Chapter 4: The Woman With the Brown Envelope
“Your father didn't die in a car accident.””
The woman repeated the words, and this time nobody in the ballroom mistook them for a misunderstanding.
She was in her late fifties, with silver hair tucked neatly behind her ears and a dark blue coat buttoned to her throat. She carried a thick brown envelope beneath one arm.
I stepped toward her.
“Who are you?””
“Margaret Collins. I worked with your father's attorney for twenty-three years. Before he died, Robert asked me to investigate something he believed could cost him his life.””
I stared at her.
“My father's attorney died six months ago.””
Margaret nodded.
“That's correct. I'm his former legal associate. I continued the investigation independently.””
“Why didn't you contact me?””
“I tried. Three times.””
She removed a small stack of papers from the envelope.
“Your telephone number was changed. Your emails were redirected. And every letter I sent to your home was returned unopened.””
I frowned.
“Who redirected them?””
Margaret looked toward Vanessa.
Nobody needed to ask the question again.
Vanessa shook her head.
“This is ridiculous. Marcus, she's clearly trying to exploit your father's death.””
Margaret didn't even look at her.
“Miss Reed, I would advise you to remain silent.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“You can't threaten me.””
“I'm not threatening you. I'm giving you the opportunity to avoid making another damaging statement.””
I turned toward Margaret.
“Show me what you have.””
She placed the envelope on a nearby table.
Inside were photographs, bank statements, copies of legal documents, and a small silver memory card.
The first photograph showed my father's car.
It had been taken from the front.
The windshield was cracked. The driver's door was badly damaged, and the front bumper was almost completely missing.
But something else caught my attention.
A dark stain beneath the driver's side.
“What is that?”” I asked.
“Brake fluid,” Margaret replied.
My fingers tightened around the photograph.
“Are you saying someone cut his brakes?””
“I'm saying the brake lines had been deliberately damaged.””
I looked up.
“Then why did the police call it an accident?””
“Because the original inspection report was replaced before it reached the lead investigator.””
My stomach turned.
“Replaced by whom?””
Margaret opened another folder.
“An officer named Daniel Mercer signed the revised report. He was dismissed from the department eight months later for evidence tampering in an unrelated case.””
Richard suddenly spoke from behind the security guards.
“This is nonsense.””
Margaret finally turned toward him.
“Richard Cole. I was wondering how long it would take you to interrupt.””
Richard's face tightened.
“You don't know what you're talking about.””
“I know about the two payments made to Mercer from an account belonging to Cole Holdings.””
The room erupted in whispers.
Richard struggled against the guards.
“Those payments were legitimate business expenses!””
Margaret calmly placed two bank statements on the table.
“Then I'm sure you'll have no difficulty explaining why the recipient withdrew the money in cash the morning after Robert Hayes died.””
Richard stopped speaking.
I looked at Vanessa.
She had gone completely still.
“Did you know about the brakes?”” I asked.
She shook her head.
“Marcus, I swear—”
“Don't swear. Answer.””
“I didn't know anything about the car.””
Margaret studied her.
“Perhaps you didn't know about the brakes. But you certainly knew about the second vehicle.””
Vanessa's face changed.
“What second vehicle?””
Margaret removed another photograph.
It showed a black SUV parked outside my father's house on the night he died.
The registration plate was visible.
I recognized the vehicle.
It belonged to Vanessa.
My throat tightened.
“You told me you were at your sister's house that night.””
“I was.””
Margaret shook her head.
“The vehicle was recorded on a nearby traffic camera at 9:47 p.m. Your sister's home is forty miles in the opposite direction.””
Vanessa looked at Richard.
He stared straight ahead.
I felt something inside me break.
“You lied about where you were.””
“I was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Margaret took a breath.
“Mr. Hayes, your father survived the initial crash.””
The words hit me like a physical blow.
I gripped the edge of the table.
“What?””
“The vehicle went off the road, but the evidence suggests he was conscious when emergency services arrived. Someone reached the scene before the first ambulance.””
I stared at her.
“Who?””
Margaret looked at Vanessa.
Then at Richard.
“We believe someone removed him from the vehicle.””
Evelyn covered her mouth.
Lily began crying again.
I crouched beside her.
“It's okay, sweetheart.””
But I wasn't sure it was.
I wasn't sure anything would ever be okay again.
Margaret continued.
“Your father was transported to a private medical facility. The admission was recorded under a false identity. Three days later, the facility reported that the patient had died.””
“Where is the death certificate?””
“That's the problem. The certificate was issued using an identity that did not belong to your father.””
I stared at the photographs.
My father had disappeared.
His car had been destroyed.
His death had been officially recorded.
And I had buried an empty coffin.
“Why?”” I whispered.
Margaret lowered her voice.
“Because Robert had something they desperately wanted.””
“What?””
She opened the final compartment of the envelope.
Inside was a photograph of my father sitting in a hospital bed.
He looked thinner, older, and frightened.
But he was alive.
The photograph was dated six months after the accident.
I couldn't stop staring.
My father.
Alive.
My father, who I had mourned for nearly a year.
My father, whose funeral I had attended.
My father, whose last voicemail I still kept on my phone.
I reached for the photograph.
“Where is he?””
Margaret hesitated.
“That's what I've been trying to find out.””
Vanessa suddenly stepped forward.
“Marcus, please. Don't believe her.””
I turned.
“Why? What are you afraid I'll discover?””
She shook her head.
“Your father was dangerous.””
I stared at her.
“He was my father.””
“He was involved in things you don't understand.””
“Then explain them!””
She looked toward Margaret.
Then toward Richard.
And finally, she whispered:
“Because your father wasn't the only person who disappeared that night.””
Before I could ask what she meant, Margaret's phone rang.
She answered.
“Collins.””
A few seconds passed.
Her expression changed.
“What do you mean the location is empty?””
She listened again.
Then she looked directly at me.
“Mr. Hayes, someone has just entered the property where we believe your father was being held.””
My heart began racing.
“Who?””
May you like
Margaret slowly lowered the phone.
“The person who called said they found a body.””
