Chapter 12: The Eight Million Dollar Trap
The next morning, Daniel refused to go anywhere near the old church.
"He wants the key," he said.
"That means he believes something important is still hidden.""
My father paced through the living room.
"Then we give him the key and let the police arrest him.""
Thomas shook his head.
"That would be dangerous. We don't know how many people are involved.""
Grandma Pearl sat beside Sophie.
She had barely spoken since the phone call.
Sophie was holding a cup of tea with both hands.
"Why would Richard threaten me?"" she asked.
Daniel crouched in front of her.
"Because your mother moved money that belonged to him.""
"Was it stolen?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Some of it came from fraudulent transactions. But the money was originally taken from legitimate investors.""
Thomas opened the financial file.
"Elizabeth documented more than eight million dollars in suspicious transfers. She believed the money had been collected through fraudulent property sales.""
My father looked at the documents.
"Could the police recover it?""
"If the records are authentic, possibly.""
"Then why hasn't anyone investigated?""
Thomas looked at Daniel.
"Because the original ledgers were never found.""
Daniel nodded.
"They're inside the warehouse.""
I stared at him.
"You said the warehouse contained evidence.""
"It does. But not everything.""
He removed the brass key from his pocket.
"Your mother created a second hiding place.""
I looked at the key.
"Where?""
Daniel pointed toward the Christmas tree.
"Inside the gold bell.""
I frowned.
"The bell we found broken?""
"Your mother told me she had hidden something inside it. I thought it was the original warehouse key, but the compartment was empty when I checked.""
Grandma Pearl suddenly stood.
"Wait.""
She hurried toward the cardboard box containing the broken ornaments.
She searched through the pieces until she found the gold bell.
Its metal surface was scratched.
The engraved initials were still visible.
E.R.
Grandma turned it over.
"There's a screw here.""
Daniel took the bell.
He carefully removed the tiny screw.
A small rolled piece of paper slipped into his palm.
He unfolded it.
It was a handwritten note.
The money belongs to the people who lost it. The records are in the place where we first promised to protect each other.
Daniel stared at the note.
My father frowned.
"Where is that?""
Grandma Pearl began crying.
"The old church.""
I looked at her.
"What church?""
"The little church where Elizabeth and Marcus were married.""
My father shook his head.
"That building was sold years ago.""
Daniel nodded.
"But the basement was never renovated.""
Thomas checked the time.
"Then that's where we need to go.""
My father looked at him.
"Are you suggesting we meet Richard?""
"No. I'm suggesting we search the building with police protection.""
Daniel placed the note inside a plastic sleeve.
"Richard expects me to bring the key. If we show up with officers, he'll disappear.""
Thomas considered that.
"Then we don't tell him.""
At four that afternoon, Thomas arranged a meeting with a detective named Helen Brooks.
She was in her early forties, with short brown hair and a direct manner.
She listened carefully while we explained the false contracts, the photographs, and the threats.
Then she examined the financial records.
"Why wasn't this reported years ago?""
Daniel answered.
"Because Richard had people watching the family. Elizabeth was afraid that reporting it would put Maya and Sophie in danger.""
Detective Brooks looked at me.
"Have you received any threats directly?""
I showed her the messages.
She read them carefully.
Then she turned toward my father.
"Mr. Reed, did your wife ever tell you about Richard Cole?""
"Not directly.""
"Did she mention suspicious business transactions?""
He nodded.
"She asked me to review some payments. I dismissed her concerns.""
The detective made a note.
"That doesn't make you responsible for what happened. But we need every detail.""
My father looked down.
"I understand.""
Detective Brooks studied the photograph of Richard.
"Are you certain this is the same man?""
Daniel nodded.
"I worked with him for years.""
"Then we'll need to verify his identity.""
She picked up the phone.
"I'll contact our fraud unit.""
After several minutes, she returned.
"We have a problem.""
My father looked up.
"What?""
"Someone has already submitted a report claiming that Daniel Whitmore is impersonating a deceased individual.""
Daniel laughed without humor.
"Richard.""
"Possibly. The report was filed yesterday.""
Thomas leaned forward.
"That means Richard is trying to establish himself as the legitimate owner of Daniel's identity.""
Detective Brooks nodded.
"And if he has access to old legal records, this could become complicated.""
Daniel looked at the detective.
"I can prove who I am.""
"Then we'll arrange formal identification and review the historical records.""
She closed the file.
"For tonight, nobody should go anywhere alone.""
At seven, we returned to the house.
The Christmas tree stood in the corner.
The broken decorations were still inside the cardboard box.
Sophie approached it.
"Can we fix any of these?""
I looked at the pieces.
"Some of them.""
She picked up the little ceramic house.
Its roof was broken, but the painted windows remained intact.
"My mother made this?""
"Yes.""
Sophie smiled.
"Then let's save it.""
We sat on the floor together, sorting the pieces.
For the first time in days, the house felt almost peaceful.
My father brought us hot chocolate.
He placed a mug beside me.
Then he knelt.
"I want to apologize to both of you.""
Sophie looked up.
"Why?""
"Because Elizabeth should have been able to tell me everything. I made her feel she couldn't.""
I looked at him.
"You can't change that.""
"I know.""
He looked at Sophie.
"But if you'll allow it, I'd like to get to know you.""
Sophie smiled faintly.
"I'd like that.""
He nodded.
Then he looked at me.
"And I want to be a better father to you, too.""
I didn't immediately forgive him.
But I took his hand.
It was a beginning.
At 9:17 p.m., Detective Brooks called.
"We've identified a location connected to Richard Cole.""
Daniel stood.
"Where?""
"The old church.""
My father looked at me.
"What?""
The detective continued.
"Someone has entered the building. We have officers monitoring the area.""
Daniel grabbed his coat.
"Then he's there.""
"Don't move," Detective Brooks warned.
"We're sending a team.""
But before anyone could respond, another message appeared on my phone.
An image.
It showed Sophie standing in front of our house.
The photograph had been taken less than five minutes earlier.
Underneath it was a sentence.
*You have until midnight to bring me the original ledger.*
My blood ran cold.
Then another message arrived.
This time, it was a video.
I pressed play.
Grandma Pearl appeared on the screen.
She was sitting in a dark room, her hands tied behind her back.
Her face was bruised.
I screamed.
"GRANDMA!""
The video continued.
A man's voice spoke from behind the camera.
"Daniel, you wanted to see your mother again. Here she is.""
Daniel grabbed my phone.
"Richard!""
The man's voice laughed.
"Bring the ledger. Bring the key. And bring the two girls.""
The video ended.
My father immediately called Grandma's phone.
It went straight to voicemail.
Detective Brooks was already giving instructions to her team.
"Nobody leaves this house. We're sending officers to your location.""
Daniel paced.
"Richard won't wait.""
My father grabbed his coat.
"Then we go get her.""
Detective Brooks raised her voice.
"No. You stay here.""
Daniel turned toward her.
"That's my mother.""
"And walking into a trap will not help her.""
I looked at the metal case on the table.
The bankbook.
The second key.
The original documents.
Then I remembered the note inside the gold bell.
The money belongs to the people who lost it.
I looked at Thomas.
"Where is the original ledger?""
He stared at me.
"Why?""
"Because Richard wants it.""
Daniel shook his head.
"We haven't found it.""
I picked up the old Christmas ornament.
"Maybe we have.""
I turned it over.
The little red wooden house had a hollow base.
I carefully twisted it.
A tiny compartment opened.
Inside was a folded sheet of paper.
It contained an address.
And beneath the address was a handwritten message from my mother.
The ledger is not at the warehouse. It is with the person who has been protecting the money all these years.
I looked at my father.
"Who has the money?""
Thomas slowly closed his eyes.
Then he answered.
"Your father.""
My father stared at him.
"What?""
Thomas pulled another document from his briefcase.
"Elizabeth transferred the original funds into a protected account under your name. The eight million dollars was only part of the transaction.""
He turned the page.
The account balance was printed clearly.
*$24,600,000.*
My father looked as if he might collapse.
"I've never seen this account.""
Thomas nodded.
"Because your wife created it without your knowledge.""
Daniel stared at the document.
Then he whispered:
"That's impossible. Elizabeth told me she had moved the money to Sophie.""
Thomas looked at him.
"She moved the beneficiary rights. Not the account ownership.""
I stared at the numbers.
Twenty-four million dollars.
My mother had hidden an entire fortune in a place nobody could find.
And now Richard had kidnapped Grandma to get it.
My phone buzzed again.
One final message.
*MIDNIGHT. THE OLD CHURCH. NO POLICE. OR PEARL DIES.*
I looked at the clock.
9:46 p.m.
Then I turned toward Daniel.
"We're going to the church.""
He shook his head.
"Absolutely not.""
I held up the little red ornament.
"Mom left us the location of the ledger. If we find it, we can save Grandma.""
My father took my hand.
"And we're not losing another member of this family.""
Outside, a car engine started.
Headlights swept across the living room window.
Someone was watching the house.
And as we rushed toward the door, my father's phone rang.
The caller ID showed an unfamiliar number.
He answered.
A woman's voice whispered:
"Marcus, don't go to the church.""
My father froze.
"Who is this?""
The woman began crying.
Then she said:
"I'm Vanessa. And Richard isn't the one who kidnapped your mother.""
May you like
She paused.
"Your mother is the one who helped him.""
