Chapter 11: The Girl in the Executive Archive
We found Charlotte's apartment address through the employee records.
Detective Bennett insisted on accompanying me.
Tiana came too.
I wasn't sure I trusted her, but she had information nobody else possessed.
The apartment was in a quiet residential neighborhood.
A small potted plant sat beside the front door.
A pair of running shoes rested against the wall.
It looked ordinary.
Painfully ordinary.
I rang the bell.
No answer.
I knocked.
"Charlotte?""
Nothing.
Tiana looked through the side window.
"The lights are on.""
Detective Bennett tried the handle.
Unlocked.
She drew her weapon and entered first.
"Police!""
I followed.
The apartment smelled faintly of coffee.
A laptop sat open on the kitchen counter.
A half-eaten sandwich rested on a plate.
But there was no sign of Charlotte.
I noticed a framed photograph on the bookshelf.
It showed a young woman standing beside an older man.
The man was Daniel.
My father.
I picked it up.
The photograph had been taken in the company's lobby.
Charlotte was smiling.
Daniel had one hand on her shoulder.
I turned it over.
A handwritten message appeared.
To the young woman who reminds me that good people still exist. Keep asking questions. D.H.
I stared at the writing.
"She knew him," I whispered.
Tiana came closer.
"Apparently.""
"Why would Dad give her a photograph?""
Before she could answer, Detective Bennett called from the bedroom.
"Ethan. You need to see this.""
I entered.
A wardrobe stood open.
Several clothes had been removed.
On the bed lay a small notebook.
I opened it.
The first page contained a list of company accounts.
The second contained several names.
Richard Coleman.
Adrian Coleman.
Margaret Hayes.
Helen Hayes.
And beneath them:
*Ethan Hayes — Beneficiary.*
A sentence had been written underneath.
The original ledger proves all of them lied.
I turned the page.
There was a photograph of a locked metal cabinet.
The location was listed beneath it.
Hayes Global Holdings.
Executive archive.
My father's old office.
I looked at Detective Bennett.
"We need to get inside.""
She nodded.
"We'll obtain the necessary authorization.""
Tiana suddenly grabbed the notebook.
"Wait.""
She pointed to the final page.
There was a handwritten message.
If anything happens to me, the ledger must go to Ethan. He is the only one Daniel trusted.
I looked at her.
"Why would Charlotte write that?""
Tiana shook her head.
"Because she knew who you were.""
I frowned.
"You said she believed I was dead.""
"Maybe someone told her the truth.""
"Who?""
Tiana looked toward the apartment door.
Then a voice came from behind us.
"Me.""
We turned.
A young woman stood in the doorway.
Dark hair.
Brown eyes.
A small scar near her left eyebrow.
The woman from the photograph.
Charlotte.
She looked at me for several seconds.
Then her gaze moved to Tiana.
"You brought him here.""
Tiana nodded.
"Charlotte, this is Ethan.""
Charlotte gave a sad smile.
"I know who he is.""
I took one step forward.
"You're Charlotte?""
She nodded.
"I'm your sister.""
I didn't know what to say.
I had imagined meeting her.
I'd imagined anger, questions, maybe even an embrace.
Instead, I stood there feeling like a stranger who had accidentally walked into the wrong life.
"How long have you known?"" I asked.
"Three weeks.""
"How?""
She walked toward the bookshelf and picked up another photograph.
It showed Daniel standing with her outside a hospital.
"He came to see me before he died.""
I stared.
"What?""
"He told me everything. He said I had a brother and that he was sorry he hadn't found a way to bring us together sooner.""
I swallowed.
"Why didn't you contact me?""
"Because he asked me not to.""
"Why?""
"Because Richard was watching you. Daniel thought keeping us apart would protect both of us.""
I looked at the photograph.
"Did he give you the ledger?""
Charlotte nodded.
"Yes.""
My heart began racing.
"Where is it?""
She glanced at Detective Bennett.
"Somewhere safe.""
"Where?""
She walked toward the kitchen.
Then she opened a cupboard above the refrigerator.
Inside was a small metal case.
She brought it down and placed it on the table.
The case was locked.
Charlotte reached into her pocket.
She removed a small brass key.
I recognized it immediately.
It was identical to the one Margaret had given me.
I looked at her.
"Where did you get that?""
"Dad gave it to me.""
I stared at her.
She inserted the key.
The case opened.
Inside was a thick black ledger.
My father's original handwriting covered the first page.
I turned it.
There were hundreds of entries.
Transfers.
Dates.
Account numbers.
Names.
And one entry that made me stop breathing.
*December 14 — Emergency payment authorized by Margaret Hayes.*
Beneath it was another entry.
*December 14 — Medical consultant payment — Dr. Samuel Pierce.*
And beneath that:
*December 14 — Final payment — Helen Hayes.*
I looked up.
"December 14.""
Charlotte nodded.
"The night Dad died.""
I turned another page.
A list of payments appeared.
The final recipient was an account registered to a company called Northbridge Medical Services.
I looked at Detective Bennett.
"What's this?""
She examined the page.
"I don't know yet.""
Charlotte leaned closer.
"Dad told me that company was important.""
"Why?""
"Because it was the company that supplied his medication.""
I stared at her.
Then I noticed a handwritten note beside the final transfer.
Do not allow Richard to access the second account.
I pointed to it.
"What's the second account?""
Charlotte turned to the back of the ledger.
There was a sealed pocket.
Inside was a document.
A bank account statement.
The account belonged to a person named Daniel Hayes.
But the balance was astonishing.
$47,800,000.
I looked at Charlotte.
"Where did this money come from?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Detective Bennett photographed the document.
Then she noticed something unusual.
The account had a second authorized beneficiary.
*Charlotte Reed.*
I stared at my sister.
"Did you know about this?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
I looked at the date.
The account had been opened six months before Daniel died.
Then I noticed a final handwritten note.
If Ethan and Charlotte are together, release the funds.
I looked at my sister.
For the first time since meeting her, she smiled.
"Dad wanted us to find each other.""
But before I could respond, her laptop chimed.
An incoming email appeared.
The sender was Adrian Coleman.
The subject line read:
*YOUR FATHER'S FINAL SECRET.*
Charlotte opened it.
The message contained a photograph of a document.
It was a DNA test.
The results showed a biological relationship between Richard Coleman and both of us.
But there was something else.
A second test.
It compared Daniel Hayes with Charlotte.
The result was clear.
*Probability of biological paternity: 99.99%.*
I stared at the screen.
Then at my sister.
Charlotte's smile vanished.
"That's impossible.""
I looked at her.
"What?""
May you like
She whispered:
"Richard told me Daniel wasn't my father.""
