Chapter 8: The Recording That Changed Everything
The recording arrived at 8:15 the following morning.
By then, Julian and Vanessa had been taken into separate custody for questioning.
Daniel had been released after providing his records and cooperating with the investigation.
I hadn't slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father's face on the laptop screen.
His final words.
His trembling hands.
His warning.
At nine, Detective Helen Morris arrived at the house.
She was in her early fifties, with short silver hair and a habit of studying people before speaking.
“Mr. Hale,” she said, placing a folder on the table, “we need to discuss the night your father died.””
I nodded.
She opened the folder.
“Richard Cole has admitted receiving money to sabotage your vehicle. He claims Julian paid him through an intermediary.””
“Did he identify the intermediary?””
“Not yet.””
“And the recording?””
She placed a small digital recorder on the table.
“Recovered from a storage device hidden in Richard's garage. He says your father gave it to him.””
I frowned.
“Why would Richard have something like that?””
“We don't know. But the recording is dated the evening your father died.””
Detective Morris pressed play.
At first, there was only static.
Then my father's voice filled the room.
“Julian, sit down.””
A chair scraped across the floor.
Julian's voice followed.
“I have nothing to say to you.””
“You've stolen from this family.””
“I borrowed money.””
“Twelve million dollars isn't borrowing.””
“You don't understand.””
“I understand perfectly. You've been moving money through Northbridge Holdings, and you've been using company funds to cover personal debts.””
A heavy thud sounded.
Then Julian spoke.
“You always give Marcus everything.””
My father's voice remained calm.
“Marcus earned his position.””
“Marcus gets the company. Marcus gets the house. Marcus gets your trust. What do I get?””
“You received a substantial inheritance.””
“Money isn't enough!””
My father sighed.
“Then perhaps you should have worked harder.””
The next sound was a glass breaking.
Julian shouted.
“You think you're better than me?””
“No. I think you're becoming someone I don't recognize.””
Then Vanessa's voice appeared.
“Julian, stop!””
I leaned forward.
My father continued.
“Vanessa, you need to leave.””
“No,” she replied.
“You don't get to tell me what to do.””
“After everything I've done for you—”
“You abandoned me!””
The room went silent.
Then my father's voice softened.
“I know I made mistakes.””
“You made one mistake after another. You gave Margaret everything. You gave Marcus everything. And you gave me money to keep me quiet.””
“That's not true.””
“Then why was I never allowed to call you Father?””
I felt my throat tighten.
The recording continued.
My father said something I could barely hear.
Vanessa began crying.
Then Julian spoke.
“We're leaving.””
My father answered.
“Not until you return the money.””
A struggle followed.
A chair fell.
Someone shouted.
Then came a sound that made Detective Morris pause the recording.
A heavy impact.
My father's voice disappeared.
I stared at the recorder.
“Was that when he fell?””
Detective Morris nodded.
“We believe so.””
She pressed play again.
Vanessa's voice was shaking.
“Oh my God. He's bleeding.””
Julian responded.
“Get the towels.””
“Call an ambulance!””
“No.””
“Julian, he's not moving!””
“Shut up!””
Then another voice appeared.
A third voice.
A woman.
“What's happening?””
I looked at the detective.
“Who is that?””
She shook her head.
“We haven't identified her yet.””
The woman spoke again.
“You told me this wouldn't happen.””
Julian answered.
“Not now.””
“Is he dead?””
“No.””
“Then call someone!””
My father suddenly made a weak sound.
“Marcus…”
I felt my eyes burn.
“Help…”
The recording captured a brief struggle.
Then Julian spoke quietly.
“If he survives, we're finished.””
A door opened.
Footsteps moved away.
And the recording ended.
I sat completely still.
The detective waited.
Finally, I whispered, “They left him.””
“Yes.””
“But someone came back.””
Detective Morris nodded.
“We believe the third woman remained at the property.””
“Who was she?””
“We're investigating.””
I looked toward Daniel.
He had been standing near the window.
His face was pale.
“Daniel?””
He turned.
“I think I know who that woman was.””
“Who?””
He hesitated.
“Your father's personal assistant. Evelyn Shaw.””
I remembered her.
A quiet woman in her sixties who had worked for my father for nearly thirty years.
She had resigned shortly after his death.
I had assumed she was grieving.
“Where is she now?”” I asked.
Detective Morris closed the folder.
“We're trying to locate her.””
I looked at the recording device.
“Then find her.””
At noon, I received a call from an unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice spoke.
“Marcus?””
“Yes.””
“It's Evelyn.””
My entire body went rigid.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere safe.””
“Why did you call?””
There was a long pause.
Then she said, “Because I should have told you the truth years ago.””
I closed my eyes.
“Did you see my father die?””
“I saw him fall.””
“Did you call an ambulance?””
“No.””
“Why?””
She began crying.
“Because Julian threatened me. He said he would tell the police I had helped him steal the money. He had documents with my signature.””
“Were they real?””
“No. He forged them.””
I gripped the phone.
“What happened after you left?””
“I came back.””
“When?””
“About forty minutes later.””
My heart hammered.
“Was my father alive?””
She didn't answer.
“Evelyn?””
“Yes.””
The word was barely audible.
I felt sick.
“What did you do?””
“I called for help. But before the ambulance arrived, your father made me promise something.””
“What?””
“He told me to find you and give you a key.””
“A key to what?””
“The room behind his library.””
I looked toward the study.
My father's library had a small locked room at the back. I had always believed it was used for storing old company records.
“What is inside?””
“Everything.””
“Everything about what?””
“Your father's real business. The money. Julian.
Vanessa. And the reason he was so afraid of your accident.””
I swallowed.
“Where is the key?””
“I have it.””
“Then bring it to me.””
“I can't.””
“Why not?””
“Because Julian knows where I live.””
I looked at Detective Morris.
She immediately motioned for me to put the call on speaker.
“Evelyn,” I said, “the police can protect you.””
“I don't need protection from Julian.””
“Then who are you afraid of?””
She whispered three words.
“Your father's second family.””
I looked at Daniel.
He stared back.
“What second family?”” I asked.
Evelyn began speaking faster.
“Marcus, your father had another child besides you and Vanessa. Someone he kept completely separate from the family.””
I closed my eyes.
Another secret.
Another hidden child.
Another person with a claim to the Hale name.
“Who?””
“I can't say over the phone.””
“Then tell me where you are.””
She gave me an address.
Detective Morris immediately dispatched officers.
But before she ended the call, Evelyn said something else.
“Marcus, there's one thing you must understand. Your father didn't leave you the company because he loved you more than Julian.””
I frowned.
“What do you mean?””
“He left it to you because he believed you were the only person who could protect the family from what was coming.””
The line went dead.
We reached Evelyn's apartment two hours later.
The door was open.
A cup of tea sat untouched on the kitchen counter.
Her handbag was on the floor.
But Evelyn was gone.
Detective Morris searched the rooms while two officers examined the windows.
I noticed something on the dining table.
A photograph.
It showed my father standing outside a hospital.
Beside him was a young woman holding a newborn baby.
On the back, someone had written:
For the child who deserves to know his name.
Below it was a name.
*Noah Bennett.*
Daniel stared at the photograph.
“Do you recognize him?””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Detective Morris turned it over.
“There's a date.””
The photograph had been taken twenty-six years earlier.
My age.
I looked at the baby.
Then at my father's face.
And suddenly, something became clear.
My father hadn't just hidden one child.
He had hidden several.
I was about to ask Daniel what he knew when an officer called from the bedroom.
“Detective! We found something.””
It was a small envelope taped beneath the bed.
Inside was a key.
And a handwritten note.
Marcus, if you find this, don't trust the first person who claims to be your father's other child.
I looked at the detective.
“What does that mean?””
She turned the note over.
May you like
There was another sentence.
The real heir is already inside the company.
