Chapter 8: The Night My Brother Died
For a moment, the garage seemed to tilt around me.
"Someone inside our family?""
Sarah nodded.
"That's what Daniel said.""
I gripped the edge of the workbench.
"Why didn't you tell me this before?""
"Because he made me promise not to.""
"Sarah, my brother died!""
"I know!""
Her voice cracked.
"I know, Michael. I have lived with this for eleven months.""
Emily stood up.
"What exactly did Uncle Daniel tell you?""
Sarah took a shaky breath.
"He called me at 8:17 that evening. He sounded frightened. He said Richard had been asking questions about your insurance and medical records.""
I remembered that night.
Daniel had called me earlier, too.
I'd been working late at the warehouse, and I'd ignored his first call because I was operating machinery.
When I finally called him back, his phone went straight to voicemail.
I never got another chance.
"What did he say about the accident?"" I asked.
Sarah looked down.
"He said if anything happened to him, we should find the original documents in his garage.""
I pointed toward the steel box.
"Why didn't you tell me about this box?""
"Because I didn't know where he had hidden it.""
"Did you tell the police what he said?""
Sarah shook her head.
"No.""
I stared at her.
"Why?""
She took a long time to answer.
"Because Richard told me he had a recording of you.""
My heart stopped.
"Of me?""
"He said you had threatened Daniel during an argument. He claimed the police would suspect you if Daniel's death was investigated.""
Emily looked horrified.
"That's ridiculous. Michael would never hurt Uncle Daniel.""
"I know that now," Sarah whispered.
"But Richard said he would release the recording if I went to the police.""
I clenched my fists.
"Did you ever hear it?""
"No.""
"Then why believe him?""
"Because he showed me a photograph.""
She unlocked her phone and scrolled through several old messages.
Finally, she showed me one.
It was a picture of Daniel's damaged car.
The windshield was shattered. The front end had been crushed against a roadside barrier.
Beneath the photograph was a message from Richard.
*Accidents happen when people refuse to listen. Keep your family safe.*
Emily covered her mouth.
I took the phone.
"Did you show this to investigators?""
Sarah shook her head.
"No.""
I felt anger rising inside me.
"Sarah, you allowed this man to threaten our family for almost a year.""
"I was afraid!""
"So was I! But I didn't let him use that fear to destroy our lives.""
She lowered her head.
I wanted to keep shouting.
But Emily was watching us, and the last thing she needed was another family argument.
I called the police.
I explained the forged insurance documents, the suspicious bank withdrawal, the recordings, and Richard's threatening messages.
The officer who answered asked us to preserve the original files and bring the evidence to the station.
He also asked whether we had reason to believe Richard might come to the garage.
I looked toward the entrance.
"Yes.""
The officer told us to stay somewhere safe and not confront him.
Before leaving, I copied the files onto two separate drives.
Frank agreed to keep the original box locked in his office until investigators arrived.
As we walked toward the parking lot, Emily suddenly stopped.
"Michael.""
I turned.
She was staring at the road.
A black SUV sat across the street.
Its engine was running.
The driver's window was tinted.
"Do you think that's him?"" she whispered.
I moved between Emily and the vehicle.
The SUV remained still for several seconds.
Then it pulled away.
I memorized the license plate.
Sarah hurried us into the truck.
I drove directly to the police station.
Two hours later, we sat in an interview room with Detective Laura Bennett.
She was in her early forties, with short brown hair and a calm expression that didn't change even when I placed Daniel's recordings on the table.
She listened carefully.
Then she examined the bank documents.
"Mr. Carter, this is serious.""
"Do you believe my brother's death was connected to Richard?""
"I believe there are enough inconsistencies to justify further investigation. But we need evidence, not assumptions.""
She turned to Sarah.
"Mrs. Carter, you mentioned a phone call from Daniel shortly before the accident. Do you still have the call record?""
Sarah nodded.
She handed over her phone.
Detective Bennett examined the date.
"Do you remember the exact time?""
"8:17 p.m.""
The detective typed something into her computer.
Then she stopped.
"That's interesting.""
"What?""
She turned the monitor slightly.
"According to the original accident report, Daniel's vehicle was discovered at 9:42 p.m.""
I nodded.
"That's what I remember.""
"But the emergency call came from Daniel's phone at 9:11.""
Sarah frowned.
"What's strange about that?""
Detective Bennett looked at us.
"The original report states that Daniel was already deceased when emergency services arrived.""
She tapped another document.
"However, the caller remained on the line for almost four minutes.""
My throat tightened.
"Who called?""
The detective looked at the number.
"An unidentified male.""
"Could it have been Richard?""
"We're checking.""
Then she opened another file.
"This is the dispatch recording. It was never included in the original case materials.""
She pressed play.
Static filled the room.
Then a man's voice came through.
"He's still breathing. I think he's trying to say something.""
A dispatcher responded.
"Sir, are you at the scene? Please tell me your location.""
The man answered.
"Yes. I'm here.""
The dispatcher asked another question.
"What's your name?""
The man hesitated.
Then he said something that made Sarah grab my arm.
"My name is Michael Carter.""
I stared at the detective.
"That's impossible.""
The recording continued.
The dispatcher asked the caller to stay with Daniel.
But the man replied:
"I can't. He knows who I am.""
Then the call disconnected.
Emily began crying.
"Someone used your name?""
Detective Bennett paused the recording.
"Mr. Carter, were you anywhere near that accident scene that evening?""
"No. I was at work. I have time records and security footage.""
She nodded.
"Good. We'll need those.""
Then she looked at Sarah.
"Mrs. Carter, there's something else. The original investigation was closed unusually quickly.""
"Why?""
The detective leaned forward.
"Because the responding officer received a statement from a witness claiming Daniel had been arguing with his brother earlier that evening.""
I felt sick.
"Who was the witness?""
Detective Bennett looked at her screen.
Then she turned it toward us.
The witness statement carried a signature.
Sarah's signature.
I looked at my wife.
She covered her mouth.
"I never gave that statement.""
May you like
Detective Bennett's expression became serious.
"Then someone forged your name, too.""
