Chapter 10: The Man Who Died Twice
The photograph showed an elderly man standing outside Sterling Maritime's original headquarters.
He wore a dark overcoat and held a walking cane. His silver hair was combed neatly, and his expression was almost identical to the one in the photographs of my grandfather hanging in my father's study.
I recognized him immediately.
Thomas Haines.
But there was something impossible about the photograph.
Thomas Haines had supposedly died in 1998.
I remembered the funeral. I remembered my father standing beside the grave, holding my hand while my mother cried into a white handkerchief.
I remembered the newspaper clipping announcing his death.
Yet the photograph on my phone had a timestamp from three days earlier.
I showed it to Daniel.
He stared at it for several seconds.
“Where did you get this?””
“An anonymous number.””
He enlarged the image.
“There's a date embedded in the file. It appears genuine.””
Julian stepped closer.
“That's Victor's father?””
“Yes.””
“But he's dead.””
“Apparently not.””
Daniel placed his phone on the workbench.
“We need to establish whether this is actually Thomas Haines before making assumptions.””
I looked at him.
“My father knew him for decades. He would recognize his face.””
“Then we need your father's old records.””
I turned toward Julian.
“Do you remember anything about the Haines family?””
He shook his head.
“Only what Dad told us. He said Thomas was his business partner before Sterling Maritime became successful.””
“And what happened?””
“Dad said they disagreed about the future of the company.””
Daniel opened his briefcase.
“That's a very polite description of what happened.””
He removed a newspaper clipping from an old file.
The headline read:
*LOCAL SHIPPING EXECUTIVE DIES IN MYSTERIOUS HOUSE FIRE.*
Beneath it was a photograph of a burned warehouse.
The article described a fire at the original Sterling Maritime storage facility in 1998. Thomas Haines had reportedly died after being trapped inside the building.
My father had escaped with minor injuries.
According to the article, investigators concluded that an electrical fault had caused the fire.
I read the final paragraph.
Authorities were unable to recover all company financial records following the incident.
“Why did my father never tell us more about this?”” I asked.
Daniel looked uncomfortable.
“Because the official investigation ended with a finding that Thomas had been responsible for several accounting irregularities. Richard inherited the remaining business assets.””
Julian frowned.
“So Dad didn't steal the company?””
“That's not what the records establish.””
I looked again at the photograph.
“Who sent this?””
Daniel checked the number.
“It's a temporary account.””
I turned toward the warehouse door.
“Then we're going to find Victor Haines.””
Daniel immediately objected.
“No.””
“I didn't ask for permission.””
“And I'm telling you that confronting a potentially dangerous man without proper preparation would be reckless.””
I held his gaze.
“Then prepare.””
He sighed.
“Give me two hours.””
At 4:30 p.m., Daniel received a call from an investigator he had hired.
Victor Haines had been seen entering a private office building near the harbor.
The investigator had also found a registered company connected to Thomas Haines.
It had been established under a different name in 2001.
The listed director was Victor.
The majority shareholder was Thomas.
Which meant Thomas Haines had not simply disappeared.
He had continued conducting business for nearly three decades.
We arranged a meeting through Daniel's investigator.
The location was a private dining room at a waterfront hotel.
Victor arrived ten minutes late.
He was in his early forties, tall, with neatly trimmed dark hair and an expensive watch.
When he saw me, he smiled without warmth.
“Captain Sterling.””
“Mr. Haines.””
He looked at Julian.
“Your brother has caused quite a disturbance.””
Julian remained silent.
Daniel gestured toward the empty chair.
“Please sit. We have questions about Harbor Ridge Holdings.””
Victor removed his jacket.
“Then you've come to the wrong person.””
“Your name appears on its incorporation documents,” Daniel replied.
“I'm an investor.””
“Your father owns the majority interest.””
Victor's expression changed slightly.
“My father is a private man.””
I placed the photograph on the table.
“Is he alive?””
Victor glanced at it.
Then he leaned back.
“Who gave you that?””
“That's not an answer.””
He studied my face.
Finally, he nodded.
“Yes. Thomas Haines is alive.””
Julian swore under his breath.
I kept my voice steady.
“Why did my father believe he was dead?””
Victor's smile disappeared.
“Because your father needed him to disappear.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Explain.””
Victor looked toward the window.
“Richard and Thomas built Sterling Maritime together. Thomas provided the original capital, the ships, and the shipping contracts. Richard handled operations.””
“And the company became successful,” I said.
“Very successful.””
“What happened?””
“Richard wanted control. Thomas wanted his investment returned. They fought over the accounts. Then came the warehouse fire.””
“Was my father responsible?””
Victor's eyes narrowed.
“That's a dangerous question.””
“I'm asking it anyway.””
He placed both hands on the table.
“Thomas was supposed to meet Richard at the warehouse that night. Richard left before the fire started. Thomas was never found.””
“Then how did the authorities declare him dead?””
Victor gave a humorless laugh.
“Because Richard told them he was inside.””
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Are you saying my father lied?””
“I'm saying he knew Thomas was alive.””
Daniel opened his notebook.
“Do you have evidence?””
Victor reached into his jacket and removed a small envelope.
He placed it in front of me.
“Your father sent this to Thomas two months before he died.””
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph of my father sitting in a hospital room.
On the back, he had written:
I am ready to tell my children the truth. Please let them hear it from me.
My fingers trembled.
“Why didn't Thomas come forward?””
Victor looked directly at me.
“Because your father wasn't the only person who had something to lose.””
“Who else?””
Victor stood.
“My father will explain that himself.””
Daniel caught his attention.
“Where is he?””
Victor buttoned his jacket.
“Somewhere Robert Sterling cannot reach him.””
Then he leaned toward me.
“One more thing, Captain. You should stop investigating the loan. Your father's seven-million-dollar debt wasn't a business loan.””
“What was it?””
Victor's expression turned cold.
“It was the price of keeping a secret.””
He walked toward the door.
I stood.
“Mr. Haines!””
He stopped.
“Did your father arrange the fire?””
Victor looked over his shoulder.
“No.””
Then he added quietly:
“But someone in your family knew it was coming.””
He left.
I stood frozen beside the table.
Daniel gathered the photograph and envelope.
“We need to find Thomas.””
My phone vibrated.
A message from my mother.
*Sienna, Robert is at the hospital. He says he has proof that your father was murdered. He wants you to come immediately.*
A second message arrived.
*He says he knows who gave the order.*
I looked at Daniel.
“Call Detective Reed.””
“What are you going to do?””
May you like
I picked up my coat.
“Find out whether Robert is finally telling the truth.””
