Chapter 11: The Recording That Could Destroy My Father
Michael wanted us to go directly to the police.
Dad refused.
"Not until I know what Robert has.""
Michael placed both hands on his desk.
"Richard, you are not thinking clearly.""
Dad looked at him.
"I've spent fourteen months thinking about that night. I'm not going to let Robert put me in prison for something I didn't do.""
Michael sighed.
"Then let us handle it legally.""
Dad shook his head.
"He's going to release something that makes me look guilty.""
I stood beside the window.
"Then we need to know what it is.""
Michael looked at me.
"Robert wants the original ownership documents. That's leverage. He probably believes they're still hidden somewhere.""
"Could the recording be real?""
Michael didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he opened his laptop.
"I've been examining the documents from Northstar. There's a problem with the original accident investigation.""
He showed us a scanned police report.
It stated that Dad had been traveling alone when his vehicle struck the concrete barrier.
But the report also included a witness statement.
The witness claimed he had seen a second vehicle following Dad.
That statement had been removed from the final report.
"Who removed it?"" I asked.
Michael pointed to the approval section.
A detective named Paul Harrison.
"Was he involved with Robert?"" I asked.
"We don't know.""
Dad studied the page.
"I remember Detective Harrison.""
"What did he do?""
"He questioned me in the hospital. He kept asking about the Northstar ownership documents.""
Michael leaned forward.
"Did you tell him where they were?""
"No.""
"Did he threaten you?""
Dad nodded slowly.
"He told me that if I didn't cooperate, he'd investigate my company for fraud.""
I looked at Michael.
"Can we get the original police files?""
"I've already requested them.""
His computer chimed.
An email had arrived.
Michael opened it.
The sender was an assistant district attorney.
The message was brief.
We located additional evidence connected to the Richard Bennett collision investigation. Please contact our office immediately.
Michael called the number.
A woman answered.
After a short conversation, he hung up.
"They found the original dashcam footage.""
My heart started pounding.
"From the accident?""
He nodded.
"And there's something else.""
"What?""
"The footage shows a second person getting out of the vehicle after the collision.""
Dad looked confused.
"Who?""
Michael turned the laptop around.
A still image appeared.
A man stood beside Dad's damaged vehicle.
His face was partially obscured, but the shape of his shoulders and the distinctive scar above his eyebrow were unmistakable.
I knew that scar.
I'd seen it at family gatherings.
I'd seen it at Dad's rehabilitation center.
I'd seen it at my college graduation.
It belonged to Uncle David.
My father's younger brother.
"That's impossible," Dad whispered.
I looked at him.
"Uncle David?""
Dad shook his head.
"David was in Florida that week.""
Michael enlarged the photograph.
The image was grainy, but the man was clearly standing beside the wreckage.
Dad's hands began shaking.
"Call him.""
I dialed my uncle.
He answered cheerfully.
"Marcus! How's married life?""
I looked at Dad.
"Uncle David, where were you the night Dad had his accident?""
Silence.
Then he laughed nervously.
"Why are you asking?""
"Just answer.""
"I told you. Florida.""
"That's not what the police footage shows.""
The silence returned.
Finally, he sighed.
"Where did you get that?""
I closed my eyes.
"You were there.""
He didn't deny it.
Dad reached for the phone.
"David?""
My uncle's voice changed.
"Richard.""
"Why were you there?""
"I can explain.""
"Did you know Robert was following me?""
David took a long breath.
"Yes.""
Dad's face crumpled.
"Did you help him?""
"I was trying to stop something worse.""
"By helping him?""
David began speaking quickly.
"Robert told me you were going to confront him. He said you had become unstable and were planning to destroy the company. I didn't believe him at first.""
"So you followed me?""
"Yes.""
"Did you see the collision?""
David's voice cracked.
"I saw everything.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"Why didn't you call an ambulance?""
"I did!""
I interrupted.
"Then why did you leave?""
David was crying now.
"Because Robert was standing there.""
The room went silent.
"What?"" I whispered.
David continued.
"He arrived before the ambulance. He told me to get away from the scene. He said he'd take care of everything.""
Dad's voice became barely audible.
"You left me lying there?""
"I was scared, Richard.""
Dad turned his face toward the window.
I wanted to shout.
I wanted to demand an explanation.
But David said something that stopped me.
"Richard, I didn't hit you.""
"Who did?""
David took a breath.
"Robert.""
Dad looked up.
"What?""
"He was driving the SUV. Steven was in the passenger seat. When you refused to hand over the documents, Robert followed you. He deliberately struck your vehicle.""
My stomach turned.
"Why did you lie?""
"Because Robert threatened my children. He said if I told anyone, he'd destroy their lives.""
Michael took the phone.
"Mr. Bennett, I'm attorney Michael Hayes. I need you to understand that this conversation may be relevant to a criminal investigation.""
David began crying harder.
"I'll tell the police everything.""
"Good," Michael replied.
But before he could ask another question, David whispered:
"There's something else. Robert didn't just want the Northstar documents.""
"What else?"" I asked.
"He wanted the original adoption and birth records.""
I looked at Dad.
David continued.
"Because the documents prove that Robert had another child before Marcus.""
I frowned.
"Vanessa?""
"No.""
He paused.
"Someone else.""
I looked at Vanessa, who had been sitting silently near the door.
She stood.
"Who?""
David's voice trembled.
"Robert had a son before he had you and Marcus.""
My mind raced.
"Who?""
David answered.
"Daniel Price.""
I froze.
Daniel.
The former chief financial controller who had helped us uncover the financial records.
The man who had given me the first ledger.
The man who had been trying to expose Robert.
I remembered Daniel's warning.
Your father needs to know about the payment.
I remembered the photograph.
The black SUV.
The warehouse.
Suddenly, another possibility emerged.
"Does Daniel know?"" I asked.
David answered.
"He found out six months ago.""
I stared at Michael.
"Then why did he help us?""
David's answer was quiet.
"Because Robert ordered him to destroy the original evidence. And Daniel refused.""
The call ended.
Michael immediately contacted the district attorney.
Within minutes, he had arranged a meeting with investigators.
But before we could leave, a new email appeared on my laptop.
It was from Robert Whitmore.
The subject line read:
*A Father's Final Offer.*
The attached video showed Robert sitting behind his office desk.
He looked directly into the camera.
"Marcus, I know you've been speaking to David. I also know you've discovered the truth about your birth.""
He leaned forward.
"Tomorrow, I will make a public announcement concerning the future of Whitmore Development.""
Then he smiled.
"And I will introduce my son.""
The video ended.
A second attachment appeared.
It was a photograph of Daniel Price.
Beside him stood a young woman.
I recognized her immediately.
Vanessa.
But the caption beneath the photograph made my blood run cold.
*Daniel Price and Vanessa Whitmore — Joint Beneficiaries of the Original Northstar Estate.*
I turned toward Michael.
"How can Daniel and Vanessa both be beneficiaries?""
Michael slowly closed his laptop.
"Because someone has been rewriting the ownership history for twenty-seven years.""
May you like
Then he looked at Dad.
"And I think we finally know why Robert was so desperate to keep your original documents hidden.""
