Chapter 6: The Secret My Father Took to His Grave
I read the message three times.
*STOP ASKING ABOUT LILY'S FATHER. YOUR SISTER WASN'T THE ONLY ONE WHO DIED BECAUSE OF THAT SECRET.*
The second message was worse.
*ASK YOUR GRANDMOTHER WHAT HAPPENED TO JAMES CARTER.*
I looked up at Evelyn.
She was crying so hard that her shoulders trembled.
“Evelyn,” I said quietly, “what happened to James?””
She shook her head.
“Not here.””
“I'm done with people telling me what I can and cannot know.””
“Marcus, please. Lily is standing right there.””
I glanced at my niece.
She was holding Daniel's hand now, although she seemed just as frightened of him as she had been of Vanessa.
I walked toward her and crouched.
“Sweetheart, I need you to stay with Daniel for a moment. I'm going to talk to Grandma Evelyn.””
Lily shook her head.
“Don't let her take me away.””
My heart broke.
“She's not taking you anywhere. I promise.””
Evelyn approached us.
“Lily, darling, come with me.””
The little girl stepped closer to my side.
“No.””
Evelyn stopped.
I looked at her.
“Whatever you need to tell me, tell me now.””
She wiped her cheeks.
“Your father and James were business partners.””
I frowned.
“My father was a hotel developer. James worked in finance.””
“They were more than business partners.””
She glanced at the photograph.
“Your father helped James establish the investment trust. They discovered that Richard was manipulating several investment portfolios. James wanted to report him, but your father believed they needed more evidence.””
I looked toward Richard.
He was still standing near the exit, guarded by two security officers.
“Why was my father involved?””
“Because Richard had been stealing from your father's company before he died.””
I felt a chill.
“My father died of a heart attack.””
Evelyn nodded.
“That was the official explanation.””
“What does that mean?””
She looked toward the ballroom doors.
“Your father had been under enormous stress. He received several threatening calls during the final months of his life. He told Emily that someone was following him.””
I remembered the last time I had seen my father alive.
He had been sitting in his study, staring at a stack of papers.
I had asked him what was wrong.
He smiled and told me he was simply tired.
I had believed him.
“Why didn't anyone tell me?””
“Your father made us promise.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Everyone seems to have made promises while I was being lied to.””
Evelyn looked down.
“After James died, Emily discovered that your father had left a sealed envelope with her. It contained documents about Richard, Vanessa, and the trust.””
“Where is it?””
“I don't know.””
“Evelyn.””
“I swear I don't.””
She took a shaky breath.
“Emily told me she had hidden it somewhere safe.””
I looked at the photograph.
“Then why did she give this to Daniel?””
“She didn't. Daniel was supposed to deliver it to you.””
I turned toward him.
Daniel lowered his eyes.
“Emily gave me the envelope after she realized Vanessa was searching her house. I was supposed to bring it to you.””
“Instead, you followed her car and left her beside the road.””
Daniel didn't defend himself.
“I know.””
I stepped away.
My phone vibrated again.
This time, the message contained an image.
It showed my father's old study.
The same mahogany desk.
The same green curtains.
But the photograph had been taken recently.
Someone had been inside my father's house.
Beneath the image were five words.
*THE ENVELOPE IS STILL THERE.*
I showed Evelyn.
She gasped.
“That's impossible.””
“Why?””
“The house has been locked since your father's funeral.””
I looked toward Daniel.
“Can you identify the sender?””
He checked the number.
“No. It's a temporary number.””
I turned toward the security officer.
“Have the police come upstairs. I want every guest interviewed. And nobody leaves without providing their contact details.””
Vanessa laughed.
“You really think you can control everyone?””
I faced her.
“I think you're going to spend a very long time explaining yourself.””
Her expression hardened.
“You don't know what you're doing, Marcus.””
“Then help me understand.””
She stepped closer.
“You're destroying everything because of a little girl's imagination and a collection of stolen videos.””
Lily suddenly spoke.
“I'm not imagining anything.””
Vanessa looked at her.
“Sweetheart, you should be quiet.””
I moved between them.
“Don't speak to her.””
Vanessa's eyes narrowed.
Then she did something I never expected.
She turned toward Lily and smiled.
It was the same gentle smile she used whenever she brought her presents.
“Lily, darling, remember what I told you about secrets?””
Lily began shaking.
I immediately took her hand.
“What did she tell you?””
Lily looked at me.
“She said if I told anyone about the road, Grandma would go away forever.””
Evelyn made a broken sound.
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
“That is not what I said.””
Lily reached into her purse and pulled out a small pink recorder.
“I recorded it.””
Vanessa froze.
I pressed the button.
A few seconds of static followed.
Then Vanessa's voice came through.
“Your grandmother is old, Lily. She could become very sick if you keep upsetting her.””
A child's voice answered.
“Please don't hurt Grandma.””
Vanessa sighed.
“Then be a good girl and forget what you saw.””
The recording ended.
Evelyn covered her face.
I looked at Vanessa.
“You threatened an eight-year-old.””
“I was trying to calm her down!””
“You threatened her grandmother.””
“I was protecting this family!””
I stepped closer.
“You are not family.””
The police arrived ten minutes later.
Two officers escorted Richard to a separate room. Another began interviewing guests.
Vanessa was asked to surrender her phone.
She refused.
When an officer repeated the request, she threw it onto the marble floor.
The screen shattered.
“I'm not giving you anything!”” she shouted.
The officer calmly picked it up.
“Ma'am, destroying evidence will not help your situation.””
Daniel was questioned separately.
Before leaving the ballroom, he approached me.
“Marcus, I need to tell you something.””
I didn't look at him.
“What?””
“Emily wasn't alone that night.””
I turned.
“What do you mean?””
Daniel swallowed.
“There was another car behind me.””
“Whose?””
“I couldn't see the driver clearly.””
“But?””
He glanced toward Richard.
“I recognized the license plate.””
My stomach tightened.
“Whose car?””
Daniel whispered a name.
“Your father's old driver.””
I stared at him.
“My father died three years ago.””
Daniel nodded.
“I know.””
“Then how could his driver have been following Emily?””
Daniel looked toward the photograph.
“Because the driver was officially reported dead two years ago.””
Before I could ask another question, Evelyn grabbed my arm.
“Marcus, we need to leave.””
“Why?””
She looked at the ballroom entrance.
A man in a dark coat had appeared there.
He was holding a small brown envelope.
And when he saw Evelyn, he smiled.
May you like
“Mrs. Hayes,” he called.
“Your secret has finally caught up with you.””
