Chapter 8: The Night Daniel Hayes Died
I read the messages twice.
My mother reached for her phone.
"Give it to me.""
I pulled it away.
"Why is Richard threatening you?""
"He knows I kept the letter.""
"How does he know?""
"I don't know.""
"Mom, stop lying.""
She looked toward the kitchen window.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Because someone has been watching this house.""
The officers immediately moved toward the front door.
One checked the driveway.
The other approached the windows.
I turned back to my mother.
"Tell me what happened the night Dad died.""
She shook her head.
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because I wasn't supposed to be there.""
I stared at her.
"What does that mean?""
She sat down.
"Daniel called me that evening. He said he had found something in Richard's financial records. He wanted me to come to the house.""
"And you went?""
"Yes.""
"Who else was there?""
"Richard.""
My stomach tightened.
"What happened?""
She looked at the photograph of my father holding me as a newborn.
"He confronted Richard about the money. They argued for nearly an hour.""
"What were they arguing about?""
"Richard wanted the original ledger. Daniel refused to give it to him.""
I leaned forward.
"Then?""
"Richard told Daniel that if he didn't cooperate, he would expose the truth about your birth.""
I closed my eyes.
My father had already known.
"He threatened him with something Daniel had accepted years earlier?""
My mother nodded.
"Daniel told him that he could tell the whole world. He said you were his son, and nothing Richard did would change that.""
I swallowed.
"Then what happened?""
My mother began shaking.
"Richard picked up a glass from the table and threw it against the wall.""
I looked at her.
"Did he hit Dad?""
"No.""
"Did Dad have a heart attack?""
She looked down.
"I don't know.""
"Mom.""
She pressed her hands together.
"Daniel collapsed shortly afterward.""
The room went silent.
I stood.
"Did you call an ambulance?""
"I wanted to.""
"But?""
"Richard stopped me.""
My entire body went cold.
"He stopped you?""
"He said Daniel was already dead. He said calling the police would destroy all of us.""
"Did you check his pulse?""
She began crying harder.
"No.""
I took a step backward.
"You left him there?""
"I was terrified.""
"You left my father lying on the floor?""
She covered her face.
"I didn't know what to do!""
I stared at her.
Then one of the officers entered.
"Mr. Hayes, we need to leave. Someone has been attempting to access the rear entrance.""
I looked at my mother.
"You're coming with us.""
She nodded.
As we walked toward the front door, she caught my sleeve.
"Ethan.""
I stopped.
"Your father wasn't alone when he died.""
I turned.
"What?""
She looked directly at me.
"There was another person in the house.""
"Who?""
She hesitated.
Then she whispered:
"Adrian.""
At 5:40 P.M., Detective Bennett arranged a meeting with Adrian Coleman.
He agreed to meet us at a hotel conference room downtown.
Margaret was still being questioned, and Tiana had been taken to provide a formal statement.
My mother was in police custody.
For the first time in my life, I felt as though every person I'd ever trusted was standing on the opposite side of a courtroom.
Adrian arrived ten minutes late.
He wore a navy suit and carried a leather briefcase.
He smiled when he saw me.
"Brother.""
I didn't return the greeting.
"Where's the ledger?""
He sat down.
"Straight to business.""
"Where is it?""
Adrian placed his briefcase on the table.
"Before we discuss that, I think you should understand something.""
I remained standing.
"Go ahead.""
"Richard has spent his entire life believing Daniel stole his place.""
"Daniel didn't steal anything from him.""
Adrian smiled faintly.
"That's what you think.""
"What do you want?""
He opened the briefcase.
Inside were several company documents.
"The board has agreed to appoint me as interim chairman.""
I looked at the papers.
"Congratulations.""
"Thank you.""
He slid another document toward me.
"This is a settlement agreement. You surrender your voting rights, transfer your remaining beneficiary interest, and walk away.""
I laughed.
"You've spent millions stealing from my father's company, and now you're offering me a settlement?""
"I'm offering you an opportunity to start over.""
"With what? The money you stole?""
His expression hardened.
"You have no idea how much Daniel kept from us.""
I sat down.
"Tell me.""
Adrian leaned back.
"Richard built half the company's investment network. Daniel took credit for everything. When the company became successful, he pushed Richard aside.""
"That's not what the records say.""
"Records can be changed.""
"Apparently, you've become an expert.""
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Then he reached into his briefcase and removed an old photograph.
It showed Richard standing outside a hospital.
Beside him was a young woman holding a newborn baby.
I recognized my mother.
The baby was me.
"Your father knew Richard was your biological father," Adrian said.
"But he spent thirty years pretending otherwise.""
"Daniel raised me.""
"He raised you because he couldn't have children of his own.""
I stared at him.
"That's not true.""
Adrian shrugged.
"Ask your mother.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
He continued.
"Daniel wanted an heir. Richard gave him one. Then Daniel built an empire around the child who wasn't even his.""
I looked at him.
"And what did you get?""
His smile disappeared.
"Nothing.""
"That's what this is about?""
"Everything went to you. The trust. The company.
The voting rights. Even the sentimental little car.""
I slowly understood.
Adrian wasn't simply trying to steal the company.
He resented me for inheriting the life he believed should have belonged to him.
"Why did you forge my signature?""
He looked away.
"Richard handled the paperwork.""
"Did you kill Daniel?""
His expression changed.
The room became very still.
Then he laughed.
"Careful, Ethan.""
"Did you?""
Adrian closed his briefcase.
"I was seventeen when Daniel died.""
I froze.
"What?""
He looked directly at me.
"You keep forgetting something. Richard had another son before he had you.""
My mind raced.
"You're thirty-two.""
"Yes.""
"Daniel died four years ago.""
Adrian leaned forward.
"Exactly.""
I stared at him.
The dates didn't make sense.
Then I understood.
Adrian wasn't talking about Daniel's death.
He was talking about something else.
"Why did you say you were seventeen?""
He smiled.
"Because that's how old I was when I first saw Daniel lying on the floor.""
My blood ran cold.
"You were there?""
Adrian stood.
"I was the one who called Richard.""
He picked up his briefcase.
"And I was the one who took the ledger.""
Detective Bennett moved toward him.
"Mr. Coleman, you're not leaving.""
Adrian looked at her.
Then he pulled a folded paper from his jacket.
"You might want to read this first.""
He placed it on the table.
It was a medical report.
Daniel Hayes.
Cause of death: Cardiac arrest.
But beneath the official conclusion was a handwritten note from the attending physician.
Patient displayed signs consistent with possible poisoning. Toxicology testing requested.
I stared at the document.
"Why wasn't this investigated?""
Adrian smiled.
"Because the toxicology results disappeared.""
He walked toward the door.
Detective Bennett stopped him.
"You're coming with us.""
He didn't resist.
Instead, he turned toward me.
"One more thing, Ethan.""
I looked at him.
"Your father didn't die because of Richard.""
May you like
He paused.
"He died because someone he loved put something in his drink.""
