Chapter 6: The Man My Father Warned Me About
At 8:30 the following morning, Rebecca Hayes called me with three words I never expected to hear.
"Don't trust Daniel.""
I was standing in my kitchen, holding a cup of coffee that had already gone cold.
"Rebecca, what did you find?""
"I've been reviewing the corporate filing and the documents Samuel sent us. There's a connection between Daniel Price and your mother's attorney.""
"How?""
"Daniel notarized several documents submitted by your family. The attorney prepared them. But that's not the most concerning part.""
I sat down.
"What is?""
"Daniel Price was listed as an authorized financial representative for a company connected to your father.""
I stared at the wall.
"What company?""
"Robert Carter Holdings.""
My father's old business.
Before he died, he had owned a small commercial property management company. It wasn't enormous, but it generated steady income from several office buildings and retail properties around Atlanta.
My mother had told us the business was sold after his death to cover outstanding debts.
I had never questioned it.
"Rebecca, I thought Dad's company was dissolved.""
"That's what the estate paperwork indicated. But I've located another registration under a slightly different corporate name.""
"Is it still active?""
"Apparently, yes.""
I put my coffee down.
"Who owns it?""
"That's what we're investigating.""
I heard papers moving on her desk.
"There's also a bank statement attached to one of the documents. It shows recurring transfers from a trust-related account to a company called DP Financial Services.""
"Daniel Price?""
"That's my suspicion.""
I closed my eyes.
"How much?""
"Approximately eleven thousand dollars every month, beginning several years ago.""
My stomach tightened.
"From my trust?""
"We haven't confirmed that yet. The account number is partially masked.""
I stood up and walked toward the window.
For years, I had believed my father left us with very little.
Now I was discovering that money had been moving somewhere while my mother insisted there was nothing left.
"What's the next step?""
"Meet me at the office. Bring your father's letter and the original documents you have.""
I agreed.
Before leaving, I called Tasha.
"Did Claire return to the office?""
"No, but she called twice.""
"What did she say?""
"She wanted to know whether you were coming in.""
"Did you tell her?""
"No.""
"Good. Nobody gets access to company records without my written approval.""
Tasha hesitated.
"Nia, there's something else.""
"What?""
"Marcus called yesterday. He said the company needed to prepare for a management transition.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"Did he explain?""
"He said your mother was handling it.""
I took a breath.
"Tell everyone that I'm still the sole managing director. Any attempted changes must be referred to Rebecca.""
"Understood.""
When I arrived at Rebecca's office, she was already waiting with three folders.
She looked serious.
"Sit down.""
I placed my bag beside the chair.
"What happened?""
Rebecca turned her laptop toward me.
"This is Daniel Price's business registration.""
The screen showed a company established twelve years earlier.
DP Financial Services.
Its registered address was a small office in Decatur.
I recognized the name from the restaurant paperwork.
Rebecca opened another document.
"And this is Robert Carter Holdings.""
My father's name appeared across the top.
The company had been established fifteen years earlier.
"Look at the directors.""
I leaned closer.
Robert Carter.
Evelyn Carter.
Daniel Price.
My breath caught.
"Why was Daniel a director?""
"According to the filing, he was appointed as financial administrator shortly before your father's death.""
"Did Dad know?""
"That's what we need to establish.""
I stared at the document.
My father had never mentioned Daniel being involved in his business.
"Can you check the appointment date?""
Rebecca pointed to the screen.
"Three months before he died.""
I remembered that period.
My father had been in and out of the hospital. My mother handled most of his paperwork.
I had been working two jobs and finishing my final semester at college.
I hadn't been around enough to notice anything unusual.
Rebecca opened a scanned bank statement.
"Now look at this.""
The account holder was Robert Carter Holdings.
The monthly transfer was $11,000.
The receiving account belonged to DP Financial Services.
The transfers continued for thirty-seven months.
"That's over four hundred thousand dollars," I whispered.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"That's what we're trying to find out.""
I stared at the dates.
The first transfer had occurred four months after my father died.
The last had occurred shortly after I turned twenty-five.
The exact age when my father had intended the trust to become fully accessible to me.
I felt a chill.
"Rebecca, do you think they were taking money from my trust?""
"I don't want to speculate. But the timing is suspicious.""
She opened another folder.
"This is an old letter from your father.""
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
It was addressed to Samuel Whitaker.
Rebecca read it aloud.
"Samuel, please ensure that Nia's trust remains independent of the family business. I have concerns about certain financial arrangements and do not want her inheritance exposed to anyone else's obligations.""
I reached for the paper.
At the bottom, my father had written another sentence.
If anything happens to me, do not allow Daniel Price to control the records.
My hands went cold.
Rebecca watched me carefully.
"Now you understand why I'm concerned.""
I nodded.
"Did Dad know something was wrong?""
"It appears he had concerns.""
"Then why didn't he tell me?""
"Perhaps he wanted to protect you. Perhaps he thought the situation would be resolved. We don't know yet.""
I read the letter again.
My father had tried to leave me something safe.
And someone had spent years trying to get around his instructions.
At noon, Rebecca received a call from Samuel Whitaker.
She put him on speaker.
"Samuel, we're reviewing the old company records," Rebecca said.
"Did Robert ever explain his concerns about Daniel Price?""
Samuel sighed.
"Yes. He believed Daniel was moving money without proper authorization.""
"Did he confront him?""
"Several times.""
"Was there an investigation?""
"Robert asked me to look into it. But before I could complete the review, he became seriously ill.""
I leaned forward.
"Mr. Whitaker, did my mother know?""
There was a long pause.
"Your mother was present during one of the meetings.""
"Did she defend Daniel?""
Samuel hesitated.
"Yes.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
"She said Robert was becoming confused and that Daniel was simply managing routine business expenses.""
I stared at Rebecca.
Samuel continued.
"After Robert's death, I requested the company records. Your mother informed me that the business had been liquidated and the remaining funds had been used for estate expenses.""
"But it wasn't liquidated," Rebecca said.
"No. That's what I discovered later.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I attempted to contact you twice. Your mother said you were grieving and didn't want to deal with financial matters.""
I lowered my head.
I remembered those years.
My mother had told me the same thing repeatedly.
Don't worry about the paperwork, Nia. You're too young.
Your father would want you to focus on your future.
Let me handle the difficult things.
I had believed her.
Rebecca thanked Samuel and ended the call.
Then she looked at me.
"We need the original company accounting records.""
"Where are they?""
Rebecca checked the registration documents.
"According to the filing, the company still maintains a registered records address.""
I read the address.
It was the same property where my father had operated his business.
The building was now occupied by a commercial accounting office.
I recognized the name on the sign.
DP Financial Services.
I looked at Rebecca.
"Daniel still has the records?""
"Possibly.""
"Then I want to go there.""
"Not alone.""
We arranged to visit the following afternoon after Rebecca contacted the appropriate parties and confirmed that we could request the relevant company records through proper channels.
Before leaving her office, my phone rang.
Mom.
I ignored it.
A message followed.
Your brother and sister are waiting for you. We need to settle the company issue today.
Then another.
If you don't cooperate, I will explain everything about your father's estate publicly.
I read the messages twice.
Rebecca noticed my expression.
"What is it?""
I showed her.
She shook her head.
"Don't respond.""
But before I could put the phone away, another message arrived.
This one came from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph.
My father was sitting at his desk, wearing his old blue shirt.
Beside him stood Daniel Price.
On the desk was a thick envelope.
The message beneath the photograph read:
Ask your mother what was inside this envelope. Your father was planning to expose someone before he died.
I stared at the photograph.
Then I noticed something.
May you like
The date printed in the corner was three days before my father entered the hospital for the final time.
And the person who had sent it was someone listed as a witness on the original trust agreement.
