Chapter 7: The Uncle Who Came Back From the Dead
My father's hand remained suspended above the lock.
Neither of us moved.
Outside, the man knocked again.
"Arthur, I know you're in there.""
I recognized the voice.
It belonged to Michael Bennett, my father's younger brother.
My uncle had been part of my childhood for as long as I could remember. He had taught me how to ride a bicycle, taken me fishing, and given the speech at my high school graduation when my father was too emotional to speak.
He had also disappeared from our lives shortly after my mother's funeral.
I had been told he moved to Arizona.
Now he was standing outside our workshop, asking to discuss my mother's death.
"Dad," I whispered.
"Don't open it.""
My father looked at me.
"He's my brother.""
"He's the man Mom warned us about.""
He closed his eyes briefly.
Then he unlocked the door.
Michael stood beneath the flickering security light.
He was wearing a charcoal overcoat and expensive leather shoes. His hair had turned almost completely gray, but his face hadn't changed much.
He carried no luggage.
No umbrella.
Just a brown leather folder.
He looked at my father.
Then his eyes moved to me.
"Nia.""
I didn't answer.
He smiled sadly.
"Look at you. You're all grown up.""
I folded my arms.
"You disappeared.""
Michael nodded.
"I know.""
"You didn't call after Mom died.""
"I wasn't able to.""
"Why?""
He looked at my father.
"Can we talk inside?""
Dad stepped aside reluctantly.
Michael entered the workshop and glanced around.
"Nothing has changed.""
My father closed the door.
"Neither have your lies.""
Michael sighed.
"Arthur, please. I'm not here to fight.""
"Then why are you here?""
Michael placed his leather folder on the workbench.
"Because Thomas Whitmore contacted me.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What does he want?""
Michael looked at me.
"He wants the recording.""
Dad stepped forward.
"How does he know about it?""
Michael hesitated.
Then he answered.
"Because I told him.""
Silence filled the room.
My father stared at his brother.
I couldn't move.
Michael opened the folder.
Inside were several photographs, old bank statements, and a document bearing my mother's signature.
"I know how this looks," he said.
"Then explain it," Dad replied.
Michael pulled out a chair.
"Twenty years ago, Thomas approached me with an offer. He said he wanted to expand the Whitmore business and needed access to the original land agreement.""
My father laughed bitterly.
"You were supposed to be helping us.""
"I was.""
"Then why did you help him?""
Michael looked down.
"Because he offered me money.""
Dad's jaw tightened.
"How much?""
"Two hundred thousand dollars.""
My father stared at him.
"For what?""
"Copies of the partnership documents. Nothing more.""
"Those documents were confidential.""
"I know.""
"You sold your own family for two hundred thousand dollars?""
Michael rubbed his forehead.
"I had debts, Arthur. Bad investments. I was desperate.""
I stepped closer.
"And Mom found out?""
Michael nodded.
"She discovered the transfers. She confronted me.""
"What happened?""
His eyes filled.
"She told me she was going to tell you.""
My father gripped the edge of the workbench.
Michael continued.
"I begged her not to. I promised I would return the money. I said I would fix everything.""
"And did you?""
"No.""
Dad looked away.
Michael removed another photograph.
It showed my mother standing outside a restaurant with Thomas Whitmore.
The date was printed on the back.
September 14.
The day she died.
"Where did you get this?"" I asked.
Michael looked at me.
"From Thomas.""
"Why was Mom meeting him?""
"She wanted him to sign a confession.""
My father shook his head.
"She told me she was going to the pharmacy.""
Michael nodded.
"She didn't want you involved.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Did Thomas hurt her?""
Michael looked toward the floor.
"I don't know.""
"You don't know?""
"I wasn't there when the accident happened.""
"Then why did you tell him about the recording?""
Michael looked directly at me.
"Because I thought he had already destroyed it.""
Dad moved toward him.
"Get out.""
"Arthur, listen.""
"Get out of my workshop.""
Michael raised both hands.
"I came here because Thomas is planning something. He's not trying to recover the land anymore. He's trying to erase the entire partnership.""
My father stopped.
"What do you mean?""
Michael removed a document from the folder.
It was a corporate filing.
The name of a newly registered company appeared at the top.
*Whitmore Strategic Acquisitions Ltd.*
Beneath it was a list of directors.
Thomas Whitmore.
Vanessa Whitmore.
Daniel Whitmore.
And one additional name.
Michael Bennett.
I looked at my uncle.
"You joined them?""
He nodded.
"Three months ago.""
My father looked as though someone had struck him.
"You helped them take the land?""
"I thought we could negotiate.""
"You thought you could sell it twice?""
Michael's voice cracked.
"I thought I could get the money back and repair what I had done.""
I stepped away from him.
"You were at Mom's funeral.""
He looked at me.
"Yes.""
"You stood beside me while I cried.""
"I know.""
"You told me she would always be watching over me.""
His eyes filled.
"I loved your mother, Nia.""
"Then why did you betray her?""
He had no answer.
For a moment, all I could hear was the rain striking the metal roof.
Then Michael opened the folder again.
"There's something else.""
He removed a small USB drive.
"Thomas has been keeping records of every payment he made. Every person he bribed. Every document he falsified.""
My father frowned.
"Why are you giving this to us?""
Michael swallowed.
"Because I finally understand that he was never going to make me a partner.""
He pointed to the corporate filing.
"Three days ago, he removed my name from the company's financial accounts. He transferred everything to an offshore entity.""
I stared at him.
"So you came here because he betrayed you?""
Michael shook his head.
"No. I came because I found something about Evelyn.""
He pushed the USB drive toward me.
"Thomas didn't just know about the recording.""
Dad looked at him.
"What are you saying?""
Michael's voice dropped.
"Thomas knew Evelyn was going to the police that night.""
My knees weakened.
"How?""
Michael closed his eyes.
"Because someone gave him her appointment details.""
I looked at the list of directors again.
Then at my uncle.
"Was it you?""
Michael didn't answer.
My father grabbed him by the collar.
"Was it you?""
Michael's eyes filled with tears.
"I told Thomas she was meeting the investigators. I didn't know he would do anything to her.""
Dad released him.
The silence afterward was unbearable.
I picked up the USB drive.
"You're going to tell us everything.""
Michael nodded.
"Yes.""
"Under oath.""
He swallowed.
"Yes.""
"And you're going to tell the police.""
He looked toward the door.
Then he whispered:
"I will. But there's something you need to know first.""
He turned to my father.
"Thomas isn't the only person who arranged for Evelyn to be followed that night.""
My father went pale.
"Who else?""
May you like
Michael looked at me.
"Your fiancé's mother.""
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