Chapter 10: ## Chapter 10: The Confession Hidden in the Safe
Nobody moved: The Confession Hidden in the Safe
Nobody moved.
The old recorder sat on the dusty desk, its tiny.
The old recorder sat on the dusty desk, its tiny display illuminated by the words:
*DANIEL — FULL CONFESSION.*
I stared display illuminated by the words:
*DANIEL — FULL CONFESSION.*
I stared at it, unable to reconcile what I'd just heard.
My father had specifically warned me not to blame the person who brought the medication into his house.
Daniel had at it, unable to reconcile what I'd just heard.
My father had specifically warned me not to blame the person who brought the medication into his house.
Daniel had brought it.
But someone else had put it there.
"Play the recording," I whispered.
Jonathan looked at Rebecca.
"Are we certain this brought it.
But someone else had put it there.
"Play the recording," I whispered.
Jonathan looked at Rebecca.
"Are we certain this device hasn't been tampered with?""
Rebecca nodded.
"Dad gave it to me shortly before he died. He told me never to open the final file unless device hasn't been tampered with?""
Rebecca nodded.
"Dad gave it to me shortly before he died. He told me never to open the final file unless Nia was in danger.""
I looked at her.
"Why didn't you tell me about it?""
"I didn't know what it contained. I couldn't Nia was in danger.""
I looked at her.
"Why didn't you tell me about it?""
"I didn't know what it contained. I couldn't access the file without a password.""
Jonathan examined the recorder.
"There's a password prompt.""
I remembered the date on the photograph.
My parents' wedding anniversary.
I entered the six digits.
The access the file without a password.""
Jonathan examined the recorder.
"There's a password prompt.""
I remembered the date on the photograph.
My parents' wedding anniversary.
I entered the six digits.
The device unlocked.
A recording began.
My father's voice sounded weaker than before, but unmistakably clear device unlocked.
A recording began.
My father's voice sounded weaker than before, but unmistakably clear.
"Daniel, sit down.""
A chair scraped against the floor.
Then Daniel spoke.
"Mr. Hayes, I don't know what you expect me to say.""
"The.
"Daniel, sit down.""
A chair scraped against the floor.
Then Daniel spoke.
"Mr. Hayes, I don't know what you expect me to say.""
"The truth would be a good start.""
A long silence followed.
My father continued.
"Martin has been stealing from this company for years. truth would be a good start.""
A long silence followed.
My father continued.
"Martin has been stealing from this company for years. Patricia knows about the transfers. You approved them. But I've discovered something more disturbing.""
"What?""
"Someone has been accessing Patricia knows about the transfers. You approved them. But I've discovered something more disturbing.""
"What?""
"Someone has been accessing my medical records.""
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"I didn't do that.""
"Your credentials were used to request copies of my prescriptions.""
"Martin my medical records.""
Daniel's voice became quieter.
"I didn't do that.""
"Your credentials were used to request copies of my prescriptions.""
"Martin had access to my office.""
"And you allowed it.""
Daniel sighed.
"Your daughter doesn't understand how had access to my office.""
"And you allowed it.""
Daniel sighed.
"Your daughter doesn't understand how complicated this has become.""
"Don't bring Nia into this.""
"She's your heir. She's going to inherit everything. What happens when she discovers the company complicated this has become.""
"Don't bring Nia into this.""
"She's your heir. She's going to inherit everything. What happens when she discovers the company is full of debt?""
"Then she deserves to know.""
Daniel's voice changed.
"You're going to destroy us.""
My father answered immediately is full of debt?""
"Then she deserves to know.""
Daniel's voice changed.
"You're going to destroy us.""
My father answered immediately.
"You destroyed yourselves.""
There was another pause.
Then Daniel asked, "What do you want from me?""
"Help me expose Martin. Give me the original financial.
"You destroyed yourselves.""
There was another pause.
Then Daniel asked, "What do you want from me?""
"Help me expose Martin. Give me the original financial records. Tell Nia what happened.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because Patricia will lose everything.""
My father gave a bitter laugh.
"Perhaps records. Tell Nia what happened.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Because Patricia will lose everything.""
My father gave a bitter laugh.
"Perhaps she should have thought about that before using my company as her personal bank account.""
The recording crackled.
Then came a sound I she should have thought about that before using my company as her personal bank account.""
The recording crackled.
Then came a sound I recognized from childhood.
My father's old grandfather clock chiming in the background.
He spoke again.
"One final recognized from childhood.
My father's old grandfather clock chiming in the background.
He spoke again.
"One final question, Daniel. Who changed my medication?""
Daniel's answer was almost inaudible.
"Martin told me it was Patricia.""
My heart stopped.
My father continued.
"Then why did Patricia question, Daniel. Who changed my medication?""
Daniel's answer was almost inaudible.
"Martin told me it was Patricia.""
My heart stopped.
My father continued.
"Then why did Patricia tell me it was you?""
The recording ended.
I stared at the screen.
Jonathan slowly removed his glasses.
"That's a significant contradiction tell me it was you?""
The recording ended.
I stared at the screen.
Jonathan slowly removed his glasses.
"That's a significant contradiction.""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Daniel was being used by both of them.""
"Or he was lying to both of them," I replied.
I pressed.""
Rebecca looked at me.
"Daniel was being used by both of them.""
"Or he was lying to both of them," I replied.
I pressed play again.
This time, I noticed something in the background.
A faint female voice.
It sounded like someone speaking from another room.
Jonathan leaned closer.
"Wait. Rewind that section play again.
This time, I noticed something in the background.
A faint female voice.
It sounded like someone speaking from another room.
Jonathan leaned closer.
"Wait. Rewind that section.""
Rebecca adjusted the controls.
The voice became clearer.
"Martin, she still doesn't know.""
Then a man's voice answered.
"She doesn't need to know until.""
Rebecca adjusted the controls.
The voice became clearer.
"Martin, she still doesn't know.""
Then a man's voice answered.
"She doesn't need to know until the transfer is complete.""
I felt a chill run through me.
"That's Patricia.""
Jonathan nodded.
"Yes.""
The recording continued for another the transfer is complete.""
I felt a chill run through me.
"That's Patricia.""
Jonathan nodded.
"Yes.""
The recording continued for another few seconds.
Then my father's voice returned.
"Get out of my house.""
A door slammed.
Silence.
Jonathan checked the device.
"There's another recording.""
He opened the next file.
This few seconds.
Then my father's voice returned.
"Get out of my house.""
A door slammed.
Silence.
Jonathan checked the device.
"There's another recording.""
He opened the next file.
This one was dated the morning my father died.
The first voice was Daniel's.
"She's not going to sign it.""
Martin answered.
"Then we make sure she has no choice.""
Daniel sounded frightened.
"You promised nobody would get one was dated the morning my father died.
The first voice was Daniel's.
"She's not going to sign it.""
Martin answered.
"Then we make sure she has no choice.""
Daniel sounded frightened.
"You promised nobody would get hurt.""
"Nobody will, unless someone decides to become difficult.""
A chair scraped.
Then Daniel said something that made my blood run cold.
"What hurt.""
"Nobody will, unless someone decides to become difficult.""
A chair scraped.
Then Daniel said something that made my blood run cold.
"What about Nia?""
Martin laughed.
"Your wife is the least of our problems.""
The recording ended.
I stepped about Nia?""
Martin laughed.
"Your wife is the least of our problems.""
The recording ended.
I stepped away from the desk.
For years, Daniel had watched his mother humiliate me. He had allowed me to believe I was powerless while discussing ways to away from the desk.
For years, Daniel had watched his mother humiliate me. He had allowed me to believe I was powerless while discussing ways to take control of my inheritance.
And now I was hearing his voice on recordings made before my father died.
"Jonathan," I said, "I want every one of take control of my inheritance.
And now I was hearing his voice on recordings made before my father died.
"Jonathan," I said, "I want every one of these files copied and secured.""
"Already doing it.""
Rebecca picked up the sealed medical report.
"There's another document inside.""
She carefully opened the envelope.
It contained a pharmacy receipt and a handwritten authorization.
The receipt showed that these files copied and secured.""
"Already doing it.""
Rebecca picked up the sealed medical report.
"There's another document inside.""
She carefully opened the envelope.
It contained a pharmacy receipt and a handwritten authorization.
The receipt showed that my father's medication had been collected at 7:46 a.m.
The witness signature was Daniel's.
But the authorization had been issued by a private medical consultant.
my father's medication had been collected at 7:46 a.m.
The witness signature was Daniel's.
But the authorization had been issued by a private medical consultant.
Martin Cole.
I looked at the date.
The morning my father died.
"Could this prove what happened?""
Jonathan examined it.
"It proves that medication was collected under an authorization connectedMartin Cole.
I looked at the date.
The morning my father died.
"Could this prove what happened?""
Jonathan examined it.
"It proves that medication was collected under an authorization connected to Martin. It doesn't establish who administered it or whether it caused your father's death. But it's important evidence.""
I nodded.
"Then we take it to the authorities to Martin. It doesn't establish who administered it or whether it caused your father's death. But it's important evidence.""
I nodded.
"Then we take it to the authorities.""
Before we could leave, Rebecca's phone rang.
She looked at the screen and went pale.
"Martin.""
Jonathan gestured for her to.""
Before we could leave, Rebecca's phone rang.
She looked at the screen and went pale.
"Martin.""
Jonathan gestured for her to answer on speaker.
She did.
"Hello?""
"Rebecca, darling. You've been busy.""
Her face tightened.
"What do you want?""
answer on speaker.
She did.
"Hello?""
"Rebecca, darling. You've been busy.""
Her face tightened.
"What do you want?""
"I want you to stop making your father's mistakes.""
"Leave Nia alone.""
Martin laughed.
"Your sister has already"I want you to stop making your father's mistakes.""
"Leave Nia alone.""
Martin laughed.
"Your sister has already made a very expensive mistake.""
I stepped forward.
"What do you want, Martin?""
There was a pause.
"N made a very expensive mistake.""
I stepped forward.
"What do you want, Martin?""
There was a pause.
"Nia. I was wondering when you'd join us.""
"You've stolen from my company.""
"I've protected it.""
"You forged my signature.""
"Your husbandia. I was wondering when you'd join us.""
"You've stolen from my company.""
"I've protected it.""
"You forged my signature.""
"Your husband handled the paperwork.""
"You're lying.""
"Perhaps. But I can prove something far more interesting.""
I gripped the phone.
handled the paperwork.""
"You're lying.""
"Perhaps. But I can prove something far more interesting.""
I gripped the phone.
"What?""
Martin lowered his voice.
"Your father didn't leave you ninety percent of the company because he loved you more than the Whitmores. He left it"What?""
Martin lowered his voice.
"Your father didn't leave you ninety percent of the company because he loved you more than the Whitmores. He left it to you because he knew you were the only person who could sign a particular agreement.""
Jonathan's expression changed.
"What agreement?""
Martin ignored him.
"Check to you because he knew you were the only person who could sign a particular agreement.""
Jonathan's expression changed.
"What agreement?""
Martin ignored him.
"Check the original trust documents, Nia. There's a second beneficiary.""
I looked at the papers.
"Who?""
Martin laughed softly.
"Your mother.""
The call ended the original trust documents, Nia. There's a second beneficiary.""
I looked at the papers.
"Who?""
Martin laughed softly.
"Your mother.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Rebecca shook her head.
"That can't be right.""
Jonathan immediately opened the trust folder.
He examined the final pages, then turned to me.
I stared at the phone.
Rebecca shook her head.
"That can't be right.""
Jonathan immediately opened the trust folder.
He examined the final pages, then turned to me.
"There's an additional schedule attached to the original deed.""
He placed it on the desk.
My father's handwriting appeared beneath a.
"There's an additional schedule attached to the original deed.""
He placed it on the desk.
My father's handwriting appeared beneath a paragraph of legal language.
**In the event of the death or incapacity of the primary beneficiary, all controlling interests shall pass to the secondary paragraph of legal language.
*In the event of the death or incapacity of the primary beneficiary, all controlling interests shall pass to the secondary beneficiary, Evelyn Hayes.*
My mother's name.
I looked at Jonathan.
"But she's dead.""
He nodded slowly.
"Yes. Which means we need to understand beneficiary, Evelyn Hayes.**
My mother's name.
I looked at Jonathan.
"But she's dead.""
He nodded slowly.
"Yes. Which means we need to understand why Martin is bringing her into this.""
Then he turned another page.
A handwritten amendment had been added after my mother's death.
And why Martin is bringing her into this.""
Then he turned another page.
A handwritten amendment had been added after my mother's death.
And beside it was a date.
Two weeks before my father died.
I read the final sentence.
**The secondary beneficiary shall be represented by her designated legal proxy beside it was a date.
Two weeks before my father died.
I read the final sentence.
*The secondary beneficiary shall be represented by her designated legal proxy, whose identity is held in a sealed document.*
I looked up.
"Who is the proxy?""
Jonathan's face had gone completely still.
He knew something, whose identity is held in a sealed document.**
I looked up.
"Who is the proxy?""
Jonathan's face had gone completely still.
He knew something.
"Jonathan?""
He slowly closed the folder.
"Your father instructed me never to disclose that identity unless the company faced a threat to its controlling ownership.""
I stared at him.
"And now?""
He looked directly into.
"Jonathan?""
He slowly closed the folder.
"Your father instructed me never to disclose that identity unless the company faced a threat to its controlling ownership.""
I stared at him.
"And now?""
He looked directly into my eyes.
"Now I believe that threat has arrived.""
May you like
my eyes.
"Now I believe that threat has arrived.""
