Chapter 8: The Cabinet Behind the Wall
I called Vanessa before we reached Eastbrook.
She answered on the first ring.
"Marcus.""
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere you should have taken me seriously before.""
"Give me the key.""
She laughed softly.
"You really think this is about a key?""
"It's about Noah.""
"Everything is about Noah with you.""
"He's my son.""
"And that's exactly why your father chose him.""
I tightened my grip on the steering wheel.
"What did my father choose him for?""
Vanessa was silent.
Then she said, "You should ask Paul what happened to the money.""
"I already did.""
Her breathing changed.
"What did he tell you?""
"That he was involved in Emily's death.""
For a moment, I heard nothing.
Then Vanessa whispered, "He said that?""
"Did you know?""
She didn't answer.
I heard a car horn in the background.
Then she said, "Marcus, your father wasn't innocent.""
"Neither are you.""
"Meet me at Eastbrook. Come alone.""
"No.""
"Then you'll never know what Emily really did.""
The call ended.
Daniel looked at me.
"Don't go inside without security.""
"I won't.""
When we arrived, Vanessa's car was parked outside the restricted entrance.
The facility lights were on.
But the security office was empty.
Daniel checked the monitors remotely.
"She's already inside.""
We entered through the main corridor.
The door to Unit 408 was open.
Vanessa stood beside a metal cabinet at the back of the room.
She was holding the silver key.
On the floor beside her was Noah's memory box.
I stopped.
"Put the key down.""
She turned.
For a moment, her face softened.
"Marcus, please. Let me explain.""
"Six years ago, Emily wrote a letter warning me about you.""
Vanessa's expression changed.
"She was paranoid.""
"She knew about the false financial records.""
"She didn't understand the business.""
"She knew you before I met you.""
Vanessa looked toward the cabinet.
Then back at me.
"Your father introduced us.""
I felt my stomach drop.
"What?""
"He needed someone to help him investigate the company. I was working for a financial consulting firm at the time. Your father hired me.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because by the time I met you, the investigation was already over.""
"Was it?""
She looked away.
"Not completely.""
I stepped closer.
"Why did you marry me?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"At first, it was supposed to be temporary.""
I stared at her.
"Temporary?""
"Your father wanted me close to the family. He thought someone was using Noah's inheritance to hide financial transactions.""
"So you married me to investigate my family?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Things changed.""
"When?""
"When I fell in love with you.""
I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"You expect me to believe that?""
"I did love you, Marcus.""
"You packed my son's suitcase.""
Her expression hardened.
"Because he was about to ruin everything!""
The words echoed through the room.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Then she seemed to realize what she'd said.
I pointed toward the cabinet.
"What's inside?""
She shook her head.
"Nothing you should see.""
"Open it.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because if you read those records, there's no going back.""
"Open it, Vanessa.""
She stared at me.
Then she inserted the silver key.
The lock turned.
Inside the cabinet were three folders, a small black hard drive, and a sealed envelope bearing my father's signature.
Vanessa reached for the hard drive.
Daniel stepped forward.
"Don't touch anything.""
She pulled her hand back.
I picked up the envelope.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
My father's.
I opened it.
Marcus,
If you have reached this cabinet, then Emily's warning was correct. I failed to protect my family.
I swallowed.
There are three people who know the complete truth about the company. One is dead. One is the person who betrayed us. The third is the person who has been protecting Noah without your knowledge.
I looked at Vanessa.
She was staring at the floor.
I continued.
The person who betrayed us is not necessarily the person who profited most.
My eyes moved to the next paragraph.
Do not assume the money was stolen for personal gain. The original financial arrangement was designed to protect someone from prosecution.
I frowned.
What did that mean?
My father had been protecting someone?
Then I noticed a second sheet inside the envelope.
It was a list of names.
My father's handwriting appeared beside each one.
- Richard Carter. - Emily Carter. - Paul Whitmore.
- Vanessa Reed. - Ethan Carter.
I stared at the last name.
Ethan.
My brother.
The man who had died twelve years earlier.
Beside his name was a handwritten note.
*THE FIRST BENEFICIARY.*
I looked at Vanessa.
"Why is my brother's name here?""
She closed her eyes.
"Because Ethan was the one who created the original trust.""
"What trust?""
"The trust that owns the archive.""
I looked at the documents.
"Why would he do that?""
Vanessa finally sat down on a metal chair.
"Because your brother knew your father was hiding money from someone.""
"Who?""
She looked up.
"Your mother.""
I went completely still.
My mother had died when I was twenty-two.
I'd spent most of my adult life believing she had passed away peacefully after a long illness.
"What does she have to do with this?""
Vanessa rubbed her forehead.
"Your father used company assets to protect her from a financial investigation. Ethan discovered the arrangement and created the trust so the money couldn't be seized.""
"That's impossible.""
"It's in the documents.""
"Then why did Emily get involved?""
"Because she discovered that Paul was trying to take control of the trust.""
I looked at the hard drive.
"And you?""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"I was supposed to help Emily.""
"Supposed to?""
She nodded.
"Paul offered me a deal. If I helped him transfer the archive, he would make sure I never became involved in the investigation.""
I felt disgust rising in my throat.
"You agreed?""
"I thought it would only involve paperwork.""
"Then you tried to take Noah's inheritance.""
"I was trying to stop the evidence from coming out.""
"Why?""
She looked at me.
"Because the records contain proof that your father and brother committed financial crimes.""
I stared at her.
Then she said something that changed everything.
"Marcus, the person your father was protecting wasn't your mother.""
She pointed toward the sealed envelope.
"It was someone still alive.""
I opened the final folder.
Inside was a photograph.
A young woman stood beside Ethan.
She was holding a newborn baby.
On the back, in my father's handwriting, were five words.
*Ethan's daughter. Noah's older sister.*
I stared at the photograph.
My brother had a daughter?
I had never heard of her.
And beneath the photograph was a birth certificate.
The mother's name was clearly printed.
*Vanessa Reed.*
I looked up slowly.
May you like
My wife was staring at me.
"Marcus," she whispered, "there's something I never told you about my relationship with Ethan.""
