Chapter 8: The Message She Never Sent
I followed Daniel out of the restaurant.
He walked quickly toward the parking lot, repeatedly checking his phone.
"Stop," I said.
He turned.
"Marcus, I can't stay.""
"You just told me my mother was in Emily's hospital room.""
"I told you she was there.""
"Then explain why.""
Daniel looked around before lowering his voice.
"Vanessa found out that Emily had recorded something. She believed your mother knew where the recording was.""
"What recording?""
"The one your mother just showed you.""
I stared at him.
"You knew about the phone?""
"Not until recently.""
"Then why did Vanessa go to the hospital?""
Daniel shook his head.
"She wanted Emily to reveal where the original documents were.""
I felt anger rising again.
"Did she threaten her?""
"I wasn't in the room.""
"Who was?""
Daniel looked down.
"Your mother.""
I stepped closer.
"You're going to tell me everything you know. Right now.""
He looked exhausted.
"My father called me that night. He told me Emily was asking for your mother. I drove her to the hospital because he said he needed someone to witness a family discussion.""
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because I didn't know what had happened. And because my father told me that if I spoke, he would make sure Vanessa and I lost everything.""
I stared at him.
"You're a grown man, Daniel.""
"I know.""
"Emily was my wife. Maya's mother. And you stayed silent for four years.""
He lowered his head.
"I've hated myself for it.""
I wanted to hit him.
Instead, I stepped away.
"Tell me about the missing message.""
Daniel unlocked his phone and opened an old email conversation.
He showed me a screenshot.
The message was from Emily's email account.
It had been sent to my mother at 10:56 p.m.
*Margaret, please come back. I need to tell you what Robert has done. Bring Marcus if you can. Don't trust anyone else.*
I stared at the screen.
"Did my mother receive this?""
"Yes.""
"How do you know?""
"Because Vanessa showed me the email years ago.""
I looked at him.
"Why would she have access to my mother's emails?""
Daniel hesitated.
"She had access to several family accounts.""
I felt a cold wave move through me.
"Did she delete it?""
"I believe so.""
"Why?""
"Because she was trying to keep the company records from being discovered.""
I called my mother.
She answered after two rings.
"Marcus?""
"Where are you?""
"At home.""
"Don't go anywhere. I'm coming over.""
I ended the call.
Daniel caught my arm.
"There's one more thing.""
I turned.
He removed a small USB drive from his pocket.
"What's this?""
"Copies of emails between Vanessa and Robert. I made them last month.""
"Why?""
"Because Vanessa has been trying to force me to sign documents transferring control of Maya's trust.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you give these to James?""
"Because I was afraid.""
I took the USB drive.
"You're going to tell him everything tomorrow.""
Daniel nodded.
"Marcus?""
I stopped.
"I'm sorry.""
I looked at him.
"Save your apology for Maya. She deserves to know why you let her grow up believing she was unwanted by people who were supposed to protect her.""
I left him standing in the parking lot.
When I arrived at my mother's house, the front door was unlocked.
She sat in the living room with the television turned off.
A cup of tea rested on the table.
She looked at me.
"Did Daniel tell you?""
I placed the hospital photograph in front of her.
"Why were you in Emily's room at 11:18?""
My mother began shaking.
"I went back because she asked me to.""
"Why?""
"She had something to tell me.""
"What?""
My mother looked at the photograph.
"She said Robert had stolen the company records. She said Vanessa had helped him.""
I pulled out a chair.
"Then why did you hide it?""
"Because Emily asked me to take Maya and leave the family.""
I froze.
"Leave?""
"She said she didn't trust anyone around Robert anymore. She wanted Maya away from him.""
I felt my throat tighten.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
My mother started crying.
"Because she made me promise.""
"Promise what?""
"That I would keep Maya safe, even if it meant keeping you away from the truth.""
I stared at her.
"That makes no sense.""
"Marcus, Emily was terrified. She believed Robert could destroy you financially. She thought you might try to confront him without understanding what he was capable of.""
I leaned forward.
"Did she tell you she was going to die?""
My mother shook her head.
"No.""
"Then why didn't you tell me anything?""
"Because the next morning, she was gone.""
I sat back.
My mother's words sounded painfully sincere.
But sincerity didn't erase four years of silence.
"Did you know Vanessa had been in the hospital room?""
My mother looked up.
"No.""
"Daniel says she entered at 11:18.""
My mother frowned.
"That's impossible.""
"Why?""
"Because I was there at 11:18.""
I froze.
"Then who did Daniel see?""
My mother closed her eyes.
"I don't know.""
I placed the photograph on the table.
"Look at it.""
She leaned closer.
Her hands began trembling.
Then she whispered:
"That's not me.""
I stared at her.
"What?""
She pointed at the person in the photograph.
"Look at the coat. I was wearing a gray cardigan that night. That's a dark coat.""
I examined the image.
The figure was walking away from the camera.
The face wasn't visible.
But the person was carrying a handbag.
My mother slowly stood.
"Marcus, there's something else.""
I looked at her.
"Go on.""
"After Emily died, Robert came to my house. He told me he had taken care of everything.""
I frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"He said the hospital records were complete. He said nobody would question the circumstances of her death.""
My blood ran cold.
"Why would he say that?""
My mother began crying again.
"I didn't know.""
I stepped toward her.
"Mom, I need you to stop protecting people.""
She reached for my hand.
"I'm not protecting Robert anymore.""
"Then help me.""
She nodded.
"I remember something about that night.""
"What?""
"Emily asked me to look inside her handbag. She said there was a small envelope hidden behind the lining.""
I remembered the storage unit.
The photograph.
The notebook.
The letter.
"Did you find it?""
"No. But Robert took the handbag after she died.""
I stared at her.
"He took Emily's personal belongings?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
My mother lowered her voice.
"Because he was searching for something.""
I stood motionless.
Then my phone rang.
James.
I answered immediately.
"Marcus, we recovered the files from Daniel's USB drive.""
"And?""
"There's an email from Vanessa to Robert dated three days before Emily died.""
I gripped the phone.
"What does it say?""
James paused.
Then he read the sentence aloud.
"She wrote, 'If Emily gets the original papers to Margaret, we're finished. Make sure she never leaves that hospital with them.''"
My mother covered her mouth.
I closed my eyes.
"Anything else?""
James took a breath.
"Yes. There's an attached hospital visitor report.""
I looked toward my mother.
James continued.
"Marcus, the visitor recorded at 11:18 wasn't Margaret.""
"Then who was it?""
A pause.
"Vanessa.""
I felt my blood run cold.
But before I could speak, James added:
"There's another name on the same report. Someone who entered the hospital fifteen minutes after Vanessa left.""
"Who?""
James lowered his voice.
"Your grandfather's former driver, Samuel.""
I stared at the wall.
Samuel had retired years earlier.
He had been the person who drove Emily to her medical appointments when I was traveling for work.
And he had disappeared from the family shortly after Emily died.
I looked at my mother.
"Do you know where Samuel is?""
She nodded slowly.
"He's alive.""
"Where?""
May you like
My mother swallowed.
"Robert knows where he is.""
