Chapter 11: The Truth About My Father's Death
The investigators arrived before Vanessa could explain further.
Two officers entered the living room, followed by a woman carrying a folder.
She introduced herself as Detective Laura Bennett.
"Mrs. Thompson, we need to speak with you regarding the documents recovered from the storage facility.""
Vanessa looked at me.
I stepped away.
"You can tell them everything.""
Her face crumpled.
The detective asked Robert to provide the recording of the conversation. Then she requested copies of the financial records and the medical documents.
Vanessa was not arrested that afternoon.
But she was instructed not to leave the area without notifying investigators.
Before they left, Detective Bennett approached me.
"Mr. Carter, I understand you've recently learned about your father's previous investigation.""
"Yes.""
"Do you know how he died?""
"He was killed in a car accident.""
She nodded.
"Was that ever investigated as suspicious?""
"Not that I know of.""
"Your father was driving home from his office when another vehicle struck his car at an intersection. The driver was never identified.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Are you saying it wasn't an accident?""
"I'm saying we're reopening the circumstances surrounding it.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
She opened her folder.
"Because the vehicle involved was registered to a company associated with Graham Whitmore.""
I couldn't speak.
Detective Bennett continued.
"We also discovered that your father had filed a complaint about financial misconduct approximately two weeks before his death.""
I remembered my father's funeral.
I remembered the police officer telling us that the other vehicle had fled.
I remembered my mother sitting silently in the front row, holding my hand so tightly that her fingers hurt.
And I remembered her saying one sentence afterward.
"Your father was a good man. Don't let anyone make you believe otherwise.""
I had never understood why she said that.
Now I did.
"Can you prove Graham was involved?""
"Not yet. But we have a witness who may be able to help.""
"Who?""
Detective Bennett looked at her notes.
"Your father's former assistant. A man named Paul Henderson.""
I immediately recognized the name.
Paul had attended my father's funeral.
He had disappeared from our lives afterward.
"Where is he?""
"We're trying to locate him.""
I nodded.
"Tell me if you find him.""
She gave me her card.
Then she said something that made me stop.
"Mr. Carter, there's another issue. Your stepdaughter Brielle may be involved in the financial investigation.""
I looked at her.
"Vanessa admitted she helped.""
"We have evidence that Brielle received payments from a company connected to Whitmore Financial.""
"How much?""
"Approximately forty-seven thousand dollars over eighteen months.""
I closed my eyes.
The same amount I had seen in the storage records.
"Was it legitimate?""
"That's what we're investigating.""
I left the house shortly afterward.
Maya was still with Claire.
I didn't want her returning to a home where investigators might arrive unexpectedly.
When I reached Claire's house, Maya was sitting at the kitchen table with a coloring book.
She looked up.
"Did you find out what happened to Mom?""
I sat beside her.
"Some of it.""
"Was Vanessa lying?""
I took a breath.
"She wasn't honest about a lot of things.""
Maya looked down at her drawing.
"Did she hurt Mom?""
I struggled to answer.
"People are investigating what happened. I don't want to tell you something until we know it's true.""
She nodded.
Then she asked:
"Did Grandma know?""
I looked at her.
"Yes. I think she suspected something was wrong.""
Maya placed her crayon on the table.
"That's why she gave me the key.""
I gently kissed her forehead.
"Maybe.""
She leaned against me.
"Can we go somewhere tomorrow?""
"Where?""
"To Mom's grave.""
My throat tightened.
"Of course.""
The following morning, we visited the cemetery.
Maya brought a small bunch of white daisies.
Emily had loved daisies.
We stood beside the headstone for a long time.
Maya placed the flowers carefully.
"Hi, Mom," she whispered.
I looked away.
She continued.
"I found your picture. Dad has it now.""
A breeze moved through the trees.
Then Maya turned toward me.
"Do you think Mom knows what's happening?""
I crouched beside her.
"I don't know, sweetheart. But I think she would want you to be happy.""
Maya nodded.
"I want to be happy too.""
I hugged her.
And for the first time in days, I allowed myself to think about something other than evidence and investigations.
I thought about taking her to the beach.
About making pancakes.
About buying her a new bookshelf.
About giving her a bedroom where she could close the door without being afraid.
Then my phone rang.
Detective Bennett.
"Mr. Carter, we found Paul Henderson.""
I stepped away from Maya.
"Where?""
"He's living outside the city. He agreed to speak with us.""
"Does he know about my father's death?""
"Yes.""
"What did he say?""
The detective paused.
"He says your father was planning to meet someone the night he died.""
"Who?""
"He identified the person as Graham Whitmore.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Was Vanessa involved?""
"Paul says she was present at the meeting earlier that evening.""
I looked toward Maya.
She was arranging the daisies.
"Can I speak to him?""
"We've arranged a meeting at our office this afternoon.""
I thanked her and ended the call.
The interview room was small.
Paul Henderson looked older than I remembered. His hair was almost completely white, and his hands shook when he picked up his coffee.
When I entered, he stood.
"Marcus.""
"Paul.""
He looked at me for several seconds.
Then he lowered his eyes.
"I'm sorry.""
I sat opposite him.
"For what?""
"For not coming forward sooner.""
I felt my jaw tighten.
"What happened to my father?""
Paul glanced at Detective Bennett.
She nodded.
He took a breath.
"Your father discovered that Graham was moving money through accounts belonging to clients. Some of the transfers were disguised as investments. Others were payments to people who didn't exist.""
"Why didn't he report it?""
"He did. But Graham found out.""
Paul rubbed his forehead.
"Your father was frightened. He told me he thought someone was following him.""
I stared.
"Did he say who?""
"Vanessa.""
I felt cold.
"Why?""
"She had been working with Graham. She was collecting information about people connected to the company.""
"Did my father know?""
"Yes.""
Paul opened a folder.
"Your father asked me to make copies of several documents. He wanted to take them to the authorities.""
He handed me a photograph.
It showed my father standing outside his office.
Vanessa was beside him.
They appeared to be arguing.
The date was printed on the back.
The evening before my father's death.
I looked up.
"What happened afterward?""
Paul hesitated.
"Graham called your father that night. He said he wanted to settle the matter privately.""
"Did they meet?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"At a restaurant outside town.""
Paul swallowed.
"When your father left, Vanessa followed him.""
I stared at him.
"You're certain?""
"I saw her car.""
"Did you tell the police?""
Paul lowered his head.
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because Graham came to my house the next morning.""
His voice broke.
"He told me if I spoke, my family would suffer.""
I looked at Detective Bennett.
She was taking notes.
Paul continued.
"I left the company. I changed my number. I never told anyone what I'd seen.""
I sat back.
"Do you know what happened at the restaurant?""
"No. But I know your father left with a folder.""
"What folder?""
"The one containing the original transaction records.""
"Where is it?""
Paul hesitated.
"Your mother took it.""
My heart skipped.
"What?""
"After your father's funeral, she came to the office. She asked me whether there were any documents left. I gave her a copy of the key to his private filing cabinet.""
I looked at Detective Bennett.
"Do you know where that cabinet is?""
Paul nodded.
"Your father's old office building was demolished. But he had a second storage unit in his name.""
I felt my pulse quicken.
"Where?""
Paul wrote down an address.
Then he looked directly at me.
"Marcus, there's something else you need to know.""
I leaned forward.
"What?""
"Your father didn't die because he lost control of his car.""
The room went silent.
Paul's voice dropped.
"He called me fifteen minutes before the accident. He said someone had tampered with his brakes.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't he call the police?""
"He was trying to get to the station. He said he had proof.""
I felt sick.
"Did he say who did it?""
Paul closed his eyes.
Then he whispered:
"He said Graham had finally sent someone to finish what he started.""
I stood so quickly my chair scraped against the floor.
Detective Bennett rose.
"Mr. Carter, please sit down.""
I couldn't.
My father.
My mother.
Emily.
Three people connected to the same man.
And now Maya was caught in the middle of the same secret.
My phone vibrated.
A message from Claire.
*Marcus, Brielle is here. She says she wants to talk to Maya. She's crying.*
I immediately called.
"Don't let her near Maya.""
Claire sounded frightened.
"Marcus, she says Vanessa has been arrested.""
I froze.
"What?""
"She says the police found something in Vanessa's car.""
Before I could respond, Claire lowered her voice.
"Marcus, Brielle is telling Maya that you caused everything.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"What exactly is she saying?""
Claire paused.
May you like
Then she answered:
"She's telling Maya that her father knew what happened to Emily and helped cover it up.""
