Chapter 9: The Person Who Had Been Inside My House
I drove home so fast that I barely remembered the journey.
Andrew followed in his own car.
The entire time, I kept staring at the security company's message.
An authorized code.
My mother's code.
But Evelyn was sitting beside me in the passenger seat.
She had been with me all afternoon.
Someone else had used it.
When we arrived, the garage door was closed.
The front windows were dark.
I parked outside and called the security company again.
"Can you tell me whether anyone is still inside?""
"One moment, Mr. Carter.""
I waited.
Then the operator spoke.
"We have movement in the basement.""
I looked toward Andrew.
He immediately called the police.
We didn't enter through the front door.
Instead, we waited outside until two officers arrived.
They checked the property and found the garage side door unlocked.
One officer approached the basement entrance.
The other asked us to remain behind.
Then we heard a crash.
"Police! Come out with your hands visible!""
Footsteps thundered across the basement.
A man appeared in the doorway.
He was carrying a black backpack.
I recognized him immediately.
"David?""
My uncle stopped.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
He looked older than I remembered. His hair had turned almost completely white, and his face was thinner.
But there was no mistaking him.
"Marcus," he said.
I stared at him.
"What are you doing in my house?""
David looked at the officers.
"I can explain.""
One officer instructed him to put the backpack down.
David obeyed.
The second officer checked the bag.
Inside were several folders, a small camera, and a stack of printed documents.
One document had my mother's name on it.
Another had the Northstar trust details.
And the third was a copy of the property transfer request.
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How did you get my mother's security code?""
David looked at the floor.
"Vanessa gave it to me.""
I stared at him.
"Of course she did.""
He looked up.
"Marcus, I came here to help.""
I laughed.
"You broke into my house.""
"I didn't break anything.""
"You entered without permission.""
"I was looking for something that belongs to the family.""
"Get used to hearing this. You don't decide what's yours anymore.""
One of the officers approached.
"Sir, we'll need you to come with us while we establish why you entered the property.""
David nodded.
But as they escorted him outside, he turned toward me.
"Your father wasn't killed because of the money.""
I stopped.
"What?""
David looked directly at me.
"He was killed because of the person he trusted most.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Who?""
David glanced toward the house.
Then he said:
"Your mother knows.""
The officers placed him in their vehicle.
I stood in the driveway, unable to move.
Andrew approached.
"Marcus, don't let him manipulate you.""
I turned.
"Why would he say that?""
"Because he's trying to create conflict.""
"But what if it's true?""
Andrew looked uncomfortable.
I stared at him.
"Did my father trust someone who betrayed him?""
Andrew didn't answer.
I immediately called my mother.
She answered after the second ring.
"Sweetheart?""
"Mom, did Uncle David just try to break into our house?""
Silence.
"Mom?""
"Yes.""
"How do you know?""
She began crying.
"Because he called me.""
My stomach tightened.
"When?""
"This morning.""
"What did he say?""
"He said he wanted the key. He told me that if I didn't give it to him, he would tell you what happened.""
I closed my eyes.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"I didn't want you getting involved.""
I let out a breath.
"Mom, I'm already involved.""
She began sobbing.
Then she whispered:
"Marcus, your father was supposed to meet me that night.""
I frowned.
"What night?""
"The night he died.""
I felt a chill move through my body.
"You told me he was meeting Richard.""
"He was. But he was supposed to come home afterward.""
"Did he?""
"No.""
"Then what happened?""
My mother took a shaky breath.
"I received a phone call around eleven. A man told me there had been an accident. He said Thomas was dead.""
I stared at the driveway.
"Who called?""
"I never knew.""
"Did you recognize his voice?""
She hesitated.
"Yes.""
"Who was it?""
My mother whispered:
"David.""
I looked toward the police vehicle.
My uncle was sitting in the back seat, staring through the window.
"Did he tell you what happened?""
"He said your father had driven off the road. He told me not to ask questions.""
"Why?""
"Because he said there were people involved who would hurt us if I spoke.""
My jaw tightened.
"Mom, did you believe him?""
"I didn't know what to believe.""
"Did you ever tell the police?""
"No.""
I looked at Andrew.
He was listening.
I turned away.
"Mom, there's something else I need to ask.""
"What?""
"Who had access to Dad's business records after he died?""
My mother was silent for several seconds.
Then she answered.
"Your aunt Patricia.""
I frowned.
"My aunt?""
"Your father's older sister. She helped me organize the estate paperwork.""
I remembered Patricia.
She lived less than an hour away and had always been generous toward me when I was young.
She sent birthday cards, attended my graduation, and occasionally visited after my father died.
But I hadn't spoken to her in years.
"Why would she have access?""
"She was the person your father trusted to help me.""
I felt something cold settle in my chest.
"Did she know about the trust?""
"Yes.""
"Did she know about the blue ledger?""
My mother paused.
Then she whispered:
"She was the only other person who knew where your father kept it.""
I turned toward Andrew.
He looked stunned.
"Marcus," he said quietly, "that changes everything.""
I ended the call.
We returned to the house after the officers finished their initial inspection.
The basement looked as though someone had searched it in a hurry.
Several storage boxes had been opened.
Old photographs lay scattered across the floor.
A wooden cabinet stood with its doors hanging open.
But something else caught my attention.
The metal box.
My father's old metal box was missing.
I walked toward the empty shelf.
"Andrew?""
He came over.
"What's wrong?""
"The box.""
He examined the shelf.
"Was it here?""
"Mom said Dad kept the blue ledger inside it.""
Andrew's expression hardened.
"Then David may already have it.""
I looked toward the garage.
"Did the officers find it?""
"No.""
I called the police officer who had handled David's arrest.
He checked the inventory.
"No metal box was recovered, Mr. Carter.""
I rubbed my forehead.
"So where is it?""
Andrew looked toward the staircase.
"There's one person we haven't questioned.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number appeared.
*Stop looking for the ledger. Patricia already has it.*
I stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
It contained a photograph.
A woman stood outside a restaurant holding the metal box.
I recognized her immediately.
My aunt Patricia.
But the next part made my blood run cold.
Standing beside her was Vanessa.
And beside Vanessa was Claire Cole.
The three women were smiling.
Like old friends.
I zoomed in on the photograph.
On the metal box was a small white label.
*NORTHSTAR — ORIGINAL OWNERSHIP RECORDS.*
I called Vanessa.
She answered almost immediately.
"Marcus?""
"Where are you?""
"At home.""
"Don't lie to me.""
Silence.
I sent her the photograph.
Her breathing changed.
"Where did you get that?""
"Answer the question.""
She began crying.
"Marcus, I can explain.""
"You're standing beside my aunt and Richard Cole's daughter, holding my father's metal box. What exactly is there to explain?""
She whispered something.
I couldn't hear it.
"What?""
Then she said:
"Your aunt isn't helping Richard.""
I frowned.
"Then who is she helping?""
Vanessa took a shaky breath.
"She's helping the person who actually ordered your father's death.""
I gripped the phone.
"Who?""
My wife began sobbing.
May you like
"Marcus, I think your father was killed by someone you loved.""
And before I could ask another question, the call disconnected.
