Chapter 17: The Man Who Never Stopped Searching
Thomas Whitaker didn't answer his phone.
Daniel tried three times.
Then he called the number Thomas had given us at the hospital.
It went straight to voicemail.
I felt the fear rising again.
"He's alone," I said.
Nathan took my hand.
"We don't know that anything has happened.""
"But Richard paid someone to locate him.""
Daniel was already checking the information Ethan had found.
"The transfer went through a private investigation firm. The company is registered in Delaware, but the payment account is connected to an address in Connecticut.""
"Can you find Thomas?""
"I'm trying.""
Olivia sat beside Ethan's hospital bed while he rested.
He had told us what he remembered.
Richard had visited him several times during the previous month, insisting that his sisters were attempting to steal an inheritance that rightfully belonged to him.
Ethan had initially believed him.
Then he found the photographs.
The hospital records.
And an old letter from Margaret.
That was why he had agreed to meet Richard at the club.
He wanted answers.
Instead, someone had attacked him.
At 11:18 p.m., Daniel received a call.
He listened, then looked at Nathan.
"We have Thomas's last known location.""
"Where?""
"An office building in Stamford. He was supposed to meet someone there this afternoon.""
I stood.
"Then let's go.""
Nathan shook his head.
"Emma, the police need to handle this.""
"I am not sitting in another waiting room while Richard destroys another person I love.""
He looked at me for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"We go with the police.""
The drive seemed endless.
Rain streaked across the windshield as we followed the patrol car through the city.
When we reached the building, the lobby was dark.
A security guard approached the officers.
He recognized Thomas's photograph.
"Mr. Whitaker was here," he said.
"He left about two hours ago.""
"With anyone?""
The guard hesitated.
"Two men. They said they were taking him to meet a lawyer.""
Daniel showed him the photograph of Richard.
The guard nodded.
"One of them looked like him.""
My stomach dropped.
"Where did they take him?""
The guard checked the visitor log.
There was an address.
A warehouse on the outskirts of Stamford.
The police moved immediately.
When we arrived, the warehouse doors were open.
One officer raised a hand, ordering us to remain behind the vehicles.
Then we heard a voice.
"Emma?""
I knew it instantly.
Thomas.
He was standing near the back entrance, one hand pressed against his forehead.
A man in a dark jacket was running toward the opposite side of the building.
The officers pursued him.
I ran to Thomas.
"Are you hurt?""
He looked at me as if he couldn't believe I was there.
"I'm all right.""
His shirt was torn.
There was blood near his hairline.
I touched his arm.
"What happened?""
He glanced toward Nathan.
Then Daniel.
"Richard sent someone to meet me. They told me they had information about Margaret's estate.""
He took a shaky breath.
"I thought it might help you.""
I felt tears rise.
"You came alone?""
"I didn't want to frighten you.""
I shook my head.
"You should have called.""
He looked at me.
"I've spent twenty-seven years trying not to make things harder for you.""
I stepped closer.
"You don't have to do that anymore.""
For the first time, Thomas reached for me without hesitation.
He pulled me into a careful embrace.
I held on.
He smelled faintly of rain and cedarwood.
I had spent my entire life wondering what my father might have been like.
Now I was standing in front of him.
And he was trembling.
"I'm sorry," he whispered.
I pulled back.
"Why?""
"For every birthday I missed. Every first day of school. Every time you needed someone and I wasn't there.""
I shook my head.
"You didn't know where I was.""
"I should have found you.""
"No.""
I placed my hand against his cheek.
"You were kept away.""
His eyes filled.
A police officer approached.
"We found the vehicle. The registration traces back to a company connected to Richard Hale.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Was anyone arrested?""
"One suspect escaped. We recovered a phone and several documents.""
Thomas looked toward the warehouse.
"There's something I need to tell you.""
I turned back.
"What?""
He reached into his jacket and removed a small envelope.
"Margaret gave me this shortly before she died.""
I recognized her handwriting.
"Why didn't you give it to me?""
"She told me to wait until you were ready to know the truth.""
I opened it.
Inside was a letter.
Thomas,
I have failed to protect these children from the people who should have loved them.
Richard has spent years using the Whitaker name to frighten me into silence. He knows something about William's final arrangements that could destroy him if it ever became public.
I believe he has a copy of the original family agreement.
If he uses it, he may attempt to claim that Emma, Olivia, and the boy were never entitled to anything.
I read the final paragraph.
There is one person who can prove what William intended.
I looked at Thomas.
"Who?""
He swallowed.
"William's attorney. A man named Arthur Pembroke.""
Daniel immediately searched the name.
"Is he still alive?""
Thomas nodded.
"He retired years ago. But he kept the original documents.""
"Where?""
Thomas looked toward the road.
"In a private archive in Boston.""
Olivia's voice came from behind us.
"Then we need to find him.""
Thomas turned.
For the first time, he saw both his daughters standing together.
His face crumpled.
He reached for Olivia.
She stepped into his arms.
I watched them hold each other.
It was a moment I had never imagined.
Three people who had been separated by money, lies, and fear were finally standing together.
Then Thomas looked at me.
"There's something else.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What?""
He glanced at Daniel.
"Arthur told me once that William didn't just leave an inheritance for the children.""
"What did he leave?""
Thomas took a breath.
"Control of the family foundation.""
Daniel frowned.
"Who currently controls it?""
Thomas looked at me.
"Richard.""
I stared.
"How?""
"William appointed him temporary administrator under an agreement that expired when the youngest child turned thirty.""
Olivia went still.
"Our birthday is next month.""
Thomas nodded.
"All three of you turn thirty on September first.""
Daniel checked the calendar.
"That's less than two weeks away.""
Thomas's voice dropped.
"If Richard still controls the foundation when that deadline arrives, he can transfer its assets before the beneficiaries take control.""
Nathan looked at Daniel.
"How much?""
Thomas answered.
"Approximately forty million dollars.""
I felt the ground shift beneath me.
Richard hadn't spent thirty years hiding us simply to steal a few million from Grandma's trust.
He had been waiting for a much larger inheritance.
And our thirtieth birthday was the deadline.
Daniel's phone rang.
He answered.
After a few seconds, his expression changed.
"Where?""
He listened.
Then he looked at me.
"Arthur Pembroke has been found.""
I exhaled.
"Where is he?""
Daniel hesitated.
"His house was broken into tonight.""
"Is he alive?""
"He is.""
"Then we can talk to him.""
Daniel shook his head.
"He has been taken to hospital.""
My stomach tightened.
"By whom?""
May you like
Daniel looked at the message again.
"Before the intruders left, they took his archive key.""
