Chapter 17: My Mother's Last Lie
The ambulance took Arthur away.
He survived the shooting, but the bullet had damaged his shoulder, and the doctors said he would need surgery.
The police found the shooter outside the facility.
He was a former security contractor who had worked for Bennett Construction.
He refused to answer questions.
Detective Harris took the flash drive into evidence.
Evelyn and I waited at the hospital until Arthur was stable.
When he finally opened his eyes, he asked for me.
I entered his room alone.
He looked exhausted.
"Marcus.""
"Don't talk too much.""
He gave a faint smile.
"Your father used to say the same thing.""
I pulled a chair beside his bed.
"You said my mother ordered Rachel's accident.""
Arthur closed his eyes.
"I said she ordered the pursuit.""
"What's the difference?""
"Your mother didn't want Rachel dead. She wanted the documents.""
I stared at him.
"Why?""
"Because Daniel convinced her that Rachel was going to destroy the family.""
I felt sick.
"She knew about the stolen money?""
"She knew some of it. Not all.""
"Why would she help Daniel?""
Arthur looked toward the window.
"Because Daniel told her your father had promised him control of the company. He said Rachel had stolen his inheritance.""
I leaned forward.
"That's not true.""
"No. But Margaret believed him.""
I stood.
"She signed a false statement about Rachel. She hid what happened after the accident. She helped Daniel with the guardianship petition.""
Arthur's eyes filled.
"Your mother was frightened of losing both her sons.""
"She helped one of them destroy the other.""
He didn't answer.
I took a breath.
"Who ordered the pursuit?""
Arthur looked directly at me.
"Margaret.""
The room seemed to tilt.
I gripped the back of the chair.
"Did she know Daniel had tampered with Rachel's car?""
Arthur hesitated.
"I don't think so.""
"Did she know Tara was involved?""
"Yes.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why?""
"Because Tara told her Daniel only wanted the documents. Margaret thought she could stop everything before it went too far.""
I stared at him.
"And when Rachel died?""
"She realized what she'd helped set in motion.""
I left the hospital without saying goodbye.
Evelyn was waiting in the corridor.
"Where are you going?""
"To see my mother.""
"Marcus, let the police handle this.""
"I need to hear it from her.""
Evelyn caught my arm.
"Don't let anger make you do something you'll regret.""
I looked at her.
"I spent two years believing I failed my wife. I deserve to know who made that happen.""
She released my arm.
"I'll come with you.""
We drove to Margaret's house.
She opened the door before we knocked.
Her face changed when she saw us.
"Marcus.""
I walked inside.
"Did you order Daniel to follow Rachel?""
She sat down immediately.
Evelyn remained near the doorway.
My mother stared at the floor.
"Arthur told you.""
"Answer me.""
She pressed her hands together.
"Daniel said Rachel had taken something that belonged to your father. He said she was going to give it to the lawyers and destroy the company.""
"She was protecting Lily.""
"I know that now.""
"Did you know Daniel was following her?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know Tara gave him the keys?""
Margaret nodded.
I felt my throat tighten.
"Did you know he had tampered with the car?""
She looked up sharply.
"No.""
"Did you know Rachel was alive after the crash?""
My mother began crying.
"I didn't know that until later.""
I stepped closer.
"Then why didn't you call the police?""
"Because Daniel told me he had already called for help.""
"That's a lie.""
"I know.""
I stared at her.
"You knew he was lying?""
She covered her face.
"I was afraid.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Everyone was afraid. Rachel was afraid. Lily was left without a mother. And I was left believing I couldn't protect the people I loved.""
My mother reached for me.
I stepped away.
"Don't.""
She lowered her hand.
"I thought I was protecting you.""
"From what?""
"From Daniel. From the company. From everything your father had left behind.""
I looked at her.
"You protected Daniel.""
She nodded.
Then she whispered:
"There was something else.""
I waited.
"After Rachel's accident, Daniel came to me. He had the recorder and the documents. He said Rachel had been planning to expose all of us.""
"All of us?""
"He said you had signed the transfers. He showed me your signature.""
"I never signed them.""
"I know that now.""
I stared at her.
"Did you believe him?""
She nodded.
"Then why did you help him take Lily?""
My mother began sobbing.
"Because Daniel said if Lily stayed with you, she'd eventually discover everything. He said the court would protect her if she lived with him.""
I felt disgusted.
"He wanted control of her trust.""
"I know.""
"And you helped him.""
"I thought I was preventing something worse.""
I looked at Evelyn.
She had gone pale.
"Margaret," she said quietly, "did Daniel ever ask you to sign a second document?""
My mother froze.
"What document?""
"Anything relating to Rachel's estate, Lily's trust, or the company.""
Margaret stood and walked to a cabinet.
She opened a locked drawer and removed a thick envelope.
"I kept this because I didn't know what to do with it.""
Evelyn took the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten statement.
It claimed that Marcus had been aware of Daniel's financial activities and had personally authorized the transfers.
At the bottom was my mother's signature.
And beneath it was another signature.
Tara's.
I looked at the date.
It had been signed two days after Rachel's funeral.
"Why did you keep this?""
My mother whispered:
"Because Daniel told me that if I ever tried to tell the truth, he'd release it.""
Evelyn examined the paper.
"Did you write this statement?""
"No.""
"Did you sign it willingly?""
Margaret shook her head.
"He threatened to tell the police I had helped him steal the money.""
I looked at the document.
Daniel had been building a false story around me from the beginning.
Every lie had another lie beneath it.
Then Evelyn noticed something.
"Marcus.""
She pointed to a paragraph near the bottom.
It said that I had been present at a private meeting with Daniel on the night before Rachel's accident.
I stared at it.
"I wasn't.""
My mother looked confused.
"Daniel said you were.""
"Where?""
"At the old construction office.""
I shook my head.
"I was home with Lily.""
My mother slowly sat down.
Then she said something that made my blood run cold.
"Marcus, Daniel didn't just tell me you were there.""
She looked at Evelyn.
"He showed me a photograph.""
"What photograph?""
My mother swallowed.
"A picture of you standing beside Rachel's car.""
I felt the room go silent.
"That's impossible.""
She shook her head.
"He said it proved you knew what was going to happen.""
I looked at Evelyn.
She took out her phone.
"Detective Harris needs to see this.""
But before she could make the call, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
There was an attachment.
I opened it.
A photograph appeared.
It showed me standing beside Rachel's car.
The date printed beneath it was the night before her accident.
I stared at the image.
It looked real.
My mother began crying again.
"Marcus, I thought you were involved.""
I couldn't speak.
Then another message arrived.
*Ask your daughter what she saw that night.*
I looked at the screen.
Lily.
The message was about Lily.
I immediately called Margaret.
She answered from across the room.
I hadn't realized I'd already dialed her number.
"Marcus?""
I stared at the photograph.
"Where was Lily that night?""
My mother went completely still.
Then she whispered:
"She was in the house.""
I closed my eyes.
"Did she see me leave?""
My mother didn't answer.
And in that silence, I understood something terrible.
May you like
Someone had been watching my family long before Rachel died.
And they had made sure my daughter remembered something I had forgotten.
