Chapter 11: My Wife's Secret Account
I stared at the transaction record.
Nia's name appeared beside six separate withdrawals.
The earliest was dated six years earlier.
The most recent had occurred only four days ago.
I looked at Detective Collins.
“Are you sure?””
She nodded.
“The account is registered under your wife's identification.””
“That's impossible.””
“It's possible someone used her identity. That's what we're investigating.””
Marcus sat beside me, his injured shoulder wrapped in white bandages.
He leaned forward.
“How much?””
The detective checked her notes.
“Approximately $410,000 was transferred through the account over six years.””
I closed my eyes.
Four hundred and ten thousand dollars.
Money belonging to my daughter.
Money that had supposedly been protected by a trust.
“Where did it go?””
“Several companies. One of them is registered to Richard Hale.””
Marcus swore.
“Vanessa's attorney.””
The detective nodded.
“But there's another company.””
She turned the page.
“Bennett Family Consulting.””
I looked up.
“That company doesn't exist.””
“It was incorporated six years ago.””
“Who owns it?””
The detective hesitated.
“Mrs. Nia Bennett.””
I stood.
“Find her.””
“Mr. Bennett, we need to be careful.””
“She's my wife.””
“Which is why I want to establish whether she's a victim, a witness, or a participant.””
I grabbed my phone.
Nia had called me twice while we were at the hospital.
I dialed her number.
She answered immediately.
“Arthur?””
“Where are you?””
“At home. What's happening? Is your father okay?””
“Did you take money from Maya's trust?””
Silence.
Then a quiet breath.
“Arthur, I can explain.””
I gripped the phone.
“That's what everybody keeps saying.””
“Please don't do this over the phone.””
“Four hundred and ten thousand dollars, Nia. Your name is on the account.””
“I didn't steal that money.””
“Then why is it there?””
She began crying.
“Because your father asked me to move it.””
I looked at Marcus.
He shook his head.
I lowered my voice.
“Move it where?””
“Into an account Vanessa couldn't access.””
“Then why did it go to a company registered in your name?””
“Because I was told it was temporary.””
“By whom?””
Nia didn't answer.
“Nia!””
“By Richard Hale.””
I closed my eyes.
“What did he tell you?””
“He said the trust was being investigated. He said if I didn't move the money, Vanessa could freeze it.””
“Did you verify that?””
“No.””
“Did you tell me?””
“No.””
I laughed bitterly.
“How many more secrets are there?””
She whispered, “One.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“What?””
“Come home. I'll show you.””
The call ended.
Detective Collins watched me.
“Where is she?””
“At home.””
“I'm sending an officer.””
I shook my head.
“She's not going anywhere.””
The detective studied me.
“Mr. Bennett, I understand this is personal, but please don't confront her alone.””
I nodded.
But I already knew I had to hear the truth from her.
When I arrived home, Nia was sitting at the kitchen table.
The house was quiet.
Lily had taken the children to her apartment.
Nia looked up when I entered.
Her eyes were red.
On the table sat a thick folder, a glass of untouched water, and an old photograph.
I stopped.
“What is this?””
She pushed the folder toward me.
“Everything I should have told you.””
I opened it.
Inside were bank statements, legal documents, and copies of emails between Nia and Richard Hale.
The first email was dated six years earlier.
The transfer has been completed. The funds are secure.
Nia's reply read:
I hope this is the last time. Arthur cannot find out.
I looked up.
“You knew I couldn't find out?””
She nodded.
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
She opened the photograph.
It showed my father lying in a hospital bed.
Nia was standing beside him.
But there was another person in the picture.
A woman wearing a white coat.
I recognized her.
Dr. Elaine Porter.
My father's former physician.
Nia pointed to the photograph.
“Your father asked me to help him.””
“With what?””
“He was afraid Vanessa would have him declared mentally incompetent. He wanted to move the trust funds before she could gain control.””
I looked at the documents.
“So you moved the money through your company.””
“Yes.””
“And Richard Hale helped?””
“Yes.””
“Why would you trust him?””
“Your father said he was the only attorney who knew where the original records were.””
I sat down.
“Then why did you keep doing business with him after the first transfer?””
Nia lowered her head.
“Because he threatened me.””
“With what?””
She opened another folder.
Inside was a medical report.
It contained information about a pregnancy.
I looked at the date.
Then I looked at her.
“What is this?””
Nia's voice trembled.
“Before I became pregnant with Maya, I lost a baby.””
I stared at her.
She continued.
“I was almost four months pregnant. Your father knew. He was the one who took me to the hospital because you were out of town.””
I remembered that business trip.
Nia had told me she was dealing with a family emergency.
I had called her several times, but she insisted everything was fine.
I never knew she had lost a pregnancy.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“Because I was devastated. And because your father made me promise not to involve you in the family situation.””
I looked at the report.
There was a note from Dr. Porter.
Patient's medical records transferred under restricted authorization.
I frowned.
“Why was the record restricted?””
Nia's expression changed.
“Because Richard Hale wanted to use it.””
“For what?””
“To prove that I was emotionally unstable and unfit to manage Maya's trust.””
I looked at her.
“Did you tell anyone?””
“No.””
“Not even Marcus?””
“No.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“This family has turned every painful thing into a weapon.””
Nia reached for my hand.
“I know.””
I didn't pull away this time.
She continued.
“Arthur, I need to tell you something about Maya's biological father.””
I looked up.
“What?””
“Marcus wasn't supposed to know about the pregnancy when your father first approached me.””
I frowned.
“But you said he found out when I was pregnant.””
“He did. But your father had already made arrangements.””
“What arrangements?””
Nia opened a smaller envelope.
Inside was a laboratory report.
It was dated before Maya's birth.
The heading read:
*PATERNITY TEST — CONFIDENTIAL.*
I stared at it.
“What is this?””
“Your father arranged the test.””
I looked at the results.
The report identified Marcus as the biological father.
But beneath the result was another note.
The sample provided for comparison was obtained from a secondary source.
I looked at Nia.
“What does that mean?””
She swallowed.
“Your father never told me whose sample he used.””
I stared at the paper.
“Then how could he be certain?””
“He said it was enough.””
I shook my head.
“That's not how this works.””
Nia began crying again.
“Arthur, I never wanted this to happen.””
I looked at the report.
For the first time, I wondered whether the entire paternity story had been manufactured.
Perhaps Marcus wasn't Maya's biological father.
Perhaps the test was false.
Perhaps my father had created the confusion deliberately.
Then my phone rang.
Detective Collins.
I answered.
“What's happened?””
Her voice was urgent.
“We found Richard Hale's banking partner.””
“Who?””
“Dr. Elaine Porter.””
I looked at Nia.
She went pale.
The detective continued.
“She wasn't just your father's physician. She was also the authorized witness on several trust documents.””
I looked at the medical report again.
“What else?””
“We found evidence that she altered the original paternity records.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Can you prove it?””
“We're working on that. But there's something else.””
“What?””
“Dr. Porter has disappeared.””
I stood.
“When?””
“About an hour ago.””
I looked at Nia.
She was staring at the folder.
Then she whispered something I could barely hear.
“She took the original sample.””
I turned toward her.
“What sample?””
Nia covered her mouth.
“The one your father kept.””
Before I could ask another question, the front door opened.
Lily rushed inside.
Her face was white.
“Uncle Arthur!””
I ran toward her.
“What happened?””
She held up her phone.
“Someone called Maya.””
“Who?””
“I don't know. But they left a voicemail.””
She pressed play.
A woman's voice emerged.
Calm.
Cold.
Familiar.
Vanessa.
“Sweetheart, I know your father has told you a lot of lies. If you want to know who your real father is, meet me tomorrow morning at the old cemetery.””
A pause.
Then Vanessa added:
“And bring the silver key. Come alone.””
The recording ended.
I looked at Nia.
She was shaking.
Then Lily played the final part of the voicemail.
May you like
Vanessa's voice returned.
“One more thing, Maya. Your grandfather isn't the only person in this family who has been declared dead.””
