Chapter 11: The Workshop Behind the Garage
The workshop sat behind the detached garage, separated from the main house by a narrow stone walkway.
Jason remembered spending countless afternoons there as a boy.
His father had repaired furniture, built shelves, and restored old clocks. The room always smelled of sawdust, machine oil, and cedar.
After his father's death, Evelyn had locked it.
She couldn't bear to disturb anything.
Jason found the key hanging inside a small wooden box near the kitchen entrance.
When he turned it in the lock, the door resisted before finally opening.
Dust floated through a narrow beam of sunlight.
Everything remained exactly as his father had left it.
A half-finished bookshelf stood against one wall. Tools hung in neat rows. An old radio sat beside a workbench.
Laura stepped inside.
“This place hasn't been touched in years.””
Evelyn remained at the doorway.
“Your father spent more time here than anywhere else.””
Jason ran his fingers across the workbench.
“Did he ever mention Katherine?””
“Not often.””
“Did he love her?””
Evelyn looked down.
“I think he did. In a different way than he loved me. They had a complicated history.””
Laura moved toward an old wooden cabinet.
“My mother used to tell me about a man who made beautiful things with his hands. I never knew it was your father.””
Evelyn nodded.
“He built her a jewelry box once. She kept it until the day she died.””
Laura opened a drawer.
Inside were several small wooden boxes, screws, photographs, and handwritten measurements.
Then she found something.
“Jason?””
He turned.
Laura was holding a photograph.
It showed Katherine standing in the workshop beside Robert Miller.
Both were smiling.
On the back, someone had written:
*The night we finally found proof.*
Jason took the photograph.
“Proof of what?””
Laura examined it closely.
“My mother was investigating something.””
Evelyn slowly approached.
“Robert used to bring your father paperwork from the commercial building. I remember hearing them argue about missing money.””
Jason turned.
“Missing money?””
She nodded.
“Your father suspected Daniel was taking rent payments from the tenants.””
Jason looked toward the photograph.
“Could that have been the reason for the accident?””
“I don't know.””
Laura returned to the cabinet.
She found an old metal cash box tucked behind several paint cans.
It had a small keyhole.
“Jason.””
He took out the brass key Daniel had stolen from the desk.
It didn't fit.
Laura tried the key from her necklace.
It turned.
The box opened with a click.
Inside were several envelopes, a small cassette recorder, and a folded sheet of paper.
Jason unfolded it.
It was a list of bank transfers.
Every transfer had been made from the commercial property's rental account.
The total was $186,400.
The recipient account belonged to Daniel.
Jason looked at his mother.
“This happened twenty years ago?””
Evelyn nodded.
“Your father discovered the missing money shortly before Katherine died.””
Laura picked up one of the envelopes.
It was addressed to Robert Miller.
Inside was a handwritten note.
Robert, I have the original ledger. If Daniel finds out, he'll destroy everything. Meet me at the building at eleven tonight. Bring the photographs.
Laura looked at the date.
It was the same night Katherine died.
Jason felt a chill run through him.
The cassette recorder sat at the bottom of the box.
“Does it work?”” he asked.
Laura turned it over.
“There's a tape inside.””
She pressed play.
At first, there was only static.
Then a man's voice emerged.
Robert Miller.
“Mr. Carter, I don't think you understand how dangerous this is.””
Another voice answered.
Jason recognized it immediately.
His father's.
“I understand perfectly.””
“You should tell the police.””
“I can't. Not yet.””
“Daniel has already threatened Katherine.””
There was a pause.
Then Robert spoke again.
“He said if she handed over the ledger, he'd make sure she never reached home.””
Jason's hands tightened.
His father's voice became quieter.
“Then we have to get her somewhere safe.””
A third voice interrupted.
Daniel.
“You're both making a terrible mistake.””
The recording crackled.
Robert said something Jason couldn't make out.
Then Daniel shouted.
“You think you can take everything from me and get away with it?””
A loud crash followed.
The tape stopped.
Laura stared at the recorder.
“My mother was there.””
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Jason rewound the tape.
“There's more.””
He pressed play again.
This time, the recording continued.
Daniel's voice was clearer.
“Give me the ledger, Katherine.””
A woman's voice answered.
“No.””
“Don't make this difficult.””
“You stole from the property account. You forged signatures. I'm taking everything to the police.””
Daniel laughed.
“You don't have proof.””
“I have the original records.””
Another sound.
A chair scraping.
Then his father's voice.
“Daniel, step away from her.””
The recording ended with a sharp thud.
Jason pressed stop.
Nobody moved.
Then Laura noticed something written on the cassette label.
*SIDE B—ROBERT'S STATEMENT.*
She turned the tape over.
But before she could press play, a noise came from outside.
A car door slammed.
Jason looked through the workshop window.
A black SUV was parked near the garage.
A man stepped out.
He was older, wearing a brown jacket and a baseball cap.
Jason recognized the face from the photograph.
Robert Miller.
But Robert was supposed to be dead.
Laura whispered, “That's impossible.””
The man looked directly toward the workshop.
Then he raised one hand.
Not in greeting.
In warning.
Jason stepped toward the door.
“Robert!””
The old man shook his head.
“Don't say my name so loudly.””
Jason opened the door.
“You're alive.””
Robert glanced toward the house.
“I won't be for long if the wrong person knows I'm here.””
Laura approached him.
“Did you know my mother?””
Robert's face crumpled.
“I was the last person who saw her alive.””
Laura swallowed.
“Then tell me what happened.””
Robert looked at Jason.
Then at Evelyn.
Finally, he said:
“Your father didn't cause Katherine's accident. Daniel did.””
Laura's eyes filled.
“Why did everyone lie?””
Robert reached inside his jacket and removed a folded photograph.
“Because I helped them.””
He placed it in Jason's hand.
It showed Daniel standing beside a damaged vehicle.
And in the background, Robert himself was holding a bloodstained coat.
“I was paid to keep quiet,” he whispered.
“But the worst part wasn't the money.””
Jason stared at him.
“What was it?””
May you like
Robert looked directly at Evelyn.
“Your husband made me promise never to tell you who was in the passenger seat.””
