Chapter 6: The Woman Who Called My Father
We left Richard Cole's office at noon.
Marcus barely spoke during the drive.
He held the police report in one hand and his phone in the other, repeatedly checking the calendar entry.
At a gas station, he finally pulled over.
“I need to call Vanessa.””
I looked at him.
“Why?””
“Because she was there that night.””
I turned toward him.
“How do you know?””
He showed me his phone.
An old photograph had appeared in his cloud backup.
It was a picture of Marcus and Vanessa standing outside the Boston restaurant.
The date was September 14.
The timestamp was 7:42 PM.
I stared at the image.
“Were you with her?””
Marcus shook his head.
“I don't remember taking this.””
“That's you.””
“I know.””
He zoomed in.
Vanessa was wearing a black coat.
Marcus was standing beside her, holding a paper coffee cup.
But behind them, reflected in the restaurant window, was another person.
A man.
His face was partially obscured.
Marcus enlarged the reflection.
Then he whispered, “Daniel.””
I took the phone.
It was blurry, but the man's profile looked familiar.
“Your brother?””
Marcus nodded.
“I know his face.””
He immediately called Vanessa.
She answered after four rings.
“What?””
“Where are you?””
“At home.””
“Don't leave.””
She laughed.
“Are you threatening me now?””
“No. I'm asking you to answer a question.””
“What question?””
“Were you with me in Boston on September fourteenth, eleven years ago?””
Silence.
Then she said, “I don't remember.””
Marcus looked at me.
“You're in the photograph.””
“I said I don't remember.””
“You were standing next to me.””
“Marcus, I have a headache. I'm not doing this.””
He lowered his voice.
“Was Daniel alive?””
The line went silent.
Then Vanessa whispered, “Who showed you that photograph?””
“Answer me.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because you don't understand what happened.””
Marcus gripped the steering wheel.
“Then explain it.””
Vanessa began crying.
“I didn't know they were going to hurt him.””
“Who?””
She ended the call.
Marcus threw his phone onto the passenger seat.
I reached for his hand.
“Let's go home.””
But before he could restart the engine, another call came through.
This time, the number was private.
Marcus answered.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice spoke.
“Marcus, you need to listen carefully.””
He froze.
“Who is this?””
“My name is Patricia Cole. I was your father's personal assistant.””
Marcus sat upright.
“Patricia?””
“Yes. I know you've been speaking with Richard.””
“How did you get my number?””
“Your mother gave it to me.””
He looked at me.
“What do you want?””
“I have something that belongs to your father. Something he left in my possession before the accident.””
“What?””
“A second recording.””
Marcus's eyes widened.
“Where are you?””
“I'm at the old Harper Development building.””
“Stay there.””
“Marcus, there's one more thing.””
“What?””
Her voice dropped.
“Vanessa knows I'm calling you.””
Before he could respond, the line went dead.
The old Harper Development building had been sold years earlier.
The company now operated from a modern glass office downtown, but the original headquarters remained empty.
Marcus parked outside.
We entered through a side door Patricia had left unlocked.
Dust covered the reception desk.
The fluorescent lights flickered overhead.
A woman in her sixties stood near the old conference room.
Her silver hair was tied back, and she wore a brown coat.
“Marcus.””
He approached her.
“Patricia.””
She hugged him briefly.
Then she looked at me.
“Claire, you've grown into your father's daughter.””
I managed a small smile.
“Thank you.””
Patricia opened her handbag and removed a small black flash drive.
“Your father gave me this two days before he died.””
Marcus reached for it.
She pulled it back.
“Not so fast.””
“Why?””
“Because you need to understand what you're about to hear.””
Marcus frowned.
“Patricia, I've waited eleven years.””
“I know. But the recording doesn't just expose the person who stole from your father.””
She looked directly at him.
“It explains why Daniel disappeared.””
Marcus went pale.
“Is he alive?””
Patricia hesitated.
“I don't know.””
“Then what does the recording say?””
She handed him the flash drive.
“Listen.””
Marcus opened his laptop.
The recording began with the familiar sound of my father's voice.
“Patricia, if anything happens to me, I need you to make sure Claire receives the trust documents.””
A chair scraped.
Then Patricia's younger voice answered.
“What about Marcus?””
My father's reply came immediately.
“Marcus is being watched.””
I glanced at my husband.
He looked sick.
The recording continued.
“I believe someone has been using him as a shield. Every suspicious transaction has his authorization attached to it. But I know he didn't sign those papers.””
Patricia's voice sounded frightened.
“Then who did?””
My father paused.
“Someone who has access to his personal records.””
Marcus leaned closer.
The recording continued.
“Vanessa has been meeting with Daniel.””
Patricia gasped.
“Your daughter-in-law?””
“Yes. But I don't think she understands what Daniel is planning.””
I looked at Marcus.
He closed his eyes.
Then my father's voice became quieter.
“Daniel called me last night. He told me the money wasn't the real reason he disappeared.””
Patricia asked, “Then what was?””
My father answered:
“He found out who really owns Northbridge Holdings.””
A long silence followed.
Then came a sentence that changed everything.
“The company is registered under the name of someone in our family.””
Marcus sat motionless.
Patricia's voice trembled.
“Who?””
My father whispered the answer.
“Claire.””
I felt the room tilt.
“What?””
Marcus turned toward me.
Patricia shook her head.
“That's why I brought you here. Your father believed someone had stolen Claire's identity years ago.””
I stared at her.
“I've never owned a company called Northbridge Holdings.””
“I know.””
“Then why is my name on it?””
Patricia reached into her handbag again.
She removed a photocopy of a corporate registration form.
My full name appeared at the top.
Claire Elizabeth Harper.
Below it was a signature.
Mine.
Except I had never signed it.
The registration date was eleven years earlier.
September 14.
The same night my father died.
Marcus looked at the document.
“Who filed this?””
Patricia pointed to the signature of the witness.
A familiar name appeared.
Vanessa Harper.
I backed away.
“She used my identity?””
Patricia nodded.
“Your father discovered it the night he died.””
Marcus looked furious.
“Why didn't he go to the police?””
“He was on his way.””
I stared at the recording device.
“So the money was stolen through a company registered in my name?””
Patricia nodded.
“And your father intended to expose it.””
Marcus clenched his fists.
“Then Vanessa is responsible.””
Patricia shook her head.
“No. She was the witness, not the owner.””
“Who owned it?””
Patricia looked toward the dark hallway.
For a moment, she seemed afraid to speak.
Then she leaned closer.
“Your father found the real owner three days before the accident.””
I swallowed.
“Who?””
Patricia's eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel.””
Marcus shook his head.
“No. Daniel wouldn't do that.””
Patricia opened her mouth to respond.
But a loud crash echoed from the reception area.
We all turned.
Someone had entered the building.
Footsteps approached.
Slowly.
Then a familiar voice called from the hallway.
“Patricia?””
Vanessa.
Marcus stood.
“What are you doing here?””
She appeared in the doorway.
Her eyes moved from the laptop to the corporate registration form.
Then she looked at Patricia.
“You weren't supposed to give them that.””
Patricia stepped backward.
Marcus moved between us.
“Tell me the truth, Vanessa. Was Daniel the owner of Northbridge?””
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.””
“Then who was?””
She stared at me.
Her lips trembled.
“Claire, you need to understand. Your name was never supposed to be used.””
I felt cold all over.
“Then whose name was supposed to be there?””
Vanessa looked at Marcus.
Then she said:
“Your father's.””
Marcus went completely still.
Vanessa continued, her voice barely audible.
“Daniel didn't steal the money.””
She pointed at the recording.
“Your father did.””
And before anyone could speak, Patricia whispered something that made Vanessa turn toward her in terror.
“That's not true. I have the original confession.””
Patricia opened her handbag.
But it was empty.
May you like
Someone had already taken it.
And the person who had stolen it was standing right behind us.
