Chapter 15: The Enemy at the Family Table
Ethan asked the technician to replay the final seconds.
The voice was unmistakable.
Thomas Harrington.
“If anything happens to Elizabeth, the person responsible is not Richard. It's someone sitting beside me right now.””
Then came a sharp sound.
A door closing.
And silence.
Cole stared at the speaker.
“Who was sitting beside him?””
Nobody answered.
Detective Mitchell leaned forward.
“Can you identify the date of this recording?””
The technician checked the digital file.
“November 2, 2003. One day before Elizabeth's accident.””
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
“Thomas knew something was going to happen.””
Daniel Foster looked through the documents.
“There's a meeting listed in the estate file on that date.””
“With whom?”” Cole asked.
Daniel turned the page.
“Thomas Harrington, Richard Harrington, Margaret Harrington, and William Reed.””
Ethan froze.
“My father?””
Daniel nodded.
“According to the record, all four were scheduled to meet at the Harrington house.””
Cole looked at the detective.
“Then somebody needs to ask Margaret what happened that night.””
Detective Mitchell nodded.
“I already have.””
She placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Margaret leaving the family house at 11:47 p.m. on November 2, 2003.
A second photograph showed someone entering through the back door twelve minutes later.
The face was partially obscured.
But the person wore a distinctive silver bracelet.
Ethan stared at it.
“My father's bracelet.””
He looked at Daniel.
“William wore that every day. It was a gift from my mother.””
Daniel nodded.
“That's what I thought.””
Cole felt his stomach tighten.
“Are you saying William was there?””
Ethan shook his head.
“My father died years ago.””
Detective Mitchell looked at him.
“Yes. But this photograph suggests he may have known more about that night than anyone realized.””
Ethan picked up the photograph.
Then he noticed something.
The person entering the house was holding a leather briefcase.
On its side was a small engraved name.
*W. REED.*
“My father's briefcase.””
He sat down slowly.
Marcus looked at him.
“You all right?””
Ethan shook his head.
“I don't know anymore.””
Margaret Harrington arrived at the police station two hours later.
She wore no jewelry except her wedding ring.
Her hair was uncombed, and her eyes were swollen.
Detective Mitchell placed the photograph in front of her.
Margaret stared at it.
Then she covered her mouth.
“William.””
Ethan leaned forward.
“What did my father do that night?””
Margaret looked at him.
“He came to help Thomas.””
“Help him with what?””
“Elizabeth.””
Ethan frowned.
“Then why was he hiding?””
Margaret lowered her eyes.
“Because he had discovered something about the accident before it happened.””
Cole leaned forward.
“What?””
Margaret took a shaky breath.
“Daniel Reed didn't die because of a construction accident.””
Ethan went completely still.
Margaret continued.
“Richard had arranged for the equipment inspection to be falsified. Daniel discovered the fraud. He told William he was going to expose it.””
Ethan's voice cracked.
“And my father knew?””
“Yes.””
“Why didn't he go to the police?””
“Because Richard had evidence that William had helped transfer money through one of the companies.””
Ethan stood.
“My father was protecting a criminal?””
Margaret shook her head.
“No. He was trying to protect Daniel. He believed that if he cooperated with Richard, he could keep him away from your uncle.””
Ethan stared at her.
“And did it work?””
Margaret began crying.
“No.””
The room fell silent.
Cole looked toward the detective.
“What happened that night?””
Margaret wiped her cheeks.
“Thomas wanted to confront Richard about the money. William came because he had evidence. I was there because Richard had threatened to expose my role in hiding Elizabeth's adoption records.””
Cole frowned.
“Your role?””
Margaret nodded.
“I had helped change the original documents. I wanted Elizabeth's child kept away from the Harrington name.””
Cole's expression hardened.
“You tried to erase me.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I believed you were a reminder of everything I had lost control of.””
Cole stared at her.
“You keep saying you believed things. Did you ever think about what any of those decisions did to other people?””
Margaret lowered her head.
“No.””
Then she looked up.
“But I didn't kill Elizabeth.””
Detective Mitchell placed another photograph on the table.
It showed a man standing beside Thomas outside the house.
“Who is this?””
Margaret's eyes widened.
“Richard's business partner.””
“Name?””
“Victor Hale.””
Daniel Foster checked his notes.
“Victor Hale was listed as a director of one of the shell companies.””
Margaret nodded.
“He was the person Richard trusted most.””
Cole leaned forward.
“Was he the person sitting beside Thomas?””
Margaret stared at the photograph.
Then she whispered:
“Yes.””
Ethan looked at her.
“Why didn't Thomas name him?””
Margaret's eyes filled.
“Because Victor had something Thomas would have done anything to protect.””
“What?””
She looked at Cole.
“Your father's original death certificate.””
The room went silent.
Ethan shook his head.
“My uncle's death certificate?””
Margaret nodded.
“Daniel Reed didn't die in the accident listed on the official report.””
Cole felt his stomach tighten.
“What are you saying?””
Margaret's voice trembled.
“Daniel survived the construction accident.””
Ethan stared.
“What?””
“He was taken to a private clinic under another name. Richard paid the doctors to keep him there until he died.””
Ethan stood abruptly.
“That makes no sense. My father buried him.””
Margaret shook her head.
“William buried an empty coffin.””
Ethan looked as though someone had struck him.
For several seconds, he couldn't speak.
Then he whispered:
“Where is my uncle?””
Margaret closed her eyes.
“I don't know.””
Detective Mitchell leaned forward.
“Who does?””
Margaret opened her eyes.
“Victor Hale.””
That evening, Cole returned to the hospital to see Patricia.
She was sitting up in bed, reading an old magazine.
When he entered, she smiled.
“There you are.””
He kissed her forehead.
“Feeling better?””
“Much.””
He pulled up a chair.
“Mom, I found out who my biological father was.””
Patricia nodded.
“Daniel Reed.””
Cole stared.
“You knew?””
“Not his name. But Elizabeth once told me she had loved someone before James.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I didn't know enough.””
Cole took her hand.
“He may not have died when everyone said he did.””
Patricia's eyes widened.
“What?””
“Margaret says he survived the accident. Richard arranged for him to disappear.””
Patricia slowly lowered her magazine.
“Then there's something I need to tell you.””
Cole leaned forward.
“What?””
“Your mother left me a second letter. I never showed it to anyone because I was afraid it would put you in danger.””
Cole's heart began racing.
“Where is it?””
Patricia reached into the bedside cabinet.
She pulled out a small envelope.
Cole recognized Elizabeth's handwriting.
His name was written across the front.
He opened it carefully.
Inside was a short letter.
*My darling boy,
If you ever find out who your father was, please don't let the Harrington family tell you he abandoned you.
Daniel loved you before you were born.
He promised he would come back for us.
If he doesn't, it won't be because he stopped loving you.
It will be because someone made sure he couldn't.*
Cole pressed the letter against his chest.
Patricia took his hand.
“There's one more thing.””
He looked at her.
“Before Elizabeth died, she told me Daniel had been hiding somewhere in the country. She said he was waiting for the right time to come back.””
Cole's eyes filled.
“Do you know where?””
Patricia nodded slowly.
“He sent me a postcard last year.””
She reached into the drawer and handed it to him.
The postcard showed a small seaside town.
On the back was a handwritten message.
I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner. Tell my son I never forgot him.
There was a name beneath it.
*DANIEL REED.*
And a date.
Three months earlier.
Cole stared at the postcard.
Three months earlier.
The same week Thomas Harrington had died.
His phone began ringing.
Detective Mitchell.
He answered.
“Cole, we found Victor Hale.””
Cole stood.
“Where?””
The detective's voice was urgent.
“At a private care facility outside the city.””
“Why?””
She hesitated.
“Because he has been paying for the medical treatment of a man under a false identity for twenty-three years.””
Cole looked at the postcard again.
His voice trembled.
“Is it Daniel?””
Detective Mitchell answered.
“We believe it is.””
Then she added:
May you like
“There's one problem. The patient has disappeared.””
And the last person recorded visiting his room was *Richard Harrington*.
