Chapter 14: The Man Behind the Affair
Rachel replayed the last thirty seconds.
"Daniel isn't the person we're protecting.""
The sentence echoed through my mind.
Who were they protecting?
Evelyn?
Patrick?
Someone else?
I looked at Rachel.
"Play the rest.""
She scrolled through the files.
"There are several recordings from that evening. We should preserve all of them before listening.""
She made copies through the appropriate forensic process and documented the phone's condition.
Then she opened the next audio file.
The recording began with footsteps and a door closing.
My father's voice sounded tired.
"Patrick, you promised me this would stop.""
Patrick laughed.
"I promised you a lot of things, Robert.""
"You used my daughter's name.""
"She was the easiest way to move the ownership.""
"She's my daughter.""
"And she's married to Daniel. That makes this a family matter.""
My hands curled into fists.
The recording continued.
My father said, "You forged her signature.""
Patrick replied, "The paperwork is already filed.""
Then Evelyn spoke.
"Stop arguing. We need to discuss the trust.""
My father's voice sharpened.
"You have no authority over it.""
Evelyn laughed.
"Not yet.""
There was a brief silence.
Then Patrick said, "The girl doesn't even know what she owns.""
I felt sick.
They had been talking about me.
Not as a person.
As an opportunity.
My father responded.
"She will know. I've arranged everything with Samuel.""
A chair scraped.
Then Evelyn spoke again.
"What about Tasha?""
Patrick answered.
"She knows too much.""
The recording ended.
I looked at Rachel.
"That was before my father died.""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"What happened afterward?""
Rachel opened another file.
The sound quality was worse.
There was shouting.
A crash.
Then a voice I recognized.
Daniel.
"Where is the phone?""
My heart stopped.
Rachel paused the recording.
"That's your husband.""
I nodded.
The next few seconds were difficult to hear.
Tasha's voice:
"I don't have it.""
Daniel:
"Don't lie to me.""
Tasha:
"Your father said I had to give it to Laura.""
Then Daniel said something that made my stomach turn.
"Laura doesn't need to know anything.""
The recording ended.
I stared at the screen.
Daniel had been there.
Not necessarily when my father collapsed.
But soon afterward.
He had known about the phone.
He had known what my father wanted.
And he had spent years hiding the evidence.
Rachel rubbed her forehead.
"We need to give this to the investigators. We cannot determine the full meaning of these recordings ourselves.""
I nodded.
"Can we prove Daniel knew about the fraud?""
"The recordings strongly suggest he knew about the scheme. But the original files need forensic authentication.""
My phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
"Hello?""
"Laura, this is Michael Grant.""
My attorney sounded unusually serious.
"I've just received a call from the county clerk. Daniel's attorney has filed an emergency motion.""
"What kind of motion?""
"He's asking the court to freeze your access to the business accounts and suspend your authority as controlling owner.""
I looked at Rachel.
"Can he do that?""
"He can request it. But we have evidence challenging the documents he's relying on.""
Michael continued.
"There's another problem. He has submitted a declaration from Evelyn claiming that your father intended Daniel to inherit the company.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"My father wrote that he didn't.""
"I know. But we need the original trust and corporate records in court.""
"How soon?""
"The hearing is scheduled for tomorrow morning.""
Tomorrow.
I looked at the clock.
It was already late afternoon.
Michael told me to bring every original document to his office.
Then he added something else.
"Laura, there's a possibility Daniel will attempt to contact the bank before the hearing. We've requested emergency restrictions, but you should not communicate with him directly.""
I thanked him and ended the call.
Rachel began organizing the files.
Meanwhile, Maya was sitting in the living room with Jordan.
They were watching an animated movie.
I walked over and sat beside them.
"How are you feeling?""
Maya leaned against me.
"Can Jordan stay tonight?""
I looked at him.
"Would you like that, Jordan?""
He nodded.
"Please.""
"Then we'll arrange it.""
Maya returned her attention to the television.
Jordan, however, looked troubled.
"Laura?""
"Yes?""
"Can I ask something?""
"Of course.""
"Do you think my mom is a bad person?""
I looked at him.
It was one of the hardest questions anyone had asked me.
I didn't want to lie.
But I didn't want to make him feel that loving his mother was wrong.
"I think your mother has made some very serious choices," I said.
"Some of those choices have hurt people. She needs to take responsibility for them.""
Jordan stared at the television.
"She used to be nice.""
"I'm sure there are things about her that you love.""
He nodded.
"She used to make pancakes every Sunday.""
I smiled sadly.
"Then I hope she remembers how to be that person again.""
He leaned back.
A few minutes later, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
*Laura, this is Patrick. We need to meet. Alone.*
I showed Rachel.
She shook her head.
"Absolutely not.""
Another message arrived.
*Your father made a terrible mistake trusting Samuel.*
Then a third.
*If you want the truth about his death, come to the old property office tomorrow at six. Bring the original trust papers.*
Rachel took my phone.
"He's trying to manipulate you.""
"I know.""
"Do not respond.""
But the next message changed everything.
Patrick had attached a photograph.
It showed my father sitting in a hospital bed.
He looked pale, but conscious.
The photograph was dated four years ago.
Three hours after the time the hospital records said he had become unresponsive.
Beneath it, Patrick had written:
*Your father was alive when I left him. Ask Samuel why he never told you.*
I stared at the photograph.
My father was wearing the same brown jacket I remembered from the day I last saw him.
His eyes were open.
His hand was raised slightly toward the camera.
I felt tears running down my face.
"Rachel?""
She looked at the photograph.
Her expression became unreadable.
"Don't assume it's genuine," she said quietly.
"We need to verify it.""
I nodded.
But I couldn't look away.
My father had been alive.
At least, according to this photograph.
And if Patrick was telling the truth, someone had hidden something from me about the final hours of his life.
I called Samuel Reed.
He answered after one ring.
"Laura?""
I didn't waste time.
"Did you know my father was still alive when Patrick left him?""
Silence.
Then Samuel exhaled.
"Who told you that?""
"Answer me.""
His voice became strained.
"Laura, I need you to come to my office.""
"Why?""
"Because there is something in your father's original medical file that I was instructed never to disclose.""
My heart pounded.
"What is it?""
Samuel spoke slowly.
"Your father didn't die from the medical emergency listed on his death certificate.""
I gripped the phone.
"What?""
"He was transferred to another hospital under a different name.""
The room seemed to spin.
"Why?""
Samuel paused.
May you like
Then he said:
"Because your father was afraid someone was going to kill him.""
