Chapter 12: The Attorney Who Sold My Family
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
He looked back at me.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then he shook his head.
"No.""
Edward placed the recorder on the table.
"I heard the recording myself.""
Mr. Bennett stepped closer.
"Richard was Eleanor's attorney for twenty years. He handled the trust. He represented Thomas's company. He helped settle the estate.""
"Exactly," Edward replied.
"He had access to everything.""
I felt my stomach twist.
Richard had been the one answering my questions.
The one explaining the inheritance.
The one warning me about Daniel.
The one who had told me to gather evidence.
And now his name was connected to my father's death.
"Why would he do that?"" I whispered.
Edward opened the metal case.
"Money.""
He removed a ledger.
"Richard was receiving payments from Edward Carter Holdings for several years. He helped move money between accounts and concealed fraudulent transactions.""
I looked at him.
"Why?""
"Because Richard was drowning in debt. Edward offered him a way out.""
Patricia lowered her head.
"And Daniel continued paying him after Edward disappeared.""
I turned toward her.
"How do you know?""
She reached into her handbag and removed several bank statements.
"I found these in Daniel's study.""
I took them.
The transactions were made to a company called Northbridge Consulting.
The payments were regular.
Large amounts.
Every month.
"Who owns Northbridge?"" I asked.
Edward answered.
"Richard Cole.""
I felt sick.
Mr. Bennett picked up the statements.
"These could be useful.""
"There's more," Edward said.
He opened the ledger to a marked page.
A series of transfers had been made from Whitmore Properties shortly before Thomas died.
The amounts were enormous.
I looked at the final entry.
One transfer had been made to an account registered under my name.
I stared at it.
"Why is my name here?""
Edward leaned closer.
"That's the account Daniel used to move the stolen funds.""
My mouth went dry.
"You're saying he transferred stolen money into my account?""
Edward nodded.
"Yes.""
"Without my permission?""
"Yes.""
I looked at Mr. Bennett.
"Can they accuse me of theft?""
"Not if we can establish that the transactions were unauthorized. But we need the original bank records.""
Patricia suddenly spoke.
"I can get them.""
Everyone turned.
She wiped her cheeks.
"Daniel keeps a second set of financial files at his office. He thinks nobody knows about them.""
Mr. Bennett looked at her.
"Where?""
"Behind the framed photograph in his private study.""
I stared at her.
"How do you know?""
"Because I found them six months ago.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Patricia looked down.
"I was afraid.""
I felt anger rise.
"You were afraid while my husband was stealing from me?""
She nodded.
"I thought I could convince him to stop. I thought if I kept quiet, I could prevent things from becoming worse.""
I shook my head.
"That's what everyone says.""
Patricia began crying.
"I know.""
I looked away.
I couldn't forgive her.
Not yet.
But I needed the evidence.
"Then we're going to Daniel's office.""
Daniel's company headquarters occupied the top three floors of a glass building downtown.
I had attended several charity events there.
I had once stood beside him at the opening ceremony, smiling for photographs while he thanked everyone who had helped build his company.
Now I was walking through the same lobby with the intention of exposing him.
The receptionist looked up.
"Mrs. Carter?""
I forced a smile.
"I'm here to see my husband.""
She hesitated.
"Mr. Carter is in a meeting.""
"That's fine. I'll wait.""
I knew the receptionist would call him.
I also knew Daniel wouldn't want a public confrontation.
Five minutes later, the elevator opened.
Daniel stepped out.
He was wearing a charcoal suit.
His expression was controlled.
But his eyes immediately moved toward Patricia.
"What is she doing here?""
I answered.
"Looking for the truth.""
He laughed.
"You've brought my mother into this?""
Patricia stepped forward.
"I know about the accounts, Daniel.""
His expression changed.
"What accounts?""
"The Northbridge transfers.""
He looked at her.
Then at me.
"You're making a mistake.""
Patricia shook her head.
"No. I made a mistake when I believed you.""
Daniel turned to the receptionist.
"Cancel my meetings.""
Then he looked at me.
"Come upstairs.""
I shook my head.
"Here is fine.""
He stepped closer.
"Do you want everyone to hear about your family secrets?""
I looked directly at him.
"Yes.""
His jaw tightened.
For a moment, I thought he might grab my arm.
Instead, he smiled.
"Fine.""
He turned and walked toward the elevator.
We followed.
His private office was exactly as I remembered it.
A massive desk.
Dark wooden shelves.
A glass wall overlooking the city.
And behind the desk, a framed photograph of Daniel standing beside his father.
Edward.
I stared at the picture.
"Take it down," Patricia said.
Daniel ignored her.
He walked toward the desk.
"Now what?""
Patricia pointed toward the photograph.
"Move it.""
Daniel laughed.
"You've lost your mind.""
"Move it.""
He looked at her.
Then at me.
Finally, he took the photograph off the wall.
Behind it was a small recessed safe.
I stared.
"You kept the documents here?""
Daniel shrugged.
"Business records.""
Patricia stepped forward.
"Open it.""
"No.""
Mr. Bennett spoke.
"Daniel, we know about the unauthorized transfers. We have the original ledger.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Then you already have what you need.""
"Not the bank records," I replied.
He looked at me.
"You really think those papers will save you?""
I didn't answer.
He turned toward the safe.
Then he entered a code.
The door opened.
Inside were several folders, two external drives, and a sealed envelope.
I reached for the envelope.
Daniel grabbed my wrist.
"Don't touch that.""
I pulled away.
"Why?""
He stared at me.
"Because it's not what you think.""
I opened it.
Inside was a document titled:
*WHITMORE PROPERTIES — BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP AGREEMENT.*
My mother's signature appeared at the bottom.
So did Thomas's.
And below them was a third signature.
Mine.
I stared at it.
It looked exactly like my handwriting.
But I had never signed that document.
"Who forged this?""
Daniel didn't answer.
Patricia picked up the paper.
Then she suddenly gasped.
"What?""
She pointed to the date.
The agreement had supposedly been signed three days before my mother's death.
I looked at the signature.
Then at the notary stamp.
James Holloway.
The attorney who had died two years earlier.
Again.
I looked at Daniel.
"How did you get this notarized?""
He smiled faintly.
"Ask Richard.""
Mr. Bennett immediately reached for his phone.
But before he could dial, the office door opened.
Richard walked in.
He looked at all of us.
Then at the open safe.
"Daniel," he said calmly.
"I told you not to leave these documents here.""
I stepped forward.
"How many signatures have you forged?""
Richard sighed.
"Mrs. Carter, you're misunderstanding the situation.""
"No. I'm finally understanding it.""
He placed his briefcase on the desk.
"Let's be reasonable.""
"Did you arrange the hospital cover-up?""
His expression didn't change.
"That's a serious accusation.""
"Did you help Daniel steal from my mother?""
"No.""
"Did you forge my signature?""
Richard looked at Daniel.
Daniel said nothing.
Then Richard turned toward me.
"You need to understand something. Your mother was not the innocent woman you've imagined.""
I felt my hands tighten.
"Stop blaming my mother.""
"She was involved in the financial scheme too.""
"Prove it.""
Richard opened his briefcase.
He removed a document and placed it on the desk.
It was a bank transfer authorization.
My mother's signature appeared at the bottom.
And beside it was another name.
Edward Carter.
Richard looked directly at me.
"Your mother didn't just know about the stolen money, Nia.""
He paused.
"She helped move it.""
Patricia shook her head.
"That's a lie.""
Richard ignored her.
"Thomas discovered the transfers. Eleanor panicked. She knew her husband would expose her.""
I looked at the document.
"Then why did she establish the trust?""
Richard smiled.
"Because she wanted to make sure the money remained in the family.""
I felt the room spinning.
"You're saying my mother stole from Thomas?""
"I'm saying she was part of a much larger arrangement.""
Mr. Bennett stepped forward.
"Enough. We have the original ledger and the recording.""
Richard's smile disappeared.
Then he did something none of us expected.
He reached into his briefcase and removed a small remote control.
He pressed a button.
A large screen behind Daniel's desk came to life.
A security recording appeared.
It showed a hospital corridor.
The date was eighteen years earlier.
The timestamp read 10:02 p.m.
My mother walked into Thomas's room.
She looked frightened.
She closed the door.
Then the screen changed to another camera angle.
A nurse entered the room several minutes later.
She looked around.
Then she disconnected a cable from the medical monitor.
I felt my heart stop.
The nurse turned toward the camera.
Her face was clearly visible.
It was Helen Brooks.
The same woman who had called me.
Richard leaned back.
"Now, Nia, tell me again that your mother was innocent.""
I stared at the screen.
But something caught my attention.
The footage showed the nurse entering the room.
It didn't show who had given her instructions.
Then I noticed a reflection in the glass at the end of the corridor.
A man standing behind the camera.
Wearing a dark suit.
Holding a hospital access card.
I leaned closer.
I recognized him.
It was Daniel.
But the timestamp made no sense.
According to the official records, Daniel had left the hospital forty minutes earlier.
I turned toward him.
"You were still there.""
Daniel didn't answer.
Richard quickly switched off the screen.
Too quickly.
Mr. Bennett noticed.
"So that's the footage you've been hiding.""
Richard's expression hardened.
"You have no idea what you're dealing with.""
I stepped toward him.
"Then explain it.""
He looked at me.
And for the first time, he stopped pretending to be an attorney.
"Your mother didn't disconnect the monitor, Nia.""
He leaned closer.
"She was trying to save Thomas when she walked into that room.""
I froze.
Richard continued.
"The nurse had already been instructed to stop the equipment. And the man who gave her that instruction wasn't Daniel.""
He turned toward the door.
Then he said the words that destroyed everything I thought I knew.
"It was your biological father, Edward Carter.""
I stared at him.
"Edward was in Briar Cove.""
Richard smiled.
"Not eighteen years ago.""
He pulled out his phone and showed me a photograph.
It was taken in the hospital corridor.
Edward was standing beside Helen Brooks.
And in his hand was the medication chart that had been altered before Thomas died.
Then Richard whispered:
"Your father wasn't the only person Edward wanted dead that night.""
My blood ran cold.
"Who else?""
May you like
Richard looked directly at me.
"Your mother.""
