Chapter 12: The Missing Ledger
The storage facility was surrounded by police vehicles when Detective Mitchell arrived.
I had insisted on accompanying her, but Dr. Morgan refused to release me without additional precautions.
Eventually, we compromised.
I would remain in the hospital while Detective Mitchell investigated, and she would call me as soon as they found anything.
It was the longest afternoon of my life.
I sat beside the window with my mother's photograph on the bedside table.
My father smiled from the picture.
He looked younger than I remembered.
His arm rested across Gregory's shoulder.
They seemed like friends.
I wondered how long my father had trusted the man who might have helped destroy his life.
At 3:17 p.m., Detective Mitchell called.
"We found the unit.""
I sat upright.
"What was inside?""
"Most of the boxes had been moved. But one metal cabinet was still there.""
"Did you find the ledger?""
"Not yet.""
I closed my eyes.
"Then what did Gregory take?""
"That's what we're trying to establish.""
I heard movement on her end.
Then she said something that made me grip the phone.
"There's a second storage compartment behind the cabinet.""
"What?""
"It appears to have been constructed into the wall. We're having it examined.""
I held my breath.
A few seconds later, she returned.
"We found a sealed envelope.""
My heart began pounding.
"What's inside?""
"An old bank statement, a photograph, and a handwritten letter.""
"Can you read it?""
"Not over the phone. But I can tell you the letter is addressed to your father.""
"From whom?""
She paused.
"From someone named Richard Bennett.""
I stared at the wall.
Mr. Bennett.
The current chairman of Whitmore Industries.
He had been in the company for decades.
"Was he involved with my father?""
"That's what we need to determine.""
I swallowed.
"Please send me a photograph.""
"I'll arrange it through the investigator.""
The call ended.
Twenty minutes later, three images arrived.
The first showed a bank statement.
The second showed a photograph of my father standing beside a younger Richard Bennett.
The third was the letter.
I opened it.
The handwriting was neat and deliberate.
Edward,
I reviewed the figures you sent. You're right about the missing payments. The money is being diverted through accounts that shouldn't exist.
I confronted Gregory this afternoon. He denied everything, but I don't believe him.
Please do not approach him alone. We need to bring this to the board before he realizes we have the original records.
Richard.
I read the letter twice.
Then I noticed the date.
October 13.
Three days before my father's accident.
My hands began trembling.
I called Detective Mitchell.
"Did you see the date?""
"Yes.""
"Richard Bennett knew my father was investigating missing money.""
"That's what the letter suggests.""
"Did Mr. Bennett ever tell the board?""
"We don't know.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Daniel knew about this, didn't he?""
"We're investigating that possibility.""
A new thought occurred to me.
"Detective, can you ask Mr. Bennett whether he remembers my father?""
"I can arrange that.""
"Please.""
She agreed.
An hour later, I received another call.
This time, it was Mr. Bennett himself.
"Nia, I've just been informed about the documents recovered from the storage unit.""
His voice sounded tired.
"Did you know my father?""
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
He was silent.
Then he answered.
"Because I didn't know you were his daughter until recently.""
I frowned.
"What do you mean?""
"Your father used the name Edward Hale in some of his consulting work. I knew him through that arrangement. I wasn't aware of his family connection to you.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"But you wrote him a letter.""
"Yes.""
"What happened after he received it?""
Mr. Bennett exhaled.
"Your father was supposed to meet me on October 16. He never arrived.""
"Because he died that night.""
"I know.""
His voice cracked slightly.
"I've regretted that meeting for twelve years.""
I swallowed.
"Did you suspect Gregory?""
"At the time, I suspected financial misconduct. I had no evidence connecting him to your father's death.""
"Did you investigate?""
"Privately, yes. But Gregory had already left the department, and the original financial records disappeared.""
I thought about the ledger.
"Could those records still exist?""
"Possibly. Your father told me he had made a second copy.""
My heart began racing.
"Where?""
"I don't know. He said he had placed it somewhere safe.""
I looked at the storage key on the bedside table.
"Then we need to find it.""
Mr. Bennett agreed.
Before ending the call, he said something else.
"Nia, there's something I should tell you about Daniel.""
I went still.
"What?""
"Daniel joined Whitmore Industries through a recommendation twelve years ago.""
"From whom?""
"Gregory Shaw.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
Mr. Bennett continued.
"I never understood why Gregory was so invested in Daniel's career. Now I suspect there was a connection between them long before you married.""
My stomach tightened.
"How long?""
"Daniel's employment application lists Gregory as a professional reference. The date is three months after your father's death.""
I stared at the ceiling.
Daniel hadn't accidentally become involved in this old scandal.
He might have been connected to it from the beginning.
Then Mr. Bennett said something else.
"There's also an issue with the promotion.""
I frowned.
"What issue?""
"The board was reviewing a special compensation package. If Daniel became Senior Vice President, he would have gained authority over several legacy financial accounts.""
"Legacy accounts?""
"Accounts established before the company's restructuring. Some of them are still connected to the transactions your father investigated.""
I felt sick.
"Was that why he wanted the promotion?""
"I believe so.""
The call ended.
I sat motionless.
Daniel hadn't been celebrating a career achievement.
He had been trying to gain access to something.
Something connected to my father's investigation.
And he needed the board to approve it before anyone discovered the truth.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Vanessa.
*Nia, I found the spreadsheet I told you about.*
I opened it.
There were several payment entries.
Dates.
Account numbers.
Amounts.
One row was highlighted in yellow.
*Legacy Account Transfer — $1,800,000.*
The date was October 16, twelve years earlier.
The day my father died.
I stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
*Daniel has been trying to locate the original ledger. He told Gregory it was the only thing that could destroy them both.*
My hands went cold.
I typed a question.
*Where is Daniel now?*
Vanessa replied.
*I don't know. But I heard him telling someone he was going to meet your brother.*
Before I could respond, another notification appeared.
An incoming call.
Ethan.
I answered immediately.
"Where are you?""
His voice was barely audible.
"Nia, I found something.""
"What?""
"I went through Dad's old things at Mom's house.""
My heart began pounding.
"What did you find?""
"A photograph of Daniel.""
I frowned.
"What about it?""
"He was standing outside Dad's office.""
"When?""
Ethan swallowed.
"The day Dad died.""
I sat upright.
"That's impossible.""
"I checked the date on the back.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"How old was Daniel?""
"Twenty-two, maybe twenty-three.""
I closed my eyes.
Daniel had always told me he first met Gregory through a business networking event years later.
But my brother was holding a photograph that suggested otherwise.
"Ethan, send it to me.""
A moment later, the image appeared.
My father stood beside a younger Gregory Shaw.
And several feet behind them, near the office entrance, was a young man in a dark jacket.
Daniel.
But it was the writing on the back that made my blood run cold.
*October 16. Daniel delivered the final documents. Dad said he was going to report Gregory the next morning.*
I stared at the photograph.
Then Ethan whispered:
"Nia, I think Daniel was there when Dad died.""
May you like
And before I could answer, my brother added one final sentence.
"I think he knows who killed him.""
