Chapter 10: The Recording That Could Destroy Us All
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Richard Cole was alive.
The man whose name appeared on the fraudulent financial documents, the man photographed beside Eleanor outside my father's hospital room, and the man everyone believed had disappeared three years earlier had just called me.
And he claimed to have a recording of my father's final moments.
Marcus was the first to speak.
"Who was that?""
I looked at him.
"Richard Cole.""
His face changed immediately.
"That's impossible.""
"Apparently, everyone you and your mother claim is dead keeps coming back.""
Marcus lowered his head.
Victoria stepped between us.
"Don't you dare speak to her.""
Marcus looked at her.
"I didn't kill Thomas.""
Margaret began trembling.
"Please," she whispered.
"Not here.""
I turned toward her.
"Mom, what happened that night?""
She looked at me with exhausted eyes.
"Your father was awake when Marcus arrived. He knew something was wrong. He asked Marcus to call you.""
My throat tightened.
"Did he?""
Margaret shook her head.
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because Marcus told him you were already on your way. He said he didn't want to upset you.""
I stared at my husband.
Marcus rubbed his forehead.
"I don't remember that.""
Margaret's voice broke.
"Your father asked him to leave. Marcus refused.""
Victoria grabbed the edge of the bed.
"What happened next?""
Margaret closed her eyes.
"Eleanor returned. They argued. Your father tried to reach the emergency button, but Eleanor pulled the cable from the wall.""
I felt sick.
"Then what?""
"Marcus stood near the door.""
I turned toward him.
"Did you see that happen?""
He didn't answer.
"Marcus!""
He finally looked up.
"I saw them arguing.""
"And?""
"I thought they were discussing business.""
Margaret shook her head.
"Your father was begging her to stop.""
Marcus's face crumpled.
"I didn't know.""
I stepped closer.
"You didn't know what? That a sick man was begging for help?""
He covered his mouth.
For the first time, I saw genuine horror in his eyes.
But horror wasn't innocence.
And I no longer had the luxury of believing every tear he shed.
Daniel arranged for the police investigator to secure the hospital records and obtain a formal statement from Margaret.
Meanwhile, I called Richard Cole.
He answered on the second ring.
"You need to leave that facility," he said.
"Why?""
"Eleanor knows you've found Margaret.""
I looked toward the window.
"How?""
"She has people watching the building.""
Daniel immediately signaled to the investigator.
"Where are you?"" I asked.
"At the lake house.""
"Why should I trust you?""
"You shouldn't.""
His answer surprised me.
He continued.
"But I have something your father wanted you to have.""
"What?""
"The original will. And a recording that proves Eleanor paid someone to interfere with your father's medical treatment.""
My fingers tightened around the phone.
"Who?""
Richard paused.
"Dr. Samuel Reed.""
I closed my eyes.
"Where can I meet you?""
"Come to the lake house. Bring Daniel. Don't bring Marcus.""
I looked across the room.
Marcus was standing near the door, watching me.
"Understood.""
The call ended.
Daniel approached.
"What did he say?""
I told him everything.
He nodded.
"We'll go with the investigator.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"I'm coming.""
"No," I said.
"Nia, please.""
"You have already been involved in enough secrets.""
"I can help.""
"Then help by telling us everything you remember.""
He looked at me.
For a moment, I thought he would finally confess.
Instead, he whispered, "I need time.""
I nodded slowly.
"That's what my father didn't have.""
The lake house was nearly two hours outside the city.
It stood at the end of a narrow gravel road, surrounded by tall trees and overgrown grass.
A single light burned in the upstairs window.
Richard opened the door before we knocked.
He was older than the photographs, with a gray beard and a deep scar running along his left cheek.
He looked at Daniel.
Then at me.
"Thomas's daughter.""
I nodded.
"Both of them," Victoria said from behind me.
Richard looked at her.
For the first time, his expression softened.
"Victoria. I thought Eleanor had found you.""
"She tried.""
He stepped aside.
Inside, the house smelled of dust and wood smoke.
A large table occupied the center of the living room. Several boxes were stacked against the wall.
Richard pointed toward them.
"Everything your father left is here.""
Daniel opened the first box.
Inside were bank records, legal documents, photographs, and correspondence.
The second box contained medical records.
The third contained a small digital recorder.
I stared at it.
"Is that the recording?""
Richard nodded.
"Your father gave it to me two days before he died. He asked me to protect it.""
"Why didn't you go to the police?""
Richard looked down.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Eleanor?""
"Of what she knew.""
He sat down.
"Three years ago, Eleanor discovered that I had kept copies of the original financial documents. She threatened my daughter. I disappeared because I believed it was the only way to keep her safe.""
Daniel examined the recorder.
"May we listen?""
Richard nodded.
Daniel pressed play.
At first, there was only static.
Then my father's voice.
"Richard, if anything happens to me, make sure Nia gets the original trust agreement.""
Richard's voice followed.
"Thomas, you should tell the police what you know.""
"I will. But I need proof.""
A door opened in the background.
Then Eleanor spoke.
"You're making a terrible mistake, Thomas.""
My father answered calmly.
"No, Eleanor. My mistake was trusting you.""
There was a loud sound.
A chair scraping.
Then another voice.
Marcus.
"Mom, we need to leave.""
I felt my heart stop.
Eleanor replied.
"Not yet.""
My father spoke again.
"Marcus, call my daughter.""
A long silence followed.
Then Marcus said something I had never expected to hear.
"Please don't make this harder.""
My father's voice became weak.
"You're my son-in-law. I trusted you.""
Eleanor interrupted.
"He's not your son-in-law anymore than he's your business partner. He's a man who wants his future secured.""
Then came a sound.
A medical alarm.
My father's voice called out.
"Richard!""
The recording ended abruptly.
I stared at the recorder.
"Where's the rest?""
Richard looked at me.
"That's why I brought you here.""
He opened a locked drawer and removed a second memory card.
"Your father made another recording. This one was taken after Marcus left.""
Daniel inserted the card.
The screen flickered.
Then my father's voice filled the room.
It was faint.
But unmistakable.
"Victoria... if you ever hear this, find your sister.""
I covered my mouth.
My father continued.
"Tell her the truth. Eleanor isn't acting alone.""
There was a pause.
Then he whispered:
"The person she trusts most has already betrayed her.""
I looked at Daniel.
Then at Victoria.
The recording continued.
"Don't let them use the marriage certificate...""
A sharp noise interrupted him.
Then silence.
Richard stopped the playback.
"What marriage certificate?"" I asked.
He looked at me.
"That's what I've spent three years trying to find out.""
Suddenly, Daniel's phone rang.
He listened for a moment.
Then his face hardened.
"What happened?""
He ended the call.
"Eleanor has filed an emergency petition claiming the Northstar trust was established through fraud.""
I frowned.
"Can she prove that?""
Daniel shook his head.
"No. But she's attached a document that could complicate everything.""
"What document?""
He turned his phone toward me.
A scanned marriage certificate.
My father's name appeared beside Eleanor Whitmore's.
I stared at it.
"That's impossible.""
Richard stood.
"No," he whispered.
May you like
He looked at the document.
"That's the reason she wanted your father dead.""
