Chapter 12: The Daughter Richard Tried to Erase
Thomas survived the shooting.
The bullet had grazed his side, but the paramedics managed to stabilize him before taking him to the hospital.
Detective Bennett immediately secured the motel and collected the shell casings.
I sat in the back of an ambulance, holding Daniel's photograph.
My brother was alive.
And I was closer to seeing him than I'd been in eleven months.
But now there was another problem.
Rebecca Hayes.
Richard's other daughter.
A fourteen-year-old girl who had apparently discovered her father's criminal operation.
Detective Bennett approached me.
"Thomas gave us enough information to identify Rebecca's school and current guardian.""
"Where is she?""
"She's staying with her aunt in Murfreesboro.""
"Then we need to get to her.""
The detective shook her head.
"First, we need to make sure she's safe. If Richard knows she's been communicating with Emily, he may already be looking for her.""
I called Sarah.
She answered immediately.
"Michael? Are you okay?""
"I'm fine. Thomas is alive.""
"Oh, thank God.""
"Sarah, I need Emily.""
There was a pause.
"She's here.""
I heard movement.
Then Emily's voice came through.
"Michael?""
"I'm okay, sweetheart.""
"Did you find Uncle Daniel?""
I closed my eyes.
"He's alive.""
She began crying.
"Oh, my God.""
"We're going to see him.""
"Can I come?""
"Yes. But first, I need to ask you something.""
"Anything.""
"Have you been talking to someone named Rebecca?""
The silence was immediate.
"Yes.""
I sat up.
"How long?""
"Since yesterday.""
"Who is she?""
Emily took a breath.
"Richard introduced us.""
I looked at Detective Bennett.
She immediately motioned for me to continue.
"What did he tell you?""
"That she was his niece.""
I frowned.
"His niece?""
"That's what he said. He told me Rebecca was having family problems and wanted someone her age to talk to.""
"Did you know she was his daughter?""
"No. She told me herself this afternoon.""
"Did you meet her?""
"Yes.""
"Where?""
"At a coffee shop near school.""
I looked at the detective.
She wrote down the location.
Emily continued.
"She showed me some messages from Richard. He was telling her not to talk to me anymore.""
"What kind of messages?""
"She said he'd been asking her to sign something.""
My stomach tightened.
"What?""
"A document saying she had no claim to his estate.""
Detective Bennett leaned closer to the phone.
"Emily, this is Detective Bennett. Did Rebecca tell you why he wanted her to sign it?""
Emily hesitated.
"She said she found out he was using her identity to open accounts.""
The detective exchanged a glance with another officer.
"Did she give you any documents?""
"She gave me a flash drive.""
My heart started racing.
"Where is it?""
"In my purse.""
"Don't plug it into anything. Keep it safe.""
Emily lowered her voice.
"There's something else.""
"What?""
"Rebecca said she knows where Uncle Daniel is.""
I nearly dropped the phone.
"How?""
"She said Richard took her to visit him once. She thought he was a patient Richard was helping.""
Detective Bennett grabbed her radio.
"Do you remember where?""
Emily answered.
"Somewhere near Dalton, Georgia. She said it was a private rehabilitation center.""
The detective looked at me.
That was the same region where Daniel had been held.
I ended the call and looked at her.
"We need to get Rebecca.""
She nodded.
"We're already sending officers to her aunt's address.""
Two hours later, we arrived at the house.
A woman named Patricia opened the door.
She looked frightened when she saw the police badges.
"Is Rebecca in trouble?""
Detective Bennett introduced herself.
"We need to speak with her about Richard Hayes.""
Patricia's face changed.
"Please tell me he hasn't found her.""
A girl appeared behind her.
Fourteen years old.
Dark hair. Oversized sweatshirt. A small silver necklace around her neck.
She looked at the detective.
"Did Emily send you?""
I stepped forward.
"Emily is my daughter.""
Rebecca studied my face.
Then she whispered, "You must be Michael.""
I nodded.
She opened the door wider.
"Come inside.""
We sat in the living room.
Patricia brought Rebecca a glass of water.
The girl held it with both hands.
"Richard told me never to talk about the things I saw.""
"What did you see?"" I asked.
Rebecca looked down.
"Last year, he took me to a place where an injured man was staying. He said the man was dangerous and that nobody could know he was there.""
My heart pounded.
"Was it Daniel?""
She nodded.
"He had a scar on his head. He couldn't walk properly. But he kept asking for someone named Michael.""
I covered my mouth.
Rebecca continued.
"Richard told me the man was a criminal who had stolen money from him.""
"Did you believe him?""
"At first.""
She reached into her backpack and pulled out a folded paper.
"But then I found this.""
It was a photograph.
Daniel sat in a wheelchair.
Beside him stood Richard.
On the back, someone had written:
*Transfer scheduled. November 12. No further visitors.*
I checked the date.
November 12 was four days away.
"What transfer?"" I asked.
Rebecca shook her head.
"I don't know. But I heard Richard talking to someone on the phone. He said Daniel had become too difficult to manage.""
Detective Bennett took the photograph.
"Did he mention where Daniel would be transferred?""
Rebecca nodded.
"Somewhere outside the country.""
My blood ran cold.
I looked at the detective.
"Then we have four days.""
She shook her head.
"Less than that. We need to act before he moves him.""
Rebecca reached into her backpack again.
This time, she pulled out a small envelope.
"There's something else.""
She handed it to me.
Inside was a handwritten note.
The writing was Daniel's.
*Michael, if Rebecca has found you, then Richard's plan is already moving forward. Don't trust the insurance documents. Don't trust the court records. And whatever you do, don't let him get access to Emily's college account.*
I looked at Rebecca.
"Why would he want Emily's college account?""
She swallowed.
"Because Richard told me something last night.""
"What?""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"He said he was going to take money from Emily's account and use it to pay off his debts.""
Detective Bennett immediately stood.
"Does he have access to the account?""
I looked at Rebecca.
She nodded.
"He made Emily sign some papers after graduation.""
My stomach dropped.
"What papers?""
Rebecca's voice trembled.
"She thought they were college financial aid forms.""
I pulled out my phone and called Emily.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then she answered.
"Michael?""
"Emily, listen carefully. Did you sign anything Richard gave you yesterday?""
A pause.
"Yes. He said it was paperwork for my college fund.""
"Did you give him your bank information?""
Another pause.
"I gave him my student account number.""
I closed my eyes.
"Emily, did you sign a withdrawal authorization?""
She began breathing faster.
"I... I think so.""
Detective Bennett reached for her radio.
Then my phone vibrated.
A bank notification appeared.
<badge color="danger">URGENT TRANSACTION ALERT</badge>
*A withdrawal request of $62,500 has been submitted from Emily Carter's college savings account.*
The destination account was registered to Hayes Medical Holdings.
I stared at the screen.
Richard wasn't just trying to steal my insurance.
He was taking the future I'd spent twelve years building for Emily.
And the transaction was scheduled to process at 9:00 the following morning.
I looked at Detective Bennett.
"Can you stop it?""
She immediately picked up her phone.
"We're going to try.""
Then Rebecca spoke quietly from the sofa.
"There's no point.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She was staring at the bank notification.
"Richard told me he already has someone at the bank.""
She reached into her pocket and pulled out another phone.
On the screen was a message from Richard.
*Tell Emily to enjoy her graduation money. By tomorrow morning, everything will belong to me.*
A second message appeared while we watched.
*And tell Michael that if he wants his brother back, he should stop asking questions.*
Rebecca looked at me.
Then she whispered:
"Michael, I think Richard knows exactly where Daniel is.""
And before I could answer, Detective Bennett's phone rang.
She listened for several seconds.
Then she looked at me with a grave expression.
"Mr. Carter, we have a problem.""
"What?""
May you like
She lowered her phone.
"The rehabilitation facility just reported that Daniel is missing.""
