Chapter 6: The Voice
Ethan held the phone against his ear.
“Who is this?””
Silence.
Then the man's voice returned.
“Your father trusted the wrong people.””
Ethan looked at Gloria.
She had gone completely pale.
“Sophia,” he whispered, “how is this number calling you?””
Sophia stared at the floor.
“I don't know.””
The voice laughed quietly.
“You always say that.””
Ethan’s eyes narrowed.
“You know Sophia?””
“Yes.””
“Who are you?””
“You're asking the wrong question.””
“Then give me the right one.””
The voice paused.
“Ask your mother why she lied about the night your father died.””
Gloria closed her eyes.
Ethan turned toward her.
“Mom?””
She didn't respond.
“Mom, what does he mean?””
Gloria's hands began to shake.
“I didn't lie.””
The voice spoke again.
“She did.””
Ethan tightened his grip on the phone.
“Stop hiding behind a phone. Tell me who you are.””
“You'll know soon enough.””
The call ended.
Ethan immediately called back.
The number no longer existed.
Sophia whispered, “Ethan…”
He turned.
“What?””
“You shouldn't have answered.””
“Why?””
“Because now he knows you're looking.””
Ethan stared at her.
“He already knew.””
Gloria walked toward the sofa.
She lowered herself slowly.
Ethan followed.
“Mom, what happened the night Dad died?””
Gloria looked at him.
For a long moment, she said nothing.
Then she whispered, “Your father came home frightened.””
Ethan's jaw tightened.
“You never told me that.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
“From him.””
“Dad?””
“No.””
Gloria looked toward Sophia.
“From the people who were after him.””
Sophia stepped back.
“Don't.””
Gloria ignored her.
“Your father told me someone had copied his signature.””
Ethan's eyes widened.
“Copied it for what?””
“I never found out.””
Sophia whispered, “Gloria…”
“You knew,” Gloria said.
Sophia shook her head.
“I knew pieces.””
“What pieces?””
“I knew they wanted access to something.””
“What?””
Sophia looked at Ethan.
“An account.””
Ethan stared at her.
“What account?””
Sophia hesitated.
“An account your father kept hidden.””
Gloria rose.
“Enough.””
Ethan turned sharply.
“No. Not enough.””
He pointed at the monitor.
“First the forged signature. Then the missing footage. Then a photograph of Dad holding that folder. Now someone calls Sophia using Dad's name.””
He looked at his mother.
“And you keep telling me you're protecting me.””
Gloria's eyes filled with tears.
“I am.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Sophia suddenly spoke.
“The account isn't money.””
Ethan looked at her.
“Then what is it?””
“Records.””
“What records?””
“Names.””
Gloria's face changed.
Sophia continued.
“Your father kept records of every person who helped him.””
“Helped him do what?””
Sophia looked toward the security monitor.
“Build the company.””
Ethan frowned.
“That makes no sense.””
“It will.””
She walked to the coffee table.
Her hand hovered over the folder from the photograph.
“There were contracts. Payments. Private agreements.””
Ethan stared at her.
“You're saying my father was corrupt?””
“No.””
Sophia shook her head.
“I'm saying he discovered someone else was.””
“Who?””
She didn't answer.
Gloria whispered, “Sophia.””
Sophia looked at her.
“You can't keep protecting him anymore.””
Ethan turned.
“Protecting who?””
Sophia's eyes filled with tears.
“The person who forged your signature.””
Ethan stepped toward her.
“Who?””
Sophia swallowed.
Then she reached into her purse.
She pulled out a small key.
“This opens the place where your father hid the originals.””
Ethan stared at it.
“Where?””
Sophia looked toward the wall of family photographs.
“Behind the picture of your parents.””
Gloria's breath caught.
Ethan walked to the photographs.
He lifted the frame.
Behind it was a narrow metal compartment built into the wall.
A keyhole waited beneath the dust.
Ethan inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
He pulled the compartment open.
Inside was a thick black folder.
On top was a handwritten note.
Ethan picked it up.
The handwriting was unmistakably his father's.
He read the first line.
*Ethan—if you're reading this, someone has already used your name.*
His hand began to tremble.
Then he saw the signature beneath the note.
His father's.
And beneath it, a second signature.
Ethan stared at it.
“Mom…”
Gloria stepped closer.
“What?””
May you like
He turned the paper around.
“The second signature is yours.””
