Chapter 13: The Call From a Dead Man
My father's name appeared on my phone.
Robert Carter.
For five years, that number had been disconnected.
I'd kept it in my contacts because deleting it felt like admitting he was never coming back.
Now it was calling me.
Vanessa stared at the screen.
"Don't answer it," she whispered.
I looked at her.
"Why?""
She shook her head.
"Marcus, please.""
Thomas immediately moved closer.
"Put it on speaker.""
I answered.
"Hello?""
For several seconds, there was only static.
Then a man's voice spoke.
"Hello, son.""
My knees nearly gave way.
It was my father's voice.
Older.
Weaker.
But unmistakable.
I gripped the phone.
"Who is this?""
A quiet laugh came through the speaker.
"You really have to ask?""
I couldn't speak.
"Where are you?"" I finally managed.
"Somewhere safe.""
"You're supposed to be dead.""
A long silence followed.
Then he said, "I know what they told you.""
I looked at Vanessa.
She had started crying.
Thomas motioned for me to keep him talking.
"Did you know Lily was going to die?""
My father's voice changed.
"Marcus, there's a lot you don't understand.""
"Then start explaining.""
"I tried to protect you.""
"By disappearing?""
"I had no choice.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You had a choice when you let me bury an empty grave.""
He sighed.
"I deserved that.""
I closed my eyes.
For years, I'd remembered my father's funeral.
The black suits.
The flowers.
The coffin.
The pastor's words.
I'd stood beside Lily while she held my hand.
Maya had been too young to understand why everyone was crying.
And now the man I'd mourned was speaking to me as if we'd merely missed a few phone calls.
"Why are you calling now?""
"Because Edward has made a mistake.""
"What mistake?""
"He took Maya.""
"She is safe now.""
"Good.""
I felt my anger rising.
"You knew about the threats?""
"Yes.""
"You knew someone was following her?""
"Yes.""
"And you did nothing?""
My father was silent.
Then he said, "I couldn't expose myself without putting you both in greater danger.""
I stared at the phone.
"You're telling me you watched your granddaughter get threatened while hiding somewhere?""
"I had people monitoring the situation.""
I almost shouted.
"She's seven years old! She doesn't need people monitoring her. She needs her grandfather!""
There was another silence.
Then my father whispered, "You're right.""
That answer hurt more than an argument.
I turned away from the others.
"Tell me what happened to Lily.""
My father exhaled slowly.
"Edward discovered she had the original ledger. He wanted it destroyed. I told him I'd help recover it.""
"Did you give her the medication?""
"No.""
Vanessa suddenly stepped forward.
"Robert, stop lying!""
The phone went silent.
My father finally spoke.
"Vanessa?""
She took the phone from my hand.
"You told me those pills were harmless!""
"Vanessa, I—"
"You told me Lily needed them!""
"Listen to me.""
"You knew she was getting worse!""
I watched my wife shake.
My father spoke quietly.
"I didn't know what Edward had put in the bottle.""
Vanessa dropped the phone.
Thomas picked it up.
"Mr. Carter, this is Detective Reed. We need your location.""
The call disconnected.
Thomas immediately began tracing the number.
I looked at Vanessa.
"What did you mean?""
She wiped her face.
"I told you. I delivered the medication.""
"Why did you accuse him of lying?""
She stared at the floor.
"Because he told me something different that night.""
"What?""
She swallowed.
"He said Lily was already dying. He said the pills would make her comfortable.""
My chest tightened.
"And you believed him?""
"I wanted to believe him.""
I looked toward Maya.
She was sitting with an officer, coloring on the back of an old report.
I couldn't let her hear any more.
Two hours later, we were at Rebecca's office.
Maya had been taken home with Mrs. Patterson and a police escort.
Vanessa was being interviewed separately.
Thomas returned with an update.
"The phone number is active through a private relay service. We're narrowing down the location.""
"Can you find him?""
"We're trying.""
Rebecca opened a new folder.
"Before we chase your father, we need to understand the safety deposit box.""
Maya's small silver key sat on the table.
I picked it up.
"Rachel said Maya is the only authorized person.""
Rebecca nodded.
"That's possible. Lily may have established a custodial arrangement requiring Maya's identification.""
"She's seven.""
"Which is why the bank may require a legal representative to assist.""
I stared at the key.
"Then we'll go tomorrow.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"Not without police authorization. If the box contains evidence related to a criminal investigation, we need to preserve the chain of custody.""
I nodded.
Then she placed another document in front of me.
It was the original estate transfer.
Vanessa's signature appeared at the bottom.
I studied it.
"She signed this.""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
Rebecca turned to the final page.
"Because the transfer was presented as a temporary guardianship arrangement. It gave Vanessa authority to manage certain assets while Maya was a minor.""
I read the paragraph.
Then I noticed a second signature.
Rachel's.
And a third.
Edward Hayes.
But the most important part was the date.
It had been signed six weeks before Lily died.
I looked at Rebecca.
"Why would Lily authorize this?""
"She may not have.""
I turned the page.
There was a separate declaration stating that Lily had been medically incapacitated when the transfer was approved.
My throat tightened.
"She wasn't incapacitated six weeks before she died.""
"That's why we need the original medical records.""
I stared at the document.
Someone had used Lily's illness to transfer control of Maya's inheritance.
And my father had apparently known.
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
A text message appeared.
*Your father wants to see you. Alone.*
Another message followed.
*Tomorrow. 8:17 a.m. Bring the key.*
I showed Thomas.
He shook his head.
"Absolutely not.""
Then a third message arrived.
It contained a photograph.
My father was sitting in a wheelchair beside a hospital window.
He looked directly at the camera.
Beneath the picture were seven words.
*Ask Vanessa who signed Lily's final discharge.*
I looked up.
Vanessa stood in the doorway.
Her face drained of color when she saw the photograph.
"Marcus," she whispered.
I held up the phone.
"Who signed it?""
She began crying.
"Your father.""
"Why?""
"Because Lily wasn't supposed to leave that hospital.""
I stared at her.
"What are you saying?""
Vanessa looked at Rebecca.
Then at Thomas.
Finally, she whispered:
"Someone tried to keep Lily alive long enough to tell the police everything.""
May you like
She looked directly at me.
"And someone else made sure she never got the chance.""
