Chapter 10: The Man My Father Paid
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
The man on the phone had just told me that my father had paid him to keep quiet about my brother's death.
My father had been dead for eight years.
Marcus had been dead for ten.
And somehow, Tiana had managed to connect herself to both tragedies.
"Who are you?"" I finally asked.
"My name is Robert Hayes. I worked for your father.""
"Doing what?""
"Security. Private investigations. Whatever he needed.""
I looked at Margaret.
She immediately began recording the conversation on her phone.
"Why are you calling me now?""
"Because I heard your wife's name on the news.""
"What news?""
"She contacted the police about the old accident. She told them Daniel Reeves was responsible for Marcus's death.""
I glanced at Daniel.
He shook his head angrily.
Robert continued.
"That woman has been changing her story for ten years. I kept quiet because your father paid me to.""
"How much?""
"Fifty thousand dollars.""
My stomach turned.
"To lie?""
"To disappear. To say I never saw anything.""
"What did you see?""
Robert was silent.
Then he said, "Your father arrived at the accident scene before the ambulance.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"That's impossible. My father was at home.""
"That's what he told you.""
I closed my eyes.
I remembered that night.
My father had called me at 1:30 a.m. and told me Marcus was dead. He had sounded devastated.
He had held me at the funeral.
He had promised me that the police would find whoever had caused the accident.
Had he known the truth all along?
"Where can I meet you?"" I asked.
"Tomorrow. Nine in the morning. The old Riverside warehouse.""
Margaret shook her head and mouthed, Don't agree.
I understood.
"Send me your address. We'll arrange a meeting through the authorities.""
Robert laughed bitterly.
"You're more like your brother than you realize.""
The call ended.
Margaret immediately contacted the investigator assigned to Marcus's case.
Daniel sat silently.
Finally, I turned toward him.
"Did you know my father was involved?""
"No.""
"Did Marcus?""
Daniel hesitated.
"I think he suspected something.""
"Why?""
Daniel opened the old notebook he'd brought from the storage unit.
"Three days before the accident, Marcus wrote something here.""
He showed me the page.
Father knows. He says he'll handle it. I don't trust him anymore.
I stared at the words.
My father had been involved in something.
And Marcus had been afraid of him.
I looked at Daniel.
"What was Marcus investigating?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"A company called Carter Holdings.""
My father's company.
I remembered it well. He had built it from a small construction business into a successful property development firm.
After his death, I had inherited part of the company.
The rest had gone into a family trust.
"Was Tiana connected to it?""
Daniel nodded.
"She worked in the accounting department for six months.""
I stared at him.
"When?""
"About a year before Marcus died.""
My wife had never mentioned working for my father.
Not once.
I looked toward the hotel bedroom.
Jalen and Micah were playing quietly.
I didn't want them hearing any more of this.
Margaret approached me.
"We need to separate the investigations. The financial misconduct involving Jalen's trust is one matter. The circumstances surrounding Marcus's death are another. We'll preserve the evidence and let investigators establish what happened.""
I nodded.
Then my phone rang.
It was my mother.
I answered.
"Mom?""
She was crying.
"Darius, please come see me.""
"Are you safe?""
"Yes. Tiana has left.""
"Don't speak to her again.""
She took a shaky breath.
"There's something your father told me before he died.""
I looked at Margaret.
"What?""
"He said Marcus had discovered a secret account. He said if anyone ever found it, the entire family would be destroyed.""
"Where is it?""
"I don't know.""
"Mom, you must know something.""
She was quiet.
Then she said:
"Your father left a key in his study.""
I closed my eyes.
"Where?""
"Behind the grandfather clock.""
I looked at Margaret.
She nodded.
"We'll arrange to retrieve it with the investigators.""
My mother began crying harder.
"Darius, there's something else. Your father didn't just pay Robert Hayes.""
"What else did he do?""
"He paid someone at the police department to change the accident report.""
I felt my knees weaken.
"Who?""
My mother whispered:
"Officer Thomas Bell.""
The same officer who had signed the original report.
The same officer who had closed Marcus's case.
Before I could ask another question, my mother spoke again.
"And Darius?""
"Yes?""
"Your father said Marcus had discovered who really owned the company.""
I stared at the wall.
"Who?""
My mother took a long breath.
Then she said:
"Your wife.""
The call ended.
I stood completely still.
Margaret approached.
"What happened?""
I looked at her.
"Apparently, Tiana owned part of Carter Holdings before I married her.""
Margaret's expression changed.
"That needs to be verified immediately.""
I nodded.
Then another message appeared on my phone.
It was from an unknown number.
A photograph showed my mother standing outside her house.
May you like
Below it were seven words.
*Stop investigating, or your mother will disappear.*
