Chapter 11: The Recording Nobody Was Supposed to Hear
Sarah arranged for the USB drive to be copied and examined by a digital forensics specialist.
We met the following morning in a private conference room.
Michael Bennett was there, along with Rebecca and my mother.
I hadn't slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw my father lying in his hospital bed, crying because of something Tyler had told him.
The specialist connected the USB drive to a secure computer.
"There's one audio file," he said.
"It's approximately twenty-three minutes long.""
Sarah nodded.
"Please play it.""
A familiar voice filled the room.
My father's voice.
"Testing. My name is Robert Wilson. Today is October seventeenth.""
I covered my mouth.
It was strange hearing him again.
His voice sounded exactly as I remembered: calm, slightly raspy, with the faint Southern accent he'd never lost despite living in Florida for thirty years.
He continued.
"If this recording is being played, I assume someone has attempted to interfere with Emily's trust.""
There was a brief rustling sound.
Then another voice.
Daniel.
"You're making this more complicated than it needs to be, Dad.""
My mother gasped.
My father answered.
"You're asking me to sign something that isn't mine to give.""
"It's for Emily's family.""
"Then Emily can make that decision herself.""
Daniel laughed.
"She'll never know the difference.""
I felt my stomach twist.
My father sounded furious.
"Get out of my room.""
A door slammed.
Then the recording went quiet.
Several seconds later, another voice appeared.
Tyler.
"Robert, we need to talk.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
My father replied coldly.
"You shouldn't be here.""
"Emily is my wife.""
"That doesn't make you entitled to her inheritance.""
Tyler sighed.
"You don't understand our situation.""
"Then explain it.""
There was a pause.
Then Tyler said something that made my blood run cold.
"Emily is pregnant. If something happens to her, I need to be able to provide for the children.""
My father responded immediately.
"Nothing is going to happen to Emily.""
"You can't guarantee that.""
"What are you talking about?""
Tyler lowered his voice.
"Richard says there are ways to protect everyone.""
My mother began shaking.
Michael leaned closer to the speakers.
My father sounded confused.
"Richard Cole?""
"He's helping me organize everything.""
"That man is a thief.""
Tyler's voice hardened.
"You don't know what you're talking about.""
"I know he stole money from our business.""
"Then maybe you should have let him explain.""
My father raised his voice.
"I will never let that man near my daughter or her children.""
There was a sharp sound.
A chair scraping against the floor.
Then Tyler said:
"You're making a mistake, Robert.""
My father's voice became quieter.
"Is that a threat?""
"No. It's a warning.""
The recording continued for another minute.
Then came footsteps.
A door opened.
And another voice entered the room.
Daniel.
"Did you get him to sign?""
Tyler answered.
"No.""
"What now?""
Tyler said something that made Rebecca cover her mouth.
"Then we do it without him.""
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
I stared at the computer.
My father had known Tyler was working with Richard and Daniel.
He had refused to cooperate.
And Tyler had threatened him.
Sarah broke the silence.
"That recording is significant, but we need to establish the surrounding circumstances. We should also obtain the hospital records and preserve the original device.""
Michael nodded.
"I'll help identify Richard's connection to the old company.""
I turned toward him.
"Why didn't you tell me about all this before?""
Michael looked genuinely troubled.
"Your father asked me to stay out of your marriage unless the trust was threatened. I respected that instruction. I didn't know Tyler had become involved with Vanessa until the cruise investigation.""
Rebecca crossed her arms.
"Then we need to know what happened to Robert.""
My mother looked down.
"I know what happened.""
We all turned toward her.
She wiped her cheeks.
"Your father had been improving that evening. The doctor said his condition was stable. Then Daniel and Tyler visited.""
She took a shaky breath.
"After they left, the hospital called me. They said his heart had stopped.""
I stared at her.
"Mom, are you saying they did something?""
"I don't know. But I remember something strange.""
Sarah leaned forward.
"What?""
"Your father was supposed to receive medication at eight that evening. The nurse told me there had been a discrepancy with his medication chart.""
My blood ran cold.
"Was it investigated?""
"They said it was an administrative mistake.""
Sarah immediately wrote it down.
"We'll need the complete hospital records, including medication administration records, incident reports, and staff statements.""
My mother nodded.
Then the specialist spoke again.
"There's something else.""
He pointed at the screen.
"The audio file was modified after the original recording date.""
Sarah frowned.
"Modified how?""
"Someone added a short segment at the beginning and removed another portion near the end.""
My heart hammered.
"Can you recover it?""
"I'm going to try.""
He worked for several minutes.
Then he opened a second audio file.
"There's a fragment here that wasn't included in the original playback.""
He pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then my father's voice returned.
"Emily, if you ever hear this, remember that the trust was never the only thing they wanted.""
A pause.
Then he continued.
"Richard knows about the accident.""
My mother screamed.
The recording went on.
"And Tyler knows who was driving.""
The room froze.
Sarah slowly turned toward me.
"Emily, did your father ever have a serious accident?""
I shook my head.
"Not that I know of.""
My mother looked pale.
Then she whispered:
"Your father wasn't talking about himself.""
I stared at her.
"What accident?""
She closed her eyes.
"The accident that killed your first baby.""
I felt the blood drain from my face.
I had suffered a miscarriage three years earlier.
At the time, Tyler had told everyone it was a medical complication.
He had said he'd been at work when it happened.
But my father had always insisted there was something wrong with Tyler's explanation.
And now I was hearing his voice suggesting Tyler knew who had been driving.
I looked at my mother.
"What are you saying?""
May you like
She began to cry.
"Emily, your father believed your miscarriage wasn't an accident.""
