Chapter 14: The Last Heir of the Callaway Empire
Nathaniel stared at the photograph.
"Daniel Callaway?""
Grace sat down.
"Richard had another son.""
"With whom?""
"Margaret Sterling.""
Eleanor covered her mouth.
I looked at the photograph again.
The man looked about thirty-five. His features resembled Nathaniel's, but his expression was harder.
"Is this the same Daniel Carter who was on the phone?""
Grace shook her head.
"No. That's a different man. Richard's son was named Daniel Callaway. He was born before you and Nathaniel.""
Nathaniel turned toward Eleanor.
"How many children did my father have?""
Eleanor's voice was barely audible.
"More than he ever admitted.""
Grace explained.
"Margaret was involved with Richard before he married Eleanor. She gave birth to Daniel. Richard paid her to keep the child away from the family.""
"Then why did he hire Marcus?""
"Because Daniel eventually discovered who his father was. He demanded recognition and a share of the inheritance.""
Nathaniel looked down at the photograph.
"What happened to him?""
"Richard told everyone he had died in a car accident. But Daniel survived. He changed his name and disappeared.""
I remembered the message.
Bring your mother. She owes me thirty years.
"Could Daniel be the person behind all this?""
Grace nodded.
"He's the only person who has a reason to hate every one of us.""
Eleanor shook her head.
"Richard's son wouldn't do this. I knew him as a boy. He was gentle.""
Grace looked at her.
"People change when they've spent their lives being told they don't belong.""
Detective Brooks entered the study.
"Marcus is in custody. He refuses to speak without a lawyer. We also found a hidden compartment in his car.""
He placed a small flash drive on the desk.
"There's a recording.""
Nathaniel inserted it into the computer.
A video appeared.
Richard Callaway sat behind his desk.
He looked older than in the photographs, but his voice was unmistakable.
"If you're watching this, Daniel, I assume you've finally decided to stop hiding.""
He leaned toward the camera.
"You have always believed I stole your birthright. Perhaps I did. But you were never the heir I wanted.""
The recording continued.
"Your mother made a mistake when she told you about the other children. The Callaway fortune was never meant to be divided among four illegitimate babies.""
Nathaniel's face tightened.
Richard continued.
"I left everything to Nathaniel because he was the only child Eleanor could raise without remembering what she had lost.""
Eleanor began crying.
"Richard...""
The recording ended.
Nathaniel turned off the screen.
"He's talking about me.""
Grace nodded.
"He wanted you to believe you were his perfect son.""
"But I wasn't.""
"No. You were his second chance.""
Nathaniel looked at her.
"Second chance for what?""
Grace hesitated.
Then she reached into her handbag and pulled out an old medical report.
"Your father had a serious heart condition. His doctors told him he might not live beyond fifty. He wanted an heir who would continue his empire. He wanted a child he could control.""
Nathaniel studied the report.
"Then why did he have more children?""
"Because he believed more heirs meant more opportunities to secure his legacy.""
Brooks interrupted.
"We need to find Daniel before he makes another move.""
I looked at the photograph of Daniel Callaway.
"There's another problem.""
Everyone turned toward me.
"Marcus said someone shot Daniel Carter in Brooklyn. If he meant Helen's son, we need to find out whether he's alive.""
Brooks nodded.
"His last known address is in Williamsburg. We're sending a unit.""
Before he could finish, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
"Rose Carter?""
A man's voice.
"Yes.""
"My name is Daniel.""
My heart began pounding.
"Daniel Carter?""
"Yes. I'm alive.""
"Where are you?""
"Not somewhere I can explain over the phone. Listen carefully. Your foster mother's diary is in my possession.""
"Who shot you?""
"Daniel Callaway.""
I looked at Nathaniel.
"Where is he?""
The caller exhaled.
"He's coming for you. He believes you have something that belongs to him.""
"What?""
"The original birth ledger. The one that proves which of the four babies was actually Richard's biological child.""
I looked at Grace.
She went completely still.
Daniel continued.
"Your mother knows the truth. Ask her why she gave Richard the wrong baby.""
I turned toward Grace.
"Mom?""
She closed her eyes.
Daniel's voice became urgent.
"Rose, you need to understand something. The woman who raised you wasn't the only person who switched babies that night.""
A crash sounded through the phone.
"Daniel?""
A man's voice shouted in the background.
Then Daniel whispered:
"Get to the old hospital. The basement. Room Four.""
The call ended.
Nathaniel grabbed his jacket.
"We're going.""
Brooks shook his head.
"We'll handle this with a team.""
But Grace suddenly stood.
"No.""
Everyone looked at her.
"I have to go.""
"Mom, you're not strong enough," I said.
She took my hand.
"Room Four is where I left the original birth ledger.""
Eleanor looked terrified.
"Grace, don't.""
Grace turned toward her.
"Thirty years ago, I trusted you with my children. You gave them away. Tonight, I'm going to finish what I should have done then.""
We returned to the hospital with police protection.
The basement entrance was hidden behind a maintenance corridor.
Room Four had a heavy steel door.
Grace pulled a small key from her necklace.
"I kept this all these years.""
The lock clicked.
Inside stood an old examination table, several cabinets, and a wall safe.
Grace approached it.
Her hands trembled as she entered the combination.
The safe opened.
Inside was a leather-bound ledger.
Nathaniel lifted it carefully.
The first pages contained the original birth records.
Four babies.
Four birth times.
Four signatures.
Then we reached the final page.
It contained a handwritten statement from Richard Callaway.
The child marked as Baby Four is not mine. She is Eleanor's daughter by another man.
Eleanor collapsed against the wall.
Nathaniel stared at her.
"Mother?""
Grace turned toward her.
"Tell them.""
Eleanor covered her face.
"I was afraid Richard would discover the truth.""
Nathaniel's voice cracked.
"Who is my biological father?""
Eleanor looked directly at him.
Then she whispered a name.
"Your biological father is not Richard Callaway.""
Before Nathaniel could react, a figure appeared in the doorway.
A man with a scar running down his right cheek.
Daniel Callaway.
He smiled.
"That's right, little brother.""
May you like
He raised a gun.
"And now you finally know why I came back.""
