Chapter 9: The Recording That Ended Her Lies
The USB drive contained dozens of files.
Bank statements.
Scanned documents.
Photographs.
And several audio recordings.
Dad called Eleanor before opening anything.
She advised us to preserve the original drive and make a copy for the investigation.
That afternoon, we sat in the office while a technician helped us access the files.
The first recording was dated four months earlier.
Denise's voice came through the speakers.
"Leonard, I'm telling you, the money is there. Marcus has been saving for Maya since she was little.""
A man's voice answered.
"Then why haven't you taken it?""
"Because Marcus checks that account sometimes.""
"You're married to him. How difficult can it be?""
Denise sighed.
"He's more careful than I thought.""
The recording ended.
I stared at the screen.
Dad's jaw tightened.
The next recording was even worse.
It contained Denise discussing the car.
"Jordan deserves something for once. Maya gets scholarships and awards and everyone acts like she's some kind of miracle.""
Leonard laughed.
"Just take the keys.""
"I will. Marcus won't be home.""
"Good. Let the boy enjoy himself.""
I felt my stomach turn.
They had planned the graduation car incident.
It wasn't a spontaneous decision.
Denise had known exactly what she intended to do.
Dad closed his eyes.
"Keep going.""
The next recording was dated two weeks later.
Leonard asked about the trust.
Denise answered:
"Once Maya turns eighteen, the money becomes available. We need the paperwork completed before then.""
"What if the lawyer refuses?""
"Then we use Daniel.""
"Will he cooperate?""
"He wants money. Everyone has a price.""
I looked at Dad.
He looked devastated.
Then the final recording began.
Denise was speaking to someone whose voice I didn't recognize.
"Don't worry. Marcus won't fight me forever. If I can make him believe Maya isn't biologically his, he'll start questioning everything Evelyn arranged.""
The other person asked:
"And if he doesn't?""
Denise laughed.
"Then I'll tell him what really happened the night Evelyn died.""
Dad suddenly stood.
The room went silent.
I looked at him.
"Dad?""
He turned away from the computer.
His hands were shaking.
"What did she mean?""
Dad didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
"What happened the night Mom died?""
He sat down slowly.
For several seconds, he stared at the floor.
Then he spoke.
"Your mother died in a car accident.""
I nodded.
I knew that.
"She was driving home from a medical appointment. Another vehicle crossed into her lane. The police determined it was an accident.""
Dad rubbed his face.
"Denise was the first person I called after the funeral.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"Because I was already dating her.""
I stared.
"What?""
Dad looked at me.
"Not seriously. We had met through a coworker. Evelyn knew about her.""
I felt uncomfortable.
"Did Mom know you were seeing Denise?""
"Yes. We were separated for a few months before Evelyn passed. We had been trying to work things out.""
My throat tightened.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I was ashamed of how complicated everything was.""
He took a long breath.
"After Evelyn's accident, Denise became very supportive. She helped with the funeral. She helped me manage the house. I was grieving, and I made decisions too quickly.""
I thought about the woman who had gradually pushed my mother out of our home.
"Did Denise know Mom before she died?""
Dad shook his head.
"Not personally.""
"Then what does she know?""
He looked toward the recording.
"That's what we need to find out.""
The next day, Eleanor contacted us.
She had reviewed the recordings with investigators.
She also discovered that Denise had accessed an old insurance file belonging to Evelyn.
One page contained a handwritten note from an insurance adjuster.
It mentioned that the driver of the other vehicle had been identified but had never been interviewed because he left the state before the investigation concluded.
Dad frowned.
"Why would Denise have that?""
Eleanor explained that the file had been stored with the estate documents.
It had never been part of the trust.
Then she asked Dad a question.
"Did Evelyn ever tell you she suspected the accident wasn't entirely random?""
Dad went pale.
"No.""
Eleanor showed him another document.
It was an old letter from Evelyn to her attorney.
The date was three weeks before the accident.
The letter stated that someone had been following her.
She didn't identify the person.
But she mentioned receiving threatening messages related to a financial dispute involving Daniel Reed.
I looked at Dad.
"Daniel?""
Eleanor nodded.
"He has agreed to provide additional information.""
Later that afternoon, Daniel returned to the office.
He looked frightened.
"I need to tell you something.""
Dad stood.
"What?""
Daniel sat down.
"Leonard contacted me years ago. He said he knew something about Evelyn's accident.""
My heart began pounding.
"What did he know?""
Daniel swallowed.
"He said the man who hit her wasn't random.""
Dad gripped the edge of the desk.
"Who was he?""
Daniel looked at us.
"Leonard said Denise knew the driver.""
I couldn't breathe.
Dad's face became expressionless.
"Why would Denise know him?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't know. But Leonard told me she had been communicating with him before the accident.""
Eleanor leaned forward.
"Do you have proof?""
Daniel removed an envelope from his jacket.
Inside were printed messages.
He explained that Leonard had sent them months earlier, trying to convince him to cooperate with the inheritance claim.
One message stood out.
*Leonard:* Denise has been keeping this quiet for years. If Marcus ever finds out what happened to Evelyn, the marriage is finished.
Dad stared at the paper.
Then he looked at me.
His eyes were wet.
I reached for his hand.
"Whatever happened, Dad, you didn't do this.""
He squeezed my fingers.
But Eleanor was already reading the next message.
And when she reached the final line, she looked up.
"Mr. Williams, I think we need to find Denise immediately.""
May you like
Because Leonard had written:
*If Denise doesn't get the thirty thousand dollars, she's going to tell Marcus who was driving the car that killed Evelyn.*
