Chapter 8: The Night My Father Died
For a moment, Daniel thought he had misheard her.
"What?""
Evelyn lowered her hands.
"I was in the car with your father that night.""
The room seemed to tilt.
Daniel backed away from her, his shoulder striking the wardrobe.
"You told me he was alone.""
"I know.""
"You told me the police found him on the county road.""
"They did.""
"You told me he died of a heart attack.""
"That's what I believed.""
Daniel stared at her.
"Then why did Harold say you were driving?""
Evelyn began to cry.
"Because I was.""
Outside the room, Harold remained silent.
Daniel could hear his own heartbeat.
He had spent the last several hours discovering lies, but this one felt different. His mother had been the person he trusted most in the world. She had held his hand at his father's funeral, helped him through his first heartbreak, and sat beside him when he graduated from college.
She had been his anchor.
Now she was telling him she had been present on the night his father died.
"Start from the beginning," he said.
Evelyn wiped her cheeks.
"Your father called me that evening. He told me to meet him at the old farmhouse because he needed to show me something. I drove there after you went to bed.""
Daniel shook his head.
"You were still living at the farmhouse then?""
"Yes. You were twenty-three, and you were staying with a friend after your father's company dinner.""
He remembered that night now, though only in fragments. He had gone out with colleagues to celebrate a promotion. He had returned after midnight and found his mother sitting alone in the kitchen, staring at a cup of tea.
She had told him his father hadn't come home yet.
The next morning, police officers arrived at the house.
Daniel's throat tightened.
"You came home before the police found him.""
Evelyn nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because your father was dead.""
The words landed with brutal simplicity.
Daniel gripped the edge of the dresser.
"What happened?""
Evelyn closed her eyes.
"When I arrived at the farmhouse, your father was arguing with Harold. They were in the study. I could hear them through the door.""
"Harold was there?""
"Yes.""
"What were they arguing about?""
"The company accounts. Your father had discovered that Harold had been transferring money into accounts under other people's names. He was going to report him.""
Daniel remembered the unfinished letter.
The night I discovered the fraud, Harold was not alone.
His father had been trying to warn them.
"What happened next?""
"Harold left before I entered the study. Your father was furious. He told me he had proof of the fraud, but he couldn't find the original agreement. He believed Harold had taken it.""
Evelyn drew a shaky breath.
"Then he asked me to drive him to Dr. Reeves's clinic. He wanted a copy of his medical records because Harold had been spreading rumors that he was seriously ill.""
"Why didn't Dad drive himself?""
"He was exhausted. He said he didn't trust his hands on the steering wheel.""
Daniel stared at her.
"And on the way?""
Evelyn's voice dropped.
"We saw a car following us.""
She described a dark vehicle that stayed behind them for several miles. When Michael turned onto the county road, the other car accelerated and pulled alongside.
Evelyn had heard shouting.
Michael told her to keep driving.
Then the other car struck their rear bumper.
The steering wheel jerked in her hands.
Their car swerved across the road and struck the guardrail.
Daniel felt sick.
"Was Dad injured?""
"He hit his head. He was conscious, but he couldn't breathe properly. I called for help.""
"Did you see who was driving the other car?""
"No.""
"Did the police investigate the collision?""
"They said there was no evidence of another vehicle.""
Daniel stared at her.
"How could they say that?""
"Harold arrived before the ambulance. He told me the other car had disappeared because it hadn't been involved. He said the accident had been caused by your father's heart condition.""
"But Dad wasn't supposed to have a heart condition.""
"He didn't.""
Evelyn looked at him through tear-filled eyes.
"At the clinic, Dr. Reeves told us Michael had suffered a serious injury. He was still alive when we arrived.""
Daniel's breath caught.
"Alive?""
She nodded.
"He was taken into an examination room. I waited outside. Harold arrived shortly afterward, saying he had been contacted by the police.""
"Why would the police call Harold?""
"I don't know. He said he was handling the company's legal matters.""
Daniel felt his stomach twist.
"What happened inside the room?""
Evelyn pressed her hands together.
"I heard shouting. Then a crash. When I entered, your father was on the floor, and Dr. Reeves was standing over him.""
"Was Dad alive?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"No.""
Daniel stared at her.
"And you just accepted that?""
"No."" Her voice broke.
"I demanded to know what had happened. Dr. Reeves said your father had suffered a cardiac arrest. Harold told me I needed to remain calm because the authorities were on their way.""
She covered her face.
"I was terrified, Daniel. I had just watched the man I loved die. Harold told me that if I described the collision, I would be charged with reckless driving. He said I had caused the accident, and if the police investigated, I could lose you, the house, everything.""
Daniel struggled to process the story.
"Did you cause the crash?""
"I don't know. I was driving, but the other car hit us.""
"Did you tell the police?""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because Harold said the other car didn't exist. He showed me a report claiming your father had suffered a medical episode while driving.""
Daniel looked toward the door.
"Dr. Reeves changed the report to support that story.""
Evelyn nodded.
"I believe so.""
"Then why didn't you tell me any of this?""
She looked at him with unbearable sadness.
"Because Harold told me he had proof that I had been responsible for your father's death. He said if I ever challenged him, he would give it to the police.""
Daniel's anger gave way to something colder.
"You let him control you for thirteen years.""
"I know.""
"You let him take the farmhouse.""
"I know.""
"You let him keep whatever Dad left me.""
Evelyn lowered her head.
"I know.""
Daniel turned away.
He wanted to shout, but he couldn't find the words.
Vanessa stood near the window, staring into the dark garden.
"My father told me a different story," she whispered.
Daniel turned toward her.
"What story?""
"He said Michael Carter had been embezzling money. He said Evelyn knew about it and helped him hide the evidence. He said your father died during a confrontation because his heart couldn't withstand the stress.""
Daniel stared at her.
"And you believed him?""
"For years.""
"Even after you saw what he was doing to my mother?""
Vanessa's face crumpled.
"I thought she was hiding something. I thought she was manipulating you so you'd never question her.""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"So you decided to punish her.""
"I was wrong.""
"That doesn't erase what you did.""
"I know.""
Evelyn reached for Daniel's hand.
He stepped away.
The hurt in her face was immediate, but he couldn't bear to comfort her yet.
"Did Dad die because of the crash?"" he asked.
Evelyn shook her head.
"Dr. Reeves told me the head injury wasn't fatal. He said your father was stable when they brought him in.""
Daniel's heart began pounding again.
"Then what killed him?""
"I don't know.""
"Someone must know.""
Evelyn nodded.
"Dr. Reeves knows.""
Daniel took out his phone.
He called the doctor.
No answer.
He tried again.
Still nothing.
Then a message appeared.
*DR. REEVES: I am sorry. I cannot meet you tonight.
Someone has been watching my house. I need to move the original report before they find it.*
Daniel immediately called back.
The line rang once.
Twice.
Then a man's voice answered.
It wasn't Dr. Reeves.
"Stop looking for the report, Daniel.""
Daniel froze.
"Who is this?""
"You have your mother's version. You have your father's letter. That's enough.""
"Put Dr. Reeves on the phone.""
A short laugh came through the speaker.
"Dr. Reeves is no longer your concern.""
Daniel felt his blood turn cold.
"What have you done to him?""
"Nothing that can't be corrected.""
The call ended.
Daniel stared at the screen.
Vanessa rushed toward him.
"What happened?""
"Someone has Dr. Reeves.""
Evelyn began sobbing.
Daniel immediately called the police and reported the threatening call, the missing documents, and his suspicion that Dr. Reeves might be in danger. He gave them the doctor's name, address, and the details of the original report.
The dispatcher instructed him to remain where he was and said officers would investigate.
Then Daniel heard a noise outside.
A car engine started.
He moved to the window.
A dark sedan was pulling away from the curb.
Its headlights swept across the garden, illuminating the front steps for one brief second.
Daniel recognized the driver.
Harold Whitmore.
As the sedan disappeared around the corner, Daniel's phone vibrated again.
A photograph appeared from an unknown number.
It showed Dr. Reeves sitting in a chair in a dimly lit room, his hands tied behind his back.
Beneath the photograph was a message.
*YOU WANT THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR FATHER? COME TO THE OLD FARMHOUSE AT MIDNIGHT. COME ALONE.*
Then another message arrived.
*AND BRING THE BLUE FOLDER.*
Daniel looked at the empty filing cabinet.
He didn't have the folder.
May you like
But someone believed he did.
And whoever had taken Dr. Reeves was prepared to hurt him until Daniel found it.
