Chapter 10: The Woman Who Wasn't Driving
My father gripped the edge of the desk so tightly that his knuckles turned white.
“What do you mean it wasn't my wife behind the wheel?””
Sarah Miller was crying.
“I mean exactly what I said, Richard. Eleanor wasn't driving that night.””
I felt the room tilt.
My mother's name was Eleanor.
For thirteen years, I had remembered her as the woman who died in a terrible accident on a rainy Massachusetts road. I remembered the funeral, the flowers, the black dresses, and my father's silent face.
I remembered standing beside her coffin, wondering why nobody could explain how the accident had happened.
Now a woman who had disappeared for thirteen years was telling us that everything we believed was a lie.
My father spoke again.
“Sarah, where are you?””
“I can't tell you over the phone.””
“Are you safe?””
“For now.””
“Who was driving?””
Sarah inhaled shakily.
“Daniel Foster.””
Amelia covered her mouth.
I stared at my father.
He slowly lowered himself into his chair.
“Daniel was driving my wife's car?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because Eleanor had asked him to take her somewhere. She had discovered the second account and wanted him to explain the transfers.””
My father closed his eyes.
“And what happened?””
Sarah was silent for several seconds.
Then she continued.
“They argued. Eleanor wanted to take the documents to the authorities. Daniel told her that if she did, your company would collapse.””
My father shook his head.
“She would never have agreed to that.””
“I know. That's why they argued.””
I moved closer to the phone.
“Sarah?””
There was a pause.
“Danielle?””
My voice broke.
“It's me.””
“Oh, sweetheart.””
She began crying harder.
“I've wanted to speak to you for years.””
“Why didn't you?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of Daniel?””
“Of everyone.””
I looked at my father.
“Please tell me what happened that night.””
Sarah took a shaky breath.
“Eleanor asked me to meet her at a restaurant outside Boston. She had a folder containing copies of the financial records. She wanted me to keep them safe in case something happened.””
My fingers tightened around the desk.
“Did she give you the folder?””
“No. She said she would bring it after meeting Daniel.””
“What happened next?””
“I waited for nearly two hours. Then Daniel called me.””
My father leaned forward.
“What did he say?””
“He told me Eleanor had been in an accident. He said she was dead and that I needed to forget everything I knew.””
My father looked horrified.
“Did he admit he was driving?””
“Not directly. But I heard another voice in the background.””
“Whose?””
Sarah hesitated.
“Andrew Whitmore.””
My father stood.
“Andrew was there?””
“Yes. He arrived shortly after the accident.””
I looked at Amelia.
She was already typing.
“Do you have proof?”” my father asked.
Sarah replied quietly.
“I took a photograph.””
“What photograph?””
“Daniel standing beside Eleanor's car. Andrew was there too. I also photographed the registration plate of the vehicle Daniel arrived in.””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“Where is it?””
“In the storage unit.””
I glanced at the brass key lying beside the journal.
“Then we need to go there.””
Sarah's voice suddenly became urgent.
“Don't go without protection.””
My father frowned.
“Why?””
“Because someone else has been looking for the same documents.””
“Who?””
“I don't know. But yesterday, when I left the facility, a black SUV followed me.””
Amelia immediately looked toward the window.
“Did you recognize the vehicle?””
“No.””
My father turned to our security officer.
“Prepare two vehicles. We're going to Cambridge.””
Sarah interrupted.
“Richard, wait.””
“What?””
“There's something else. Something Eleanor told me that night.””
My father stopped.
“She said if anything happened to her, I should tell you that the final authorization was never supposed to be signed.””
He looked at the journal on the desk.
“I saw that message.””
Sarah continued.
“Daniel needed your signature to move the money through the second account. Eleanor discovered he had forged part of the authorization.””
My father looked confused.
“I signed the original investment papers.””
“Not the document that allowed the final transfer. Eleanor had a copy proving your signature had been copied onto a different agreement.””
Amelia looked up.
“Then the memorandum we found could have been altered.””
“Exactly,” Sarah replied.
I suddenly understood why someone had wanted me removed from the hospitality division.
The hotel acquisition wasn't just a business transaction.
It was connected to years of financial misconduct.
And my mother's death might have been the beginning of the cover-up.
My father picked up the brass key.
“Sarah, we're coming to the storage facility.””
“Please be careful.””
“We will.””
Before ending the call, Sarah said one last thing.
“Richard?””
“Yes?””
“There's a second photograph. Eleanor took it herself.””
“Of what?””
“Of the man who was waiting inside the car when Daniel arrived.””
My father went still.
“Who was it?””
Sarah whispered a name.
Then the call ended.
I looked at my father.
“Who?””
He didn't answer immediately.
Amelia looked up from her laptop.
“Richard?””
My father slowly turned toward her.
“Call the police.””
“What happened?””
He looked at me.
“The man Sarah just named is still working for Bennett Capital.””
I felt my stomach drop.
“Who?””
My father swallowed.
“James Porter. My personal security director.””
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then the security officer standing near the door reached for his radio.
May you like
And my father said something that made the entire room freeze.
“Tell everyone not to let James leave the building.””
