Chapter 14: The Father Who Raised Me
I couldn't move.
The man who had taught me to ride a bicycle.
The man who had stayed awake beside my hospital bed when I was sick.
The man who had stood in the front row when I graduated.
Rebecca was telling me that he had killed Richard Carter.
"No," I whispered.
Rebecca's eyes filled.
"Amara—"
"No.""
I backed away from the bed.
"You're lying.""
"I wish I were.""
I turned toward Jonathan.
He looked shaken, but he wasn't surprised.
"Amara, we need to establish what Rebecca is claiming.""
Martin stepped forward.
"We've located the original toxicology report. It was suppressed during the first investigation.""
I looked at him.
"By whom?""
"An investigator connected to the Carter estate. The report identified a rare compound in Richard's blood. It wasn't consistent with a natural cardiac event.""
"Who had access to it?""
Martin opened a folder.
"Three people had documented access to the estate that evening. Daniel. Rebecca. And David.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why was my father there?""
Rebecca answered.
"Richard had contacted him.""
"About what?""
"About you.""
She looked down.
"Richard wanted to tell you the truth about your biological parentage. He also wanted David to help protect you and Sophie.""
I shook my head.
"David knew about Sophie?""
"Not at first. But he knew Richard was your biological father.""
I thought of the old family photographs in my father's house.
The way he sometimes stared at me when he thought I wasn't looking.
The strange silence whenever the Carter family was mentioned.
Had he carried this secret all those years?
"Why would he kill Richard?""
Rebecca's voice broke.
"Because he believed Richard was going to take you away from him.""
I closed my eyes.
Martin received a message.
He read it, then looked up.
"We've found David's old legal correspondence.""
"What does it say?""
"Richard offered to acknowledge you as his biological daughter and provide financial support. David refused.""
"Why?""
"Because he believed Richard's money would destroy your life.""
I shook my head.
"That doesn't make him a murderer.""
"No," Martin said.
"It doesn't.""
Rebecca shifted painfully.
"There's something else.""
Jonathan approached the bed.
"Mrs. Shaw, you need to tell us everything.""
She looked at Daniel.
"After Richard collapsed, I found the glass he had been drinking from. I knew something was wrong.""
"Did you know David had poisoned him?""
Rebecca nodded.
"He told me what he'd done.""
I felt sick.
"And you protected him?""
"I protected Daniel too. He had been arguing with Richard, and I knew the police would suspect him.""
Daniel stared at his mother.
"You said you were protecting me.""
"I was.""
"You let me believe I was responsible for his death!""
Rebecca began crying.
"I thought the truth would destroy you.""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"You let me spend six years living with guilt for something I didn't do.""
I looked at him.
"Did you know David was my biological father?""
Daniel shook his head.
"Not until now.""
I turned back to Rebecca.
"Where is the evidence?""
She pointed to the envelope.
"Richard recorded a conversation before he died. He left it with his attorney.""
Jonathan examined the envelope.
"Where is the recording now?""
Rebecca gave him an address.
"The old Willow property. In the locked cabinet beneath the original kitchen floor.""
My stomach tightened.
The same property Richard had mentioned in his recording.
The place where Daniel and Vanessa had been seen searching for documents.
Martin immediately contacted his team.
Within an hour, we were standing inside the abandoned restaurant.
The Willow looked nothing like Élan.
Dust covered the counters. The windows were boarded up, and old chairs sat overturned against the walls.
I remembered Richard bringing me here once, years before I married Daniel.
He had told me that a restaurant was more than a room full of tables.
"It is a place where people trust you with their lives," he had said.
I hadn't understood then.
Now I wondered how much he had known.
Martin found the hidden cabinet beneath a section of loose flooring.
Inside was a metal case.
Jonathan opened it.
There were financial records, trust documents, and a small digital recorder.
He pressed play.
Richard's voice filled the abandoned room.
"If you're hearing this, I am no longer able to protect the children myself.""
A pause.
"I know David is afraid of losing Amara. I understand his fear, but he must not mistake love for ownership.""
Another pause.
"David has threatened me. He believes I will take Amara away from him. I have told him that will never happen.""
My throat tightened.
Richard continued.
"I also know that someone has been moving money from the family trust. The transfers are being made through a foundation controlled by Victor Reed.""
Jonathan looked at Martin.
Richard's voice grew weaker.
"Daniel is not innocent. He has signed documents he does not understand, and he has allowed Rebecca to conceal information. But I do not believe he is responsible for what is about to happen.""
A loud noise came through the recording.
Then another voice.
David.
My father's voice.
"You should have left her alone.""
Richard answered.
"She's my daughter.""
"She's mine.""
"She is not property.""
A chair scraped.
Then David spoke again.
"If you tell her the truth, you will lose everything.""
The recording ended.
I stood motionless.
I knew that voice.
I had heard it a thousand times.
Martin looked at the recorder.
"There's more.""
He pressed another button.
A second recording began.
David's voice was unmistakable.
"I didn't mean for him to die.""
My hand flew to my mouth.
Then Rebecca's voice followed.
"Then why did you put it in his glass?""
David answered.
"Because he was going to take her away.""
Rebecca whispered, "You have to leave.""
David's response was chilling.
"No. You have to help me. And if you ever tell Amara what happened, I'll make sure she never finds out who she really is.""
The recording stopped.
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Martin's phone rang.
He answered and listened.
His expression changed.
"What is it?"" I asked.
He lowered the phone.
"David's house has been searched.""
"Why?""
"Because we found evidence linking him to Richard's death.""
I stared at him.
"Is he there?""
Martin hesitated.
"No.""
"Where is he?""
"He's been missing for three days.""
My stomach dropped.
Then Jonathan's phone buzzed.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Lily and Sophie together.
The girls were sitting on a bench outside a playground.
Beneath the photograph were six words.
*Bring the original trust documents. Alone.*
I grabbed Jonathan's arm.
"Where are they?""
Martin was already moving.
"We're tracing the image.""
Another message appeared.
This time, there was no photograph.
Only a sentence.
*Your father wants to meet his grandchildren.*
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Because whoever had sent the message wasn't talking about David.
May you like
It was signed:
*D. Carter.*
