Chapter 12: The Best Man's Betrayal
Detective Bennett dragged me behind the wheelchair.
Another gunshot struck the metal storage door.
My father fell sideways, clutching his chest.
"Dad!""
"Stay down!""
Bennett drew her weapon.
"Police! Drop your weapon!""
A shadow moved past the doorway.
One of the officers shouted.
"Suspect moving east!""
Then came the sound of running footsteps.
Bennett turned toward me.
"Are you hit?""
I shook my head.
"My father!""
She checked him quickly.
"He's alive. We need medical assistance.""
I pressed a hand against his shoulder.
"Stay with me, Dad.""
He struggled to breathe.
"Michael...""
"Don't talk.""
He grabbed my wrist.
"Daniel...""
"I know.""
"No. You don't.""
His eyes widened.
"He's not working for Richard because of the money.""
I frowned.
"Then why?""
My father tried to continue, but the paramedics arrived.
They rushed him onto a stretcher.
Detective Bennett ordered two officers to escort him to the hospital.
Then she turned toward me.
"Do you have Daniel's current location?""
I nodded.
"He's at the hotel. Or he was.""
"Call him.""
I pulled out my phone.
The first call went unanswered.
The second went straight to voicemail.
Then I opened our message history.
The last message he had sent was from earlier that evening.
Brother, whatever happens, remember I love you.
I stared at it.
Something about the timing felt wrong.
I called again.
This time, he answered.
"Michael?""
His voice sounded normal.
Almost too normal.
"Where are you?""
"At the hotel. What's going on?""
"Someone tried to shoot my father.""
Silence.
Then Daniel said, "What father?""
I closed my eyes.
"Don't do that.""
"Michael, I don't know what you're talking about.""
"My father is alive.""
Another silence.
Then Daniel exhaled.
"Listen to me. You need to leave wherever you are.""
"Why?""
"Because Richard knows.""
"Knows what?""
"That your father is alive.""
I gripped the phone.
"How?""
Daniel didn't answer.
I asked again.
"How does Richard know?""
He finally spoke.
"Because I told him.""
My blood went cold.
I looked at Detective Bennett.
She immediately signaled an officer to begin tracing the call.
"Why, Daniel?""
"Michael, I didn't have a choice.""
"You had twenty years of choices.""
"I was trying to protect you.""
"By helping Richard steal from my family?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain.""
He took a breath.
"Your father wasn't the only one who got hurt in that accident.""
I frowned.
"What are you talking about?""
"Richard's son was in the second car.""
I went completely still.
"Richard had a son?""
"Yes.""
"Who?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"Me.""
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
The man who had been my best friend since college was Richard Whitmore's biological son.
I felt sick.
"You're his son?""
"Yes.""
"Then why did you pretend to be my friend?""
"I didn't pretend.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You lied about everything.""
"Not everything, Michael.""
"Did you know about my father's trust?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know about Nia?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know about the wedding documents?""
Daniel went quiet.
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you help forge them?""
He didn't answer.
That was enough.
I lowered my voice.
"Why?""
"Because Richard promised me something.""
"What?""
"That he'd tell me who my mother was.""
I frowned.
"What?""
Daniel sounded close to tears.
"Richard told me my mother died when I was a baby. I grew up believing that. But a few months ago, I discovered the adoption records.""
My stomach tightened.
"Who was your mother?""
He whispered, "Evelyn.""
I couldn't breathe.
I looked at the hospital corridor.
At the photograph of my father.
At the letters my mother had hidden.
Daniel continued.
"Your mother gave birth to me before she met your father. Richard raised me. He told me she had abandoned me.""
I sank into a chair.
My mother had three children.
Grace.
Daniel.
And me.
But Daniel was also Richard's biological son.
The family tree was becoming a nightmare.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know how to explain it.""
"You could have started with the truth.""
"I was afraid you'd hate me.""
I stared at the floor.
"Do you know where my mother is?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Yes.""
My heart jumped.
"Where?""
"She's with Richard.""
"Is she alive?""
"Yes.""
"Then tell me where!""
"I can take you to her.""
Detective Bennett shook her head.
I ignored her.
"Where?""
"At the Whitmore estate.""
I looked at the detective.
She immediately wrote something down.
"Daniel, listen carefully. If you hurt my mother—"
"I won't.""
"How do I know?""
His voice broke.
"Because she's my mother too.""
I ended the call.
Detective Bennett looked at me.
"He's trying to lure you somewhere.""
"I know.""
"We'll handle it.""
I shook my head.
"He knows where she is.""
"We'll get her.""
Then an officer rushed into the corridor.
"Detective, we have a problem.""
Bennett turned.
"What?""
"Mr. Carter's hospital room was accessed using a staff badge. Someone removed his medical records.""
"Who?""
The officer showed her a security image.
A man wearing a hospital uniform was walking through the corridor.
The image was blurry.
But I recognized the face.
Daniel.
He had never been at the hotel.
He had been following us.
Detective Bennett immediately called the hospital.
"Lock down the building. Nobody leaves.""
But it was too late.
My phone rang again.
Daniel.
I answered.
"Where's my father?""
His voice was calm now.
"He's safe.""
"Where?""
"Somewhere Richard can't reach him.""
"Then why did someone try to shoot him?""
Daniel sighed.
"Because Richard wants the original recording.""
I looked toward the evidence bag containing my father's cassette.
"He's not getting it.""
"Michael, you don't understand. The recording contains the names of everyone involved.""
"Good.""
"No. Not good.""
Daniel's voice became colder.
"It includes your mother.""
I stared at the phone.
"What did she do?""
"She wasn't just hiding your father. She helped Richard create the trust.""
"She told me that.""
"No, Michael. She helped him create it before your father died.""
I gripped the phone.
"Why?""
Daniel took a breath.
"Because your father was planning to expose the entire operation. Your mother knew he was going to destroy everything.""
I shook my head.
"You're lying.""
"Ask her about the night she signed the original documents.""
"Where is she?""
Daniel ignored the question.
"There's something else. Richard doesn't want the money anymore.""
"Then what does he want?""
Daniel paused.
"Control of the trust.""
"Why?""
"Because the money isn't the real secret.""
My stomach tightened.
"What is?""
Daniel's voice dropped to a whisper.
"The people who own it.""
I looked at Detective Bennett.
She was listening through the phone's speaker.
Daniel continued.
"Your father didn't steal twelve million dollars. He was holding more than eighty million in assets for hundreds of families. If the trust is dissolved, every one of those families loses everything.""
I swallowed.
"Where are the original records?""
"Your mother knows.""
"And Nia?""
"She knows where the final key is.""
I stared at the floor.
Then Daniel said something I wasn't prepared for.
"Michael, Richard has already signed the transfer papers. The wedding was only the first step.""
"What transfer papers?""
"Your marriage gave Nia authority over the trust. But the final transfer requires your signature.""
I remembered the documents I had signed that morning.
My blood ran cold.
"What did I sign?""
Daniel went silent.
Then he whispered:
"Your death certificate.""
I froze.
"What?""
"Not literally. A legal declaration stating you're missing and presumed incapacitated if you fail to appear for the final trust verification.""
Detective Bennett grabbed the phone.
"Daniel Whitmore, this is Detective Laura Bennett. Your call is being traced. Tell me your location.""
Daniel laughed.
"You're too late, Detective.""
A loud mechanical sound came through the phone.
Then a door slammed.
Daniel spoke one last time.
"Michael, I need you to listen. Richard plans to announce that you're dead tomorrow morning.""
The call disconnected.
I stared at the screen.
My father was in a hospital.
My mother was being held at the Whitmore estate.
My wife had disappeared.
And my best friend was Richard Whitmore's son.
Detective Bennett placed a hand on my shoulder.
"We're going to get them.""
I looked at her.
"Not just them.""
I picked up the evidence folder.
"We're going to get every document, every account, and every person who helped him.""
She nodded.
Then her phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed almost immediately.
"What do you mean the trust was already transferred?""
She listened.
Then slowly lowered the phone.
I stood.
"What happened?""
Bennett looked directly at me.
"Someone used your electronic signature thirty minutes ago.""
"Where?""
"At the county registrar's office.""
"What did they transfer?""
She hesitated.
Then she gave me the answer.
"Your entire legal identity, your inheritance, and control of the Carter Family Trust.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"To whom?""
Detective Bennett looked at the document on her screen.
The new beneficiary was listed as:
*NIA CARTER-WHITMORE.*
And beneath her name was a second signature.
My father's.
The same man who was supposed to have been dead for twenty-three years had apparently just authorized the transfer.
I stared at the screen.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from Nia.
I'm sorry, Michael. I tried to warn you.
A second message appeared.
Your father isn't the man you think he is.
And the third message contained a photograph.
My father was standing beside Richard Whitmore.
May you like
Both men were smiling.
The date on the photograph was yesterday.
