Chapter 10: The Sister Who Knew Everything
I didn't recognize my own breathing.
It sounded shallow, uneven, almost frightened.
For forty years, my sister Evelyn had been the person I called when life became unbearable.
When Thomas and I lost our first baby, Evelyn slept beside me for three nights.
When Daniel was born, she knitted his first blanket.
When Thomas was diagnosed with heart disease, she sat in the hospital waiting room holding my hand.
And now her voice was coming through a police laptop, threatening my dying husband.
"Thomas, if you don't sign those papers tonight, I'll make sure Margaret never finds out what really happened to Michael.""
Detective Harris paused the recording.
"Mrs. Hayes, do you recognize the voice?""
I stared at the screen.
"That's my sister.""
Daniel looked at me.
"Great-Aunt Evelyn?""
I nodded.
He pushed his chair backward.
"She was at Grandpa's funeral.""
"Yes.""
"She gave the eulogy.""
I closed my eyes.
I remembered Evelyn standing beside the coffin, telling everyone how much Thomas had loved his family.
She had cried so hard that I had held her afterward.
And now I wondered whether those tears had been real.
Detective Harris restarted the recording.
Thomas spoke first.
"Evelyn, you have no right to threaten my wife.""
My sister laughed softly.
"You always did make everything about Margaret.""
"She's my wife.""
"And Michael is your son. Yet you've decided to give everything to Daniel.""
"Because Daniel hasn't stolen from me.""
A chair scraped across the floor.
Evelyn's voice became colder.
"You don't understand what you've done.""
"I understand perfectly.""
"You've ruined this family.""
"No. Michael did that.""
There was a long silence.
Then Evelyn spoke again.
"Your son didn't act alone.""
I stopped breathing.
Thomas answered quietly.
"I know.""
The recording ended.
Daniel looked at Detective Harris.
"What does that mean? My grandfather knew someone else was involved?""
"Apparently," the detective replied.
Richard leaned forward.
"Can you identify who else was involved?""
"We're reviewing the remaining footage.""
I looked at the detective.
"Where is my sister now?""
"We located her this afternoon. She's currently staying at a property registered to Frank Cole.""
Daniel slammed his hand against the table.
"Of course she is!""
I reached for his wrist.
"Daniel.""
"No, Grandma. First Vanessa. Then Dad.
Now Great-Aunt Evelyn. How many people in this family knew?""
I had no answer.
Detective Harris removed the envelope bearing my name.
"There's another reason we wanted you here.""
He carefully broke the seal.
Inside was a handwritten letter and a small photograph.
The photograph showed Thomas sitting at his desk with three people.
Michael.
Frank Cole.
And Evelyn.
All three were smiling.
On the back, Thomas had written:
The three people I trusted most. The three people I should have watched more carefully.
I felt tears gather in my eyes.
The detective unfolded the letter.
"Would you like me to read it?""
I nodded.
He began.
Margaret,
If this letter reaches you, then the people responsible for what happened to Michael have finally started revealing themselves.
I need you to know that our son did not disappear because of an accident.
He disappeared because he discovered I had learned about the money.
I offered him one chance to return what he had taken. He refused.
Evelyn helped him arrange the transfers. Frank provided the companies. Vanessa helped obtain the documents.
Daniel whispered, "All three of them.""
The detective continued.
But there is something I never told you.
Evelyn was the person who introduced Michael to Frank in the first place. She told me she was protecting our son. I believed her.
I covered my mouth.
Then came the final paragraph.
I have made arrangements for the truth to be released. If anything happens to me, find the woman who worked in the hospital pharmacy. She witnessed something that nobody else was supposed to see.
The letter ended with Thomas's signature.
Detective Harris folded it.
"Do you know who that woman might be?""
I shook my head.
"No.""
Richard suddenly looked up.
"Wait. The hospital pharmacy?""
He opened his briefcase and removed an old business card.
"Thomas mentioned a woman named Patricia during one of our meetings. She worked in the hospital's medication department.""
Detective Harris took the card.
"Do you have her contact information?""
Richard nodded.
But before he could answer, his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
Then he stood.
"That's strange.""
"Who is it?"" Daniel asked.
Richard turned the phone around.
The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number.
"I believe it's Evelyn.""
He answered and put it on speaker.
A woman's voice came through immediately.
"Richard, I know you've been speaking to Margaret.""
Nobody moved.
Richard said nothing.
Evelyn continued.
"Tell my sister to stop digging.""
I leaned toward the phone.
"Evelyn?""
A brief pause.
Then she sighed.
"Oh, Margaret. You were never supposed to hear that recording.""
My voice trembled.
"What did you do to my husband?""
Evelyn laughed sadly.
"Your husband was going to destroy everyone.""
"He was trying to protect his grandson.""
"He was trying to punish his son!""
"Did you help Michael steal the money?""
Silence.
Then Evelyn answered.
"Yes.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
I gripped the phone.
"Why?""
"Because Thomas had everything, Margaret. The house, the company, the land. Even when he was dying, he wanted to decide who deserved what.""
"You had a home. You had a family.""
"I had nothing!""
Her voice cracked.
Then she said something that made my blood turn cold.
"Michael didn't disappear alone. I helped him leave.""
I stared at the phone.
"Where did you take him?""
Evelyn lowered her voice.
"Somewhere your husband would never find him.""
"Where?""
She hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"Look inside the old family cemetery records. Thomas buried the truth there.""
The call disconnected.
Daniel immediately stood.
"What does that mean?""
I looked at Richard.
He was already searching through his files.
Then he stopped.
"Margaret, I think I know.""
He turned the tablet toward us.
A property record appeared.
A small burial plot on the edge of the Hayes family cemetery.
Registered under the name Michael Hayes.
But the burial date was seven years earlier.
And the certificate had been signed by Evelyn.
Daniel stared at the screen.
"If Dad is alive, then who is buried there?""
Nobody answered.
May you like
Then Detective Harris picked up his phone.
"We're going to that cemetery.""
