Chapter 9: The Man at My Daughter's Door
I drove home with one hand gripping the steering wheel and the other holding my phone.
I called Maya repeatedly.
No answer.
I called Vanessa.
She picked up immediately.
"Marcus?""
"Where's Maya?""
"She's upstairs.""
"Is Edward there?""
Silence.
"Vanessa!""
"I don't know.""
"Don't lie to me. Is he inside the house?""
Her breathing became uneven.
"He's at the front door.""
"Then get Maya away from him!""
"I can't.""
My foot pressed harder against the accelerator.
"Why not?""
Vanessa began crying.
"Because he has something.""
"What?""
"A document. He says if I don't let him speak to Maya, he'll report me for fraud.""
I felt sick.
"Let him report you. Get my daughter away from him.""
"I tried!""
I heard a loud noise through the phone.
Then Vanessa shouted, "You can't come in!""
A man's voice answered.
"Don't make this more difficult than it needs to be.""
The call ended.
I called the police.
Then I called Thomas.
"Edward is at my house. Maya is inside.""
Thomas responded immediately.
"Do not enter alone. We're two minutes behind you.""
I arrived in less than five.
Edward's Mercedes was parked near the front gate.
The front door stood open.
I ran inside.
"Maya!""
A small voice answered from the living room.
"Dad!""
I found her behind the sofa, clutching her stuffed rabbit.
Vanessa stood near the fireplace.
Edward was beside the dining table.
He held the pink backpack I'd seen in the photograph.
My daughter had been given a new backpack.
Not by me.
By the man who had been threatening her.
I moved toward Maya.
"Come here, sweetheart.""
She ran into my arms.
I held her tightly.
Edward watched with an expression that looked almost amused.
"You're making a scene, Marcus.""
I turned.
"Get out of my house.""
He placed the backpack on the table.
"I brought Maya something.""
"She doesn't want anything from you.""
Maya buried her face against my chest.
Edward smiled.
"She doesn't know me yet.""
"She doesn't need to.""
He took a step forward.
"You're angry. I understand. But there are things you should know about your family.""
I stepped between him and Maya.
"Say what you came to say.""
Edward glanced at Vanessa.
She looked terrified.
Then he removed a document from his briefcase.
"Your wife has been very cooperative.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
She shook her head.
"I didn't tell him where the documents were.""
Edward continued.
"She signed several authorizations that gave my company access to the trust accounts. I have copies.""
I stared at him.
"Then you should give them to the police.""
He smiled.
"That's exactly what I intend to do. But first, I want to settle something.""
"What?""
"Maya's inheritance.""
I laughed without humor.
"You've already taken enough.""
"Actually, the money was never yours to begin with.""
He placed the document on the table.
"Your father promised me a share of the family business. When he changed the estate structure, he transferred those assets to Maya.""
"Because you were stealing from him.""
Edward's smile disappeared.
"Careful.""
"No. You should be careful.""
He looked at Maya.
"Your grandfather loved you very much.""
Maya tightened her arms around my neck.
Edward softened his voice.
"Did your father tell you that your grandfather left you something special?""
I answered for her.
"Don't speak to her.""
Edward ignored me.
"He left you a company, sweetheart. A very important company.""
Maya shook her head.
"I don't want a company.""
For the first time, Edward seemed genuinely surprised.
"What do you want?""
She whispered, "My mommy.""
The room went silent.
Edward looked away.
I felt Maya's fingers gripping my shirt.
Then she said something that made me freeze.
"Mommy told me not to talk to men who come looking for her.""
I looked down.
"What did you say, sweetheart?""
Maya's eyes were wet.
"She said if a man asked me about the blue room, I should tell Dad.""
Edward's expression changed.
His jaw tightened.
Vanessa took a step backward.
I stared at Maya.
"What blue room?""
She pointed toward the hallway.
"The room in Grandma Lily's house.""
I looked at Edward.
He was no longer smiling.
"Where did she hear that?"" he demanded.
Maya flinched.
I tightened my arms around her.
"Don't raise your voice at her.""
Edward took a step toward us.
"That room doesn't exist.""
Maya shook her head.
"Yes, it does.""
She looked up at me.
"Mommy showed me a picture. She said there was a blue door behind the old bookshelf.""
I remembered the drawing in Lily's letter.
The old Carter family home.
The grandfather clock.
The place where my father had hidden the original ledger.
Edward's expression told me we were getting close.
He reached for the document on the table.
"I think this conversation is over.""
Then the front door opened.
Thomas entered with two police officers.
"Edward Hayes?""
Edward turned.
"Yes?""
"We need to speak with you about a reported financial crime and a possible threat involving a minor.""
Edward smiled politely.
"Of course. I'm happy to cooperate.""
One officer moved toward the table.
The other approached Vanessa.
I carried Maya toward the stairs.
As I passed Edward, he leaned closer.
His voice was low enough that only I could hear.
"Your father made the same mistake you're making.""
I stopped.
"What mistake?""
"Believing that blood makes people loyal.""
I stared at him.
Then he added:
"Ask Vanessa who gave Lily the medication that night.""
My entire body went cold.
"What medication?""
Edward stepped back.
"Perhaps your wife will finally tell you.""
The officers escorted him outside.
Vanessa remained standing by the fireplace.
Her face was completely white.
I turned toward her.
"What medication was he talking about?""
She shook her head.
"Marcus, I can explain.""
I looked at her.
"Not another lie.""
She pressed her hands together.
"Lily was taking medication before she died.""
"I know. She was receiving treatment.""
"She wasn't taking what the doctors prescribed.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What are you saying?""
Vanessa began crying.
"Someone changed her medication.""
I looked at Maya.
She was watching us from the staircase.
I lowered my voice.
"Who?""
Vanessa's lips trembled.
"Your father asked me to deliver a package to Lily three days before she died.""
I stared at her.
"What was in it?""
"A bottle of pills.""
"Why?""
"He said they were vitamins.""
I felt the room spinning.
"Did Lily take them?""
Vanessa nodded.
"She trusted your father.""
I looked toward the front door where Edward had disappeared.
Then back at my wife.
"Did you know those pills could hurt her?""
Vanessa covered her mouth.
"I didn't know.""
"Did you ever ask?""
She shook her head.
I took one step toward her.
"Where is the bottle?""
Vanessa reached into her handbag.
Her fingers trembled as she pulled out a small plastic evidence bag.
Inside was an old prescription bottle.
Lily Carter's name was printed on the label.
But the pharmacy listed beneath it wasn't the one that had treated her.
I turned it over.
A handwritten date was visible.
Three days before Lily died.
And underneath the date were two words.
*Edward Hayes.*
Vanessa whispered, "I kept it because Lily told me never to throw it away.""
I stared at the bottle.
Then I noticed something else.
The label had been replaced.
Someone had covered the original medication name with a second sticker.
I carefully lifted the edge.
Underneath was a different prescription.
One that Lily had never been prescribed.
I looked at Rebecca's business card on the table and immediately called her.
When she answered, I said only one thing.
"Rebecca, I think we need to reopen Lily's death investigation.""
She went silent.
Then I heard her say:
"Marcus, don't touch that bottle.""
I looked down.
"Why?""
"Because I just received the preliminary report from the medical examiner's office.""
My throat tightened.
"What report?""
Rebecca took a breath.
"Your father's medical records show that he was given the same medication during his final weeks.""
I stared at the bottle in my hand.
Two people.
The same medication.
Both dead.
And both had trusted the same man.
Then Rebecca delivered the final piece of information.
"Marcus, the prescription was filled under Vanessa's name.""
I slowly turned toward my wife.
May you like
She was already backing away.
And for the first time since I had married her, I wondered whether the woman standing in front of me had ever truly been on my side.
