Chapter 11: My Brother Wasn't Telling Me Everything
The drive to the hospital felt endless.
Daniel sat beside me, staring through the windshield.
Neither of us spoke.
I kept thinking about the recording.
My mother's voice.
My father's questions.
The name Daniel.
When we reached the hospital, Officer Bennett was waiting near the emergency department.
He was a tall man in his fifties with a serious expression.
"Mr. Carter?""
I nodded.
"How is my mother?""
"She's receiving treatment. The doctors believe she'll recover, but she has a concussion.""
I exhaled.
"Can I see her?""
"One at a time.""
He glanced at Daniel.
"Before you go in, I need to ask you both some questions.""
Daniel nodded.
Officer Bennett opened a notebook.
"Your mother told the paramedics that someone had come to her house.""
"Who?""
"She said she recognized the person, but she was afraid to identify them.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Did she say anything else?""
"She mentioned an argument about a recording.""
My stomach tightened.
The cassette.
"Was anything taken from the house?""
"We don't know yet.""
I showed him the photograph of the cabinet and explained that we'd found old recordings related to an investigation.
Officer Bennett listened carefully.
"Please don't remove or alter anything else. We'll need to document the materials.""
"Of course.""
Then he asked Daniel to wait outside.
I followed him into my mother's room.
She was lying in bed with a bandage above her eyebrow.
Her eyes opened when she heard me.
"Marcus.""
I rushed to her side.
"Mom.""
She tried to sit up.
I gently stopped her.
"Don't move.""
She grabbed my hand.
"Did you find it?""
"The recording?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
Her eyes filled.
"Then you know.""
I swallowed.
"I know you were afraid of Vanessa. I know Dad was investigating her. But I don't understand what happened the night he died.""
My mother looked toward the door.
"Is Daniel here?""
"Yes.""
"Did you bring him?""
"He's outside.""
She closed her eyes.
"Don't let him hear everything.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
Her voice trembled.
"Because he was the one who gave Vanessa the key.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
"What key?""
"The key to your father's office.""
I sat down.
"Mom, Daniel was a teenager when Dad died.""
"He was eighteen.""
"Why would he help Vanessa?""
My mother began crying.
"She told him she could help him.""
"With what?""
"His debts.""
I remembered Daniel struggling financially when he was younger.
He had made some terrible decisions.
But I had never known the details.
"How much?""
"Enough that he was desperate.""
My mother took a breath.
"Vanessa promised to pay everything if he helped her access your father's files.""
I stared at her.
"Did he know what she was doing?""
"Not at first.""
"Did he know Dad was in danger?""
She looked away.
"I don't know.""
I leaned closer.
"Mom, did Daniel have anything to do with Dad's accident?""
She began shaking her head.
"No. Not directly.""
"Then what happened?""
My mother took a long breath.
"The night your father died, he was supposed to meet Dr. Harris. But Vanessa changed the location. She told him to meet her at the old warehouse.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Why?""
"She said she had the original documents.""
"Did Dad go?""
"Yes.""
"And?""
My mother began crying harder.
"He never came home.""
I looked at her.
"Did Daniel know?""
She nodded.
"He knew your father had gone there.""
I stood abruptly.
"Why didn't he tell the police?""
"Because Vanessa showed him a photograph.""
"What photograph?""
My mother looked at me.
"One of him entering the warehouse.""
I felt sick.
"She threatened to frame him.""
My mother nodded.
"She said she'd make sure everyone believed he had helped kill his own father.""
I stared at her.
For years, I had believed Daniel simply hadn't known what was happening.
Now I wasn't sure.
"Did he ever tell you?""
"No. He told me he had made a mistake, but he never explained everything.""
I looked toward the door.
"Where is the original photograph?""
My mother reached beneath her pillow and pulled out a small folded paper.
"Vanessa gave it to me yesterday.""
I opened it.
It showed Daniel standing outside the warehouse.
The date was visible.
The night our father died.
But there was something else.
In the reflection of a nearby car window, another person could be seen.
A woman.
Vanessa.
I turned the photograph over.
On the back was a handwritten message.
*ONE FAMILY SECRET FOR ANOTHER.*
I looked at my mother.
"Who wrote this?""
She whispered:
"Your father.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
"He took the photograph before he died. He wanted me to understand that Daniel wasn't the only person being threatened.""
I felt my heart pounding.
"Who else?""
My mother looked directly at me.
"You.""
I didn't understand.
"What do you mean?""
She squeezed my hand.
"Vanessa didn't choose you by accident, Marcus.""
My stomach dropped.
"Explain.""
She took a shaky breath.
"Your father discovered that Vanessa had been using different identities. He believed she had targeted your family because of something your grandfather had done years earlier.""
I shook my head.
"Grandfather?""
My mother nodded.
"He was involved in a property dispute. Vanessa's family lost their business because of it. She believed your grandfather had stolen everything from them.""
I stared at her.
"But that was decades ago.""
"Yes.""
"And Dad?""
"He found evidence that the dispute had been manipulated. He was going to expose the people responsible.""
I slowly understood.
Vanessa hadn't entered my life because she fell in love with me.
She had entered it because of my family.
My mother's voice dropped.
"She wanted access to the family estate. The insurance policies. The property documents.""
I looked at the floor.
"And Emily?""
My mother began crying again.
"Emily found the documents before Vanessa could get them.""
I felt a cold wave move through me.
"That's why she was targeted.""
My mother nodded.
Then she whispered:
"There's one more thing.""
I looked up.
"Your father left a second will.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He changed it shortly before he died. Vanessa has been looking for it ever since.""
"Where is it?""
My mother stared at me.
"Emily had it.""
I felt my chest tighten.
"Emily?""
"She found it in the old house. That's why Vanessa was so desperate to get rid of her belongings.""
I thought of the blue room.
The desk.
The notebook.
The hospital wristband.
Then I remembered the small wooden box.
There had been a narrow compartment beneath the bottom drawer.
I hadn't noticed it.
I stood.
"I need to go home.""
My mother grabbed my hand.
"Marcus, wait.""
"What?""
She looked terrified.
"Daniel knows where it is.""
I stared at her.
"How?""
"Because he was the one who helped Emily hide it.""
I left the room.
Daniel was standing near the vending machines.
When he saw my expression, he immediately knew something had changed.
"Mom told you?""
I stopped.
"Where is Dad's second will?""
Daniel looked around.
Then he whispered:
"At Vanessa's house.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
He swallowed.
"She found it two years ago. But she couldn't open the sealed envelope.""
My stomach turned.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because the will isn't the only thing inside.""
"What else?""
Daniel's eyes filled with tears.
"A photograph of Vanessa with Dad.""
I frowned.
"That's not possible.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Marcus, the photograph was taken before she ever met you.""
May you like
He paused.
"Your father knew Vanessa long before we did.""
