letter described a similar pattern.
They had been promised safe returns.
Their money had been transferred through several companies.
Then the payments stopped.
At the bottom of the folder was a list of recovered amounts.
Some had been repaid through the Karl Morgen Family Protection Fund.
Others had not.
I looked at the names.
One woman had lost €34,000.
Another had lost nearly €50,000.
Karl had been trying to help them.
I felt tears running down my face.
"He never told me," I whispered.
Alexander put his arm around me.
"He didn't want you carrying all of this.""
An officer found a second folder.
It contained internal emails.
One email was from Markus Vogel to Martin.
The subject line read:
*The Morgen Documents.*
The message was dated two weeks after Karl's death.
The widow has the original box. We need to recover it before the trust review begins.
I stared.
They had known I possessed the documents.
And they had been watching me.
Another email followed.
This one was from Martin to Vogel.
Do not approach Helga directly. Use the family connection. Bianca is already aware of the investment and can persuade Alexander to obtain the necessary signatures.
Alexander's face turned white.
"Bianca knew everything.""
The email continued.
If the property transfer succeeds, we can settle the remaining obligations and close the foundation permanently.
I felt a wave of nausea.
They had used my son's marriage as a weapon.
They had used his love for me.
And they had intended to sell my home to cover debts created by their own wrongdoing.
Inspector Brandt took the folder.
"This is substantial evidence. We'll need to verify the email records, but it gives us a clear direction.""
Then another officer called from the back of the unit.
"Inspector. There's something else.""
He held up a small envelope.
It had been hidden beneath a loose panel in one of the filing cabinets.
The envelope was addressed to Alexander.
His face changed.
He opened it.
Inside was a single sheet of paper.
It was a photocopy of a guarantee agreement dated 2018.
Alexander's name appeared at the bottom.
But beneath the signature was another name.
Martin Keller.
And beside it was a handwritten note.
Your father knew. Ask him why he allowed it.
Alexander looked at me.
"Did Dad know someone had used my name?""
I remembered the recording.
Martin had told Karl that Alexander was already connected to the company.
Karl had threatened to expose him.
But the letter suggested something more.
I turned the paper over.
On the back, Karl had written:
I did not allow it. I paid to stop it.
Alexander stared.
"What did he pay?""
Before I could answer, Inspector Brandt's phone rang.
He listened for a few seconds.
Then his expression darkened.
"Where?""
He ended the call.
"Mr. Keller has been located.""
"Where is he?"" I asked.
The inspector looked at us.
"At the airport.""
Alexander stood.
"Is he leaving the country?""
"His flight is scheduled to depart in forty minutes.""
Inspector Brandt turned toward the officers.
"Get there now.""
But before anyone could move, another message arrived on Alexander's phone.
It was from Bianca.
You still don't know the worst part.
A second message followed.
Your father paid Martin to keep you out of prison.
Alexander stared at the screen.
May you like
I felt the room fall silent.
Because for the first time, I wondered whether Karl had been protecting our son from a crime Alexander hadn't even known he was connected to.
