Chapter 7: The Man Who Knew Her Father’s Secret
Nia recognized the silver buckle on the man's shoe because her father had owned a photograph of it.
Not the shoe itself, but the distinctive buckle: a narrow strip of silver crossed by two black lines, custom-made by a small designer in Atlanta. Her father had once pointed it out during a charity dinner and joked that the man wearing it cared more about appearances than honesty.
The man was Richard Vale's closest business associate.
His name was Victor Hayes.
And until that afternoon, Nia had believed he was one of the few people who had genuinely cared about her father.
“That's Victor,” she whispered, enlarging the photograph on her phone.
“He used to come to our house for dinner.””
Malik leaned over her shoulder.
“Are you sure?””
“I remember those shoes. He wore them to Dad's memorial service.””
Evelyn took the phone from Nia and examined the image.
“Victor Hayes was the company's chief financial officer before Richard became CEO. He resigned eighteen months ago.””
“Why?””
“Officially, he wanted to retire. Unofficially, he had disagreements with Richard about several transactions.””
“Did you know he was involved with my sister?””
“No.””
Nia stared at the photograph.
The black ledger sat on a metal desk beneath a harsh overhead light. The silver key rested beside it. The person who had taken the picture had deliberately included the buckle in the frame.
It was a warning.
Someone wanted Nia to recognize Victor.
And someone wanted her to come to the old headquarters alone.
Malik took her phone and placed it on the table.
“We're not following instructions from an anonymous person.””
“If the ledger disappears, we might never find the truth.””
“Then we get the police involved.””
“What if the person sending these messages is watching the building? What if they move everything before the officers arrive?””
Malik looked at her steadily.
“Then we let the police handle it. You don't have to risk your life to prove you're brave.””
Nia's throat tightened.
She was tired of people deciding what she could handle because of her injured shoulder. But Malik wasn't trying to control her. He was afraid of losing her, and she could see it in the way he kept glancing at the bruise forming beneath her sleeve.
“I don't want to be reckless,” she said.
“I want to stop them from deciding what happens to me.””
Evelyn pulled a chair closer.
“Then we make our own plan.””
Within twenty minutes, the police had been informed about the threatening message. An investigator named Detective Brooks, who was unrelated to Nia, agreed to coordinate surveillance around the old headquarters.
He was a broad-shouldered Black man in his forties with a calm voice and a habit of listening without interrupting.
“We'll approach this as a potential evidence recovery operation,” he explained.
“Nobody enters the building without authorization. If the sender contacts you again, don't respond until we've reviewed it.””
Nia nodded.
Detective Brooks turned to Evelyn.
“I also want the company records you've mentioned. Every transaction you believe was suspicious.””
“I can provide them,” Evelyn said.
“And I want a complete timeline of Mr. Brooks's death. Medical records, correspondence, everything you can legally obtain.””
Evelyn hesitated.
“His death certificate lists cardiac arrest following a heart attack. He had a documented cardiac condition.””
“Did he have enemies?””
“He had professional disputes.””
“Did he receive threats?””
Evelyn looked at Nia.
“I know of one.””
Nia felt a chill.
“What threat?””
“Three weeks before his death, your father received an anonymous letter. He showed it to me and asked me to make a copy. The letter said that if he continued investigating the company's accounts, someone would make sure his family paid for it.””
Nia gripped the edge of the table.
“Why didn't you tell the police?””
“I thought it was an intimidation tactic. Your father refused to discuss it further, and then he died. I should have reported it.””
Detective Brooks made a note.
“Do you still have the copy?””
“No. I kept it in a file at the old headquarters. If Victor has been moving documents, it may be gone.””
Malik paced toward the window.
“Everybody knew something, and nobody told Nia.””
Evelyn accepted the accusation without protest.
“You're right.””
For several minutes, the room was quiet.
Then Nia's phone vibrated.
A new message had arrived from the unknown sender.
*Victor isn't the only one who knows what happened that night. Ask your sister who drove your father home.*
Nia read it twice.
Her father had driven himself to a company dinner on the night he died. That was what Tasha had told the family. She remembered the argument that followed when their mother complained that he had been working too late again.
Nia turned toward the interview room.
“Bring Tasha back.””
Detective Brooks raised an eyebrow.
“Do you know something we don't?””
“I need to ask her one question.””
A few minutes later, Tasha entered with an officer beside her. Her makeup had streaked beneath her eyes, and she looked exhausted.
“What now?”” she asked.
Nia held up the phone.
“Who drove Dad home the night he died?””
Tasha's expression changed so quickly that Nia barely had time to register it.
“No one.””
“Think carefully.””
“I told you, he drove himself.””
“Did you see him leave the company dinner?””
Tasha looked at the officer, then back at Nia.
“I wasn't there.””
“Then how do you know he drove himself?””
Tasha opened her mouth.
Closed it.
Finally, she sank into the chair.
“Victor called me that night.””
Nia's heart hammered.
“What did he say?””
“He said Dad wasn't feeling well and needed someone to bring him home. I was at a friend's apartment, so I called Richard. He said he'd take care of it.””
“Richard drove him home?””
Tasha nodded.
“Why didn't you tell the police?””
“Because Richard told me Dad had already left. He said he was tired and wanted to be alone.””
Nia stared at her sister.
“Did you ever see Dad after that?””
“No.””
“Did you ask Richard what happened?””
“He said Dad had a heart attack during the night. He told me not to upset Mom by asking questions.””
Nia could barely breathe.
Her father had been alive when Richard took responsibility for getting him home. And the man who later controlled the company had been the last person her sister knew to have seen him.
Detective Brooks stood.
“That's information we need to verify immediately.””
Tasha began crying again.
“I didn't know, Nia. I swear I didn't know.””
Nia looked at her for a long moment.
“I don't know what you knew anymore.””
She turned away.
The detective escorted Tasha back to the interview room and began making calls. Evelyn opened her laptop to locate the records of the dinner.
Malik moved beside Nia.
“Whatever happened that night, we'll find out.””
She leaned against him, careful of her shoulder.
For a brief moment, she allowed herself to feel the weight of his support.
Then her phone rang.
The caller ID displayed a name she hadn't seen in six years.
*Victor Hayes.*
Nia answered on speaker, with Detective Brooks listening.
A man's tired voice filled the room.
“Nia, I know you've received the photograph.””
“Why are you sending me messages?””
“Because I have something your father wanted you to see.””
“Then give it to the police.””
A pause.
“I can't trust the police.””
Detective Brooks leaned closer to the phone.
“This is Detective Brooks. If you have evidence, we can arrange a protected meeting.””
Victor exhaled shakily.
“Richard has people inside the company and people outside it. I don't know who he can reach. But I know what he did to your father.””
Nia's fingers tightened around the phone.
“What did he do?””
Victor's answer came in a whisper.
“Your father didn't die at home. Richard brought him home already unconscious.””
The room went silent.
“And when I went to the house the next morning,” Victor continued, “Richard was washing blood from his hands.””
Nia felt Malik's hand close around hers.
Victor took another breath.
“I have the original ledger, the letter your father wrote, and the records that prove Richard paid someone to alter the medical report.””
“Where are you?”” Detective Brooks asked.
“Not somewhere I can tell you over the phone.””
“Then tell us how to reach you safely.””
Victor hesitated.
“Midnight. The old headquarters. Bring Nia, and bring the original key.””
The call disconnected.
Detective Brooks immediately ordered officers to locate Victor and secure the building.
Nia stood motionless, staring at the blank phone screen.
Her father's death had been a tragedy for six years.
May you like
Now it might have been a crime.
And the person who could prove it had just asked her to walk into the place where the truth had been buried.
