Chapter 9: The Truth My Mother Took to Her Grave
The police evacuated the greenhouse.
The alarm turned out to be part of an old security system that had been reactivated remotely.
Nobody was injured.
Victoria's SUV was found abandoned near the northern gate.
But she was gone.
Again.
Martin was taken to the hospital.
My father refused to leave his side.
I sat in the waiting room with Detective Bennett, holding the USB drive that had been recovered from the greenhouse.
The laboratory team had already secured the original documents.
They had also found something else.
A small audio recorder.
It was hidden inside the metal cylinder.
“Can we listen to it?”” I asked.
Detective Bennett shook her head.
“Not until the forensic team verifies it.””
I looked at the hospital corridor.
“Do you think my mother really planned to leave Dad?””
“I don't know, James.””
“Martin knows.””
She nodded.
“And he's going to have to explain everything.””
Two hours later, Martin was stable enough to speak.
Dad entered his hospital room first.
I followed.
Martin looked exhausted.
A bandage covered his forehead.
His right arm was in a sling.
Dad stood beside the bed.
“Start talking.””
Martin closed his eyes.
“Sarah and I were friends long before you met her.””
Dad's jaw tightened.
“I know.””
“She trusted me. I helped her with the legal side of the company when she discovered the fraudulent transfers.””
“Why did Victoria say you were having an affair?””
Martin looked down.
“Because she knew it would hurt you.””
“Were you?””
“No.””
“Then explain.””
Martin took a breath.
“Sarah had discovered that Daniel was using Andrew's approval codes to transfer money. She wanted to expose them. But Daniel had already found out she was investigating.””
Dad folded his arms.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I was trying to protect her.””
“You keep saying that.””
“I know.””
Martin's voice cracked.
“Richard, I made a terrible mistake. Sarah called me the night she died. She told me Daniel had threatened her. She asked me to meet her at the greenhouse.””
Dad's face changed.
“What?””
“She said she had something important to show me.””
“Did you go?””
“Yes.””
“And?””
Martin looked at me.
“I arrived just before ten. Sarah was frightened. She had the ledger and a recording of a conversation between Daniel and Andrew.””
“What did they say?””
“They discussed the transfers. They also discussed your wife.””
Dad gripped the bed rail.
“Go on.””
Martin's eyes filled with tears.
“Sarah told me she had copied everything. She planned to give the evidence to the police the following morning.””
“Then what happened?””
“Daniel arrived.””
Dad went completely still.
Martin continued.
“He came through the side entrance. He demanded the ledger. Sarah refused.””
“And you?””
“I tried to stop him.””
Martin looked at his injured arm.
“He struck me with a metal tool. I fell. When I got back up, Sarah was gone.””
“Gone where?””
“I heard a car start outside.””
Dad stared at him.
“Why didn't you follow her?””
“I tried. My phone was broken, and I couldn't stand properly. By the time I reached the road, the car was already gone.””
“And then?””
Martin's voice became barely audible.
“Daniel came back.””
Dad leaned forward.
“What did he say?””
“He told me Sarah had been taken care of.””
My father closed his eyes.
Martin continued.
“He said if I spoke, he'd make sure you and James were next.””
I felt my stomach twist.
“So you stayed silent?””
Martin nodded.
“Yes.””
Dad stepped away from the bed.
“You let me bury my wife believing it was an accident.””
“I know.””
“You let me raise my son in a house with the people who were responsible.””
“I know.””
“You watched Victoria hurt him.””
Martin began to cry.
“I know.””
Dad turned toward the window.
For a long time, nobody spoke.
Then I asked the question that had been haunting me.
“Did my mother know she was going to die?””
Martin looked at me.
“I don't think so.””
“Did she leave something for me?””
“Yes.””
“What?””
Martin pointed toward the small table.
“Your mother gave me a photograph before she left the greenhouse.””
Dad picked it up.
It showed my mother holding me when I was a baby.
On the back, she'd written:
For James. Never let him believe he was unwanted.
My eyes filled.
Martin continued.
“She asked me to give it to you when you were older. I kept it because I couldn't bring myself to face you.””
I took the photograph.
For a moment, I could almost remember her arms around me.
Then Detective Bennett entered the room.
“We've identified the original recording.””
Dad turned.
“What did it reveal?””
“The audio confirms conversations between Daniel Price, Andrew Mitchell, and Victoria Hayes.””
She placed a printed transcript on the table.
“Victoria wasn't simply benefiting from the fraud. She was organizing the transfer of assets and arranging the legal documents.””
Dad looked at the pages.
“And my mother's death?””
The detective hesitated.
“The recording contains a conversation between Daniel and Victoria from eleven months ago.””
She turned to the relevant section.
Victoria's voice appeared in the transcript.
Richard will never understand why Sarah died. He'll sign whatever I put in front of him.
Dad looked up.
“What?””
Detective Bennett continued.
“Daniel responds that the accident should have been investigated more thoroughly. Victoria tells him that the original police report was already altered.””
Dad's face became expressionless.
“Altered by whom?””
The detective pointed to another line.
Andrew handled the payment. Martin handled the paperwork.
My father slowly turned toward Martin.
The attorney looked horrified.
“I never altered a police report.””
Detective Bennett nodded.
“We haven't established that you did. But your name appears in the conversation.””
Martin shook his head.
“Daniel must have been using my name.””
The detective placed another document on the table.
“There's something else. A financial transfer made two days after Sarah's death.””
Dad examined the page.
The amount was two hundred thousand dollars.
The recipient was a private account.
The account holder's name was Martin Cole.
My father looked at him.
Martin went white.
“I never received that money.””
“Then who did?”” Dad asked.
Martin stared at the document.
“I don't know.””
Detective Bennett looked at us.
“We're investigating the account ownership now.””
I felt something cold settle inside me.
My grandmother's warning came back.
Do not trust the man who tells you he is protecting your father.
Martin had been protecting Dad.
But he had also been hiding things.
And now there was money in his name.
Before anyone could speak, Dad's phone rang.
It was the bank.
He answered.
“Yes?””
A pause.
Then his expression changed.
“What do you mean the transfer has already gone through?””
He listened.
“Reverse it immediately.””
Another pause.
“Who authorized it?””
Dad looked at the detective.
Then at me.
The caller answered.
*“Your son, sir. The authorization carries James Hayes's digital signature.””*
Dad slowly lowered the phone.
I stared at him.
“What?””
He didn't answer.
Detective Bennett stepped closer.
“James, have you authorized any financial transactions recently?””
“No.””
“Have you signed anything for your father?””
“No!””
Dad looked at the document again.
The transfer was for twelve million dollars.
And the destination account belonged to a company called Red Door Holdings.
The same name appeared on the original fraudulent ledger.
Then another message arrived on Dad's phone.
A photograph.
Victoria was sitting in the passenger seat of a car.
Beside her was Andrew Mitchell.
May you like
And beneath the picture were six words.
*Your son has already paid for everything.*
