Chapter 7: The Woman Our Father Tried to Protect
"Daniel wasn't the only person your father was trying to protect.""
Eleanor Brooks stood beside the conference table, holding the sealed envelope with both hands.
I looked at her.
"What does that mean?""
She glanced at Michael before answering.
"Your father had reason to believe someone close to your family was manipulating Daniel.""
"Who?""
"Your mother.""
I felt the air leave my lungs.
"My mother died when I was sixteen.""
"I know.""
"Then what are you talking about?""
Eleanor opened her briefcase and removed a second document.
"Your father discovered that someone had been using your mother's identity to authorize financial transactions after her death.""
Michael frowned.
"That's impossible. Mrs. Reed passed away eleven years ago.""
"Exactly," Eleanor replied.
"But her signature appeared on several financial documents during the following three years.""
I sat down.
My mother, Patricia Reed, had been the kindest person in our family.
She used to bake cinnamon rolls on Sunday mornings and leave handwritten notes inside our school lunch bags.
She never cared about money.
She cared about people.
The idea that someone had used her identity made me sick.
"Who benefited from those transactions?""
Eleanor opened another folder.
"Initially, small amounts were transferred into accounts associated with Daniel. Later, the amounts became significantly larger.""
I looked at Michael.
"Did you know about this?""
He shook his head.
"No.""
Eleanor continued.
"Your father discovered the irregularities shortly before his death. He confronted Daniel, but Daniel denied everything.""
"What happened after that?""
"Your father asked me to prepare a new will and amend the family trust.""
I leaned forward.
"Did Daniel know?""
"Not initially.""
"Then why did he call me and tell me Dad wanted to see us that night?""
Eleanor went silent.
I remembered that evening.
It had been raining.
Daniel had called me shortly after midnight, saying our father was having trouble breathing.
I'd rushed to the hospital.
By the time I arrived, Dad was unconscious.
He died the following morning.
I had always believed his final hours had been peaceful.
Now Eleanor was telling me something had happened before I arrived.
"Tell me everything," I said.
She opened the envelope.
Inside was a hospital incident report, a handwritten statement, and a copy of a security access record.
"The night your father was admitted, someone entered his hospital room before you arrived.""
"Who?""
Eleanor turned the access record toward me.
The visitor's name was Daniel Reed.
I stared at it.
"That's not unusual. He's my brother.""
"Look at the time.""
2:17 a.m.
I remembered arriving around 3:00 a.m.
"What happened during those forty-three minutes?""
Eleanor pointed to the handwritten statement.
It had been signed by a nurse named Margaret Ellis.
She had recorded that Daniel requested to speak with his father privately.
During that conversation, an argument occurred.
The nurse heard Daniel say:
"You promised me everything would be mine.""
My hands tightened.
"What did Dad say?""
Eleanor read the next line.
"Your father replied, 'I promised you a future, Daniel. I never promised you the right to destroy your brother.''"
Michael lowered his eyes.
I continued reading.
The statement said Daniel left the room carrying a small leather folder.
Twenty minutes later, my father's condition deteriorated.
The medical team intervened.
He survived the night but never regained consciousness.
I looked at Eleanor.
"Are you suggesting Daniel hurt our father?""
"No," she replied carefully.
"I'm telling you there were irregularities that your father wanted investigated. The medical records alone do not establish what happened.""
I appreciated her honesty.
But my mind was racing.
"Why didn't you tell me this seven years ago?""
"Because your father specifically instructed me not to reveal the documents unless Daniel attempted to take control of the company through fraudulent means.""
"Why?""
"Because he feared you would destroy your relationship with your brother without knowing the entire truth.""
I leaned back.
For years, I'd defended Daniel whenever people questioned his decisions.
I'd told myself he was ambitious, occasionally careless, but fundamentally good.
I had even apologized to employees when they complained about his behavior.
Now I wondered how many warning signs I'd ignored.
Eleanor placed another photograph on the table.
It showed my father standing beside a young woman outside a hospital.
I recognized her immediately.
"That's Olivia Grant.""
Michael looked confused.
"Daniel's assistant?""
"She was only nineteen when this photograph was taken," Eleanor said.
I examined the date.
It was taken seven years ago.
The same night my father died.
"Why was Olivia at the hospital?""
Eleanor folded her hands.
"Because she was the person your father was trying to protect.""
I stared at the photograph.
"Protect her from whom?""
Eleanor looked directly at me.
"Daniel.""
Before I could respond, Michael's phone vibrated.
He checked the screen.
His expression changed.
"Marcus, our security team found something.""
"What?""
"Olivia Grant just attempted to access the company's private archive.""
"Where is she?""
"At headquarters.""
I stood immediately.
"Don't let her leave.""
Michael grabbed his jacket.
Eleanor closed her briefcase.
As we headed toward the elevator, my phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of Daniel standing outside a small roadside motel.
Underneath it were six words:
Your brother isn't running from you.
A second message appeared.
He's running from the people who hired him.
I stopped walking.
For the first time, I wondered whether Daniel had been the mastermind of this entire scheme.
May you like
Or whether someone else had been pulling his strings.
And if Olivia knew what happened seven years ago, she might be the only person who could tell me the truth.
