Chapter 6: The Secret Elizabeth Took to Her Grave
I read Elizabeth's final sentence three times.
*And Marcus knows exactly why she agreed to do it.*
The words seemed to move across the page.
I looked at my husband.
"What does this mean?""
Marcus didn't answer.
He stood beside the hotel window, staring at the traffic below. His reflection looked older than it had the night before.
"Marcus.""
He turned slowly.
"Elizabeth hired you to investigate Peter.""
I frowned.
"That's impossible.""
"She discovered that money was disappearing from the foundation. She believed Peter was responsible, but she couldn't prove it.""
"So she hired me?""
"Yes.""
I shook my head.
"Why would she hire me? I barely knew her.""
"Because you had access to the accounting department.""
I remembered.
Six years earlier, I had been working as a financial assistant for a small investment company. Elizabeth had approached me through a mutual acquaintance and offered me a temporary position at the foundation.
She had been polite.
Professional.
Almost unusually trusting.
I had accepted because the salary was excellent.
But I hadn't known what she was investigating.
At least, that was what I had told myself.
Marcus placed another document on the table.
"This is the original employment agreement.""
I glanced at it.
My signature appeared at the bottom.
Then I noticed something else.
A handwritten note in Elizabeth's familiar script.
Vanessa Cole will assist with the internal audit. All findings must be delivered directly to me.
I looked up.
"I don't remember this.""
"You signed it.""
"I signed hundreds of documents.""
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"Elizabeth trusted you.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Apparently, she shouldn't have.""
He didn't respond.
I sat down.
The memories were returning in fragments.
Elizabeth asking me to review suspicious invoices.
Peter becoming unusually defensive whenever I requested access to certain accounts.
The late-night phone calls.
The envelopes.
And one particular afternoon when Elizabeth had quietly asked me whether I believed people could become dangerous when they were afraid of losing everything.
At the time, I had thought she was talking about Peter.
Now I wasn't so sure.
"Marcus," I said carefully, "what exactly did Elizabeth know about me?""
He reached into the envelope.
"She found a second set of financial records.""
He placed several pages in front of me.
The transactions were dated six years earlier.
I recognized the account numbers.
One belonged to a company registered in my name.
Another belonged to Daniel.
The total amount was $640,000.
I looked at the figures.
"These are the transfers from the foundation.""
"Yes.""
"But the money went through Peter's accounts first.""
Marcus nodded.
"That's what I initially believed.""
I looked at him.
"What do you mean?""
He pulled out another page.
It showed a transfer authorization.
My signature.
Then another.
And another.
All genuine.
All dated before Elizabeth's death.
"I thought Peter had forged your signature," Marcus said.
My throat tightened.
"Marcus, I didn't steal that money.""
He studied me.
"Then why did you sign the transfer requests?""
I looked away.
Because I remembered.
Not all of it.
But enough.
Peter had approached me one afternoon and told me the foundation needed to move money temporarily to cover a confidential acquisition.
He had said Marcus approved it.
I had believed him.
Later, when I discovered that the transactions were suspicious, I had already become involved.
Peter threatened to report me for financial misconduct.
I panicked.
Then Elizabeth discovered everything.
And Daniel became involved.
It had started as a mistake.
A few signatures.
A few transfers.
A few lies.
But eventually, the lies became larger than anything I could control.
"I was trying to protect myself," I whispered.
Marcus closed his eyes.
"From what?""
"Peter.""
"Why didn't you tell Elizabeth?""
"Because I was afraid.""
"She could have helped you.""
I looked at him.
"Would you have believed me?""
He didn't answer.
That silence told me more than his words could have.
At 9:30 AM, Marcus received a call.
It was Peter.
I watched my husband's expression change as he listened.
"Where are you?"" Marcus asked.
A pause.
"Come to the office.""
Another pause.
"No. Don't bring anyone.""
He ended the call.
I stood.
"You're meeting him?""
"Yes.""
"That's dangerous.""
Marcus picked up his jacket.
"He's been in my life for fifteen years. I deserve to hear the truth from him.""
I grabbed his arm.
"Marcus, he may have been involved in Elizabeth's death.""
His eyes moved to my hand.
I released him.
"Please," I whispered.
"Don't go alone.""
He considered me for a moment.
Then he said something unexpected.
"You're coming with me.""
The Hale Group headquarters occupied the top twelve floors of a glass building downtown.
I hadn't been there since the previous month.
When we entered the executive office, employees immediately stopped talking.
Rumors had already spread.
Marcus looked straight ahead.
Peter Lang stood beside the conference table.
He was wearing his usual navy suit and silver watch.
His hair was perfectly combed.
His expression was calm.
Almost bored.
"Marcus," he said.
"I was wondering when you'd call.""
Marcus placed the envelope on the table.
"Sit down.""
Peter glanced at me.
"Mrs. Hale.""
I didn't respond.
Marcus opened the envelope and removed the financial records.
"Explain these.""
Peter looked at them.
Then he smiled faintly.
"Where did you get those?""
"From my study.""
"Interesting.""
"Did you steal from the foundation?""
Peter sighed.
"Marcus, we've discussed the foundation's financial structure before.""
"Answer the question.""
"Some transfers were necessary.""
"Necessary?""
"To protect the company.""
Marcus leaned forward.
"Six hundred and forty thousand dollars?""
Peter shrugged.
"That was a difficult period.""
"And the money sent to Vanessa's accounts?""
Peter glanced at me.
"She was involved in the transactions.""
I stepped forward.
"Because you told me they were authorized.""
Peter smiled.
"Did I?""
"You said Marcus had approved them.""
"Do you have proof?""
I stared at him.
He leaned back.
"That's what I thought.""
Marcus slammed his palm against the table.
"Enough!""
Peter stopped smiling.
Marcus held up the old garage recording.
"Did you tamper with Elizabeth's vehicle?""
Peter looked at it.
For the first time, his expression changed.
Only slightly.
But I noticed.
"Where did you get that?""
"Answer me.""
Peter sighed.
"Elizabeth was becoming a problem.""
Marcus went still.
"What did you just say?""
"She was preparing to expose the financial irregularities. She didn't understand the consequences.""
"You were stealing from my family.""
"I was protecting your family.""
Marcus stared at him.
"How?""
Peter stood.
"Your company was close to collapse. Your wife wanted to report everything to the board. She didn't care what happened to you.""
"She was my wife.""
"And I was the person keeping your business alive.""
Marcus walked around the table.
"Did you kill her?""
Peter's face hardened.
"No.""
"Did you damage her brakes?""
"I never touched that car.""
I stepped forward.
"Daniel saw you at the garage.""
Peter laughed.
"Daniel Cole? The man who accepted money to tamper with the vehicle?""
"He's told the police everything.""
Peter looked at me.
Then he said quietly:
"Not everything.""
My stomach tightened.
Marcus turned.
"What does that mean?""
Peter opened his briefcase.
He removed a small black USB drive.
"Perhaps you should ask your wife what happened after Elizabeth discovered the transfers.""
I shook my head.
"Don't.""
Peter placed the drive on the table.
"Elizabeth had a meeting with Vanessa the afternoon before the accident.""
Marcus stared at me.
"What?""
Peter continued.
"She told Vanessa she was going to the police. Vanessa begged her to wait.""
"That's not true," I whispered.
Peter smiled.
"Then let's watch.""
He connected the drive to the conference room computer.
A video appeared.
Elizabeth sat behind her desk.
I stood opposite her.
The footage was dated April 16.
One day before the accident.
My recorded voice was trembling.
"Please, Elizabeth. Just give me another week.""
Elizabeth shook her head.
"I've already given you six months.""
"I can return the money.""
"You've been saying that since January.""
"Please.""
Elizabeth stood.
"Vanessa, I don't care about the money anymore. I care about the fact that you've been lying to me.""
I looked down.
Then Elizabeth said something that made Marcus turn toward me.
"If you don't tell Marcus the truth tonight, I will.""
The video continued.
My recorded voice became cold.
"You don't understand what you're threatening.""
Elizabeth stared at me.
"I understand perfectly.""
Then I reached into my handbag.
I removed a small envelope.
And placed it on her desk.
"Take this. It's enough to disappear.""
Elizabeth pushed it away.
"Get out.""
The recording ended.
Nobody spoke.
Marcus looked at me.
"Did you offer her money to stay quiet?""
I couldn't answer.
Peter closed his briefcase.
"Now you understand, Marcus.""
Marcus turned toward him.
"Get out.""
Peter raised an eyebrow.
"Excuse me?""
"Get out of my building.""
Peter picked up his briefcase.
Then he leaned close to Marcus.
"You should be careful about what you do next. Because Elizabeth wasn't the only person who knew about the money.""
He glanced at me.
"Vanessa knows what really happened that night.""
Then he walked out.
Marcus stood motionless.
I watched the conference room door close.
And suddenly I understood why Peter had never been afraid of us.
He wasn't protecting himself from the truth.
He was protecting the person who had paid him to keep it buried.
And that person wasn't me.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Daniel appeared.
*I found the garage footage. But there's something in it you need to see.*
I typed back.
*What?*
His reply came immediately.
*The man who damaged Elizabeth's brakes wasn't Peter.*
I looked at Marcus.
He was staring at the empty doorway.
May you like
Then Daniel sent another message.
*It was someone wearing your husband's jacket.*
