Chapter 3: The Man Who Knew Too Much
I couldn't speak.
My daughter was five years old, but she was remembering something from three years earlier.
A phone call.
A warning.
A secret her mother had trusted her to keep.
I pulled Lily into my arms.
"Sweetheart, you don't have to say anything else if it scares you.""
She shook her head.
"I want to tell you.""
James moved toward us.
"Michael, she's too young to understand what she's saying.""
I stood immediately.
"Stay away from her.""
He stopped.
For the first time in my life, I looked at my brother and saw a stranger.
Vanessa sat on the edge of the makeup table, gripping a tissue.
"Michael, we can talk about this privately.""
"No. We're done talking privately.""
I pulled out my own phone and called Daniel Brooks, my company's attorney.
He answered on the second ring.
"Michael? Aren't you supposed to be getting married?""
"The wedding is canceled. I need you at the estate immediately.""
His voice changed.
"What's happened?""
"I've discovered messages involving my brother, my fiancée, my daughter's trust fund, and possibly my late wife's death.""
There was a pause.
"Don't sign anything. Don't delete anything. Don't let either of them leave until security arrives.""
I looked at James.
"That's exactly what I intend to do.""
When I ended the call, James shook his head.
"You're making this ugly.""
I almost couldn't believe him.
"You're worried about things looking ugly?""
He straightened his jacket.
"Think about what you're doing. If you turn this into a scandal, you'll destroy the family.""
I stared at him.
"You destroyed the family when you decided my daughter was something you could divide between yourselves.""
Vanessa suddenly stood.
"James, tell him!""
He glared at her.
"Shut up.""
That was the first time I'd heard him speak to her like that.
She stepped backward.
"You said he'd understand once the papers were signed.""
"What papers?"" I demanded.
Neither answered.
I opened the phone again and searched through the message history.
There were photographs of documents.
The first appeared to be a property transfer agreement involving my estate.
The second concerned Lily's trust.
The third was a draft guardianship agreement.
My name was typed at the bottom of each document.
But none of the signatures were mine.
I showed them to James.
"What's this?""
He rubbed his jaw.
"Those were proposals.""
"Why is my name already on them?""
"Because Vanessa was going to discuss them with you.""
"After the wedding?""
He said nothing.
I scrolled further.
A photograph showed a document with a familiar heading.
Emily Carter Estate and Insurance Records.
I enlarged it.
There was a handwritten note in the margin.
Original medical report missing. Check old storage unit.
I looked up.
"Why were you searching for Emily's papers?""
James finally lost his patience.
"Because she left things behind that you were never supposed to find!""
The words exploded through the room.
Vanessa closed her eyes.
I stepped closer.
"What things?""
James immediately looked as though he'd made a terrible mistake.
"Michael, I didn't mean—"
"Finish the sentence.""
He swallowed.
"Emily was investigating something before she died.""
"What?""
"I don't know.""
"Don't lie to me.""
He raised his voice.
"She was convinced someone was taking money from the company!""
I went still.
The company.
Emily had worked as our bookkeeper during the first years of Carter Construction. She knew every account, every contract, and every major transaction.
After Lily was born, she'd stopped working full-time.
But she'd continued reviewing some of our financial records from home.
"Did she find something?"" I asked.
James looked away.
Vanessa answered instead.
"She found transfers.""
I turned toward her.
"What transfers?""
"Money moving between company accounts. She believed someone was hiding payments.""
"Who?""
Vanessa's lips trembled.
"She never told me.""
James slammed his hand against the dressing table.
"That's enough!""
A makeup brush rolled onto the floor.
He pointed at Vanessa.
"You were supposed to keep your mouth shut.""
I stared at him.
"You were both involved.""
Vanessa began crying again.
"Michael, I didn't know about Emily when I first met you. James approached me months later. He told me you needed someone who could help manage the family.""
"Manage my family?""
"He said Lily's trust was vulnerable. He said you were too emotionally attached to make good decisions.""
I felt sick.
"And you believed him?""
She looked down.
"I wanted the life you could give me.""
At least that was honest.
For one brief moment, I saw the woman I had nearly married without the makeup, the wedding dress, or the rehearsed affection.
I saw someone who had been waiting for an opportunity.
Then Lily spoke again.
"Daddy?""
I turned immediately.
"Yes, baby?""
"Mommy told me where she put the blue folder.""
My heart began pounding.
"Where?""
"In the little box under my bed.""
I stared at her.
"Your bedroom?""
She nodded.
"Mommy said it was our secret treasure box.""
I remembered that box.
A small wooden chest with painted flowers. I'd assumed it contained Lily's drawings and old toys.
Emily had never mentioned anything important being inside it.
"Why didn't you tell me before?"" I asked softly.
Lily looked embarrassed.
"Because Vanessa said Mommy's things were bad memories. She told me if I opened the box, Daddy would be sad and send me away.""
I closed my eyes for a moment.
Then I kissed her forehead.
"Nobody is ever sending you away.""
A knock sounded at the dressing room door.
Daniel had arrived.
Behind him stood two estate security officers.
"Michael," Daniel said, looking from Vanessa to James.
"Are you safe?""
"Yes. But I need you to preserve everything on that phone. And I need someone to go to my house.""
"Why?""
"My daughter says there's a folder belonging to her mother. We need to find it before anyone else does.""
Daniel nodded.
"I'll arrange it.""
James suddenly moved toward the hallway.
One security officer stepped in front of him.
"Sir, you'll need to wait.""
James turned to me.
"You really think that folder will tell you the truth?""
I stared at him.
"Why are you afraid of it?""
His expression hardened.
Then he leaned close enough that only I could hear him.
"Because if Emily kept what I think she kept, you'll discover that her accident wasn't the biggest secret in this family.""
He stepped away.
And before security could question him further, my phone buzzed.
A message had arrived from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph.
My daughter Lily was standing beside Emily in our old kitchen.
The picture had been taken the morning Emily died.
May you like
Beneath it were six words:
*Ask your brother who was driving.*
