Chapter 6: The Voice on the Recording
Daniel reached the staircase first.
I grabbed Lily and locked us inside her bedroom.
"Stay behind me, sweetheart.""
She clutched her stuffed rabbit.
"Daddy, is it Uncle James?""
"I don't know, baby.""
I heard footsteps below.
Then a man's voice.
"Mr. Carter? Police! We need you to come downstairs.""
Daniel called from the hallway.
"Michael, stay where you are until I confirm it's safe.""
I stood between Lily and the door.
A few seconds later, Daniel returned.
"It's security. Someone cut the side gate and entered through the garage. They found the office door open.""
I felt my blood pressure rise.
"Did they take anything?""
"Not yet. But the blue folder is no longer in your hands.""
I looked at the folder on the bed.
It was still there.
"What do you mean?""
Daniel pointed toward the hallway.
"The intruder went straight to your office. The police are checking whether anything was removed.""
I called the police again and requested an immediate response.
Twenty minutes later, two officers were examining the garage.
One of them approached me.
"Mr. Carter, did you notice anything unusual before the break-in?""
"Only that someone knew we had found these documents.""
The officer glanced at Daniel.
"Have you had any threats?""
I showed him the anonymous messages and explained what had happened at the estate.
He took notes.
Then he asked, "Do you suspect anyone?""
I looked toward the window.
James had always known how to get into my house.
He had a spare key.
He'd helped install the security system.
He knew where the cameras were positioned.
"Yes," I said.
"My brother.""
The officer nodded.
"We'll document that.""
After the police left, Daniel helped me arrange additional security.
Then my phone rang.
Rebecca Hayes.
I answered immediately.
"Are you safe?"" she asked.
"For now. Someone broke into my house.""
She went silent.
"Did they take Emily's folder?""
"No.""
"Then you need to understand how serious this is. That folder isn't the only evidence.""
I sat at the kitchen table.
"What else do you have?""
"A digital recording. Emily gave it to me three days before the accident. She asked me to keep multiple copies.""
"Why didn't you contact me?""
"She specifically told me not to unless something happened to her.""
I closed my eyes.
"Something did happen to her.""
"I know. And I've spent three years wondering whether I should have broken my promise.""
"Please. I need to hear it.""
Rebecca hesitated.
"I'll send you the recording. But I want you to understand that it may be difficult.""
"Send it.""
A few minutes later, a file appeared on my phone.
The filename was simple.
EMILY_FINAL_AUDIO.
I put on my headphones.
Daniel sat across from me.
I pressed play.
At first, there was static.
Then I heard Emily's voice.
"James, I know about Northbridge.""
My heart began pounding.
A man's voice answered.
"Emily, you need to stop digging.""
It was James.
There was no mistaking it.
Emily continued.
"You've been transferring money out of Michael's company for over a year.""
"Those funds were temporary.""
"Then why are you using fake invoices?""
"Because Michael doesn't understand how businesses work.""
A chair scraped against the floor.
Emily's voice became sharper.
"He's your brother.""
James laughed.
"Exactly. And that's why he'll never suspect me.""
I stopped breathing.
The recording continued.
Emily said, "I'm telling Michael everything tomorrow.""
James responded quietly.
"If you do that, you'll destroy his life.""
"No. You're destroying his life.""
Then came a sound like someone striking a table.
James's voice grew colder.
"You have a little girl to think about, Emily.""
"Don't you dare threaten my daughter.""
"I'm not threatening her. I'm reminding you that Michael is already overwhelmed. If you expose this, you'll take away the only stability Lily has.""
Emily replied, "I'd rather lose everything than let you steal from my child.""
There was a long silence.
Then James said something that made my hands go numb.
"You think Michael will believe you over me?""
Emily answered immediately.
"Yes. Because I'll show him the proof.""
The recording ended with the sound of a door slamming.
I removed my headphones.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Daniel leaned forward.
"Michael, are you okay?""
I shook my head.
"That was James.""
"I heard.""
"He threatened Emily.""
Daniel nodded.
"We'll preserve the recording and provide it to investigators.""
I looked at the screen.
There was another file attached to Rebecca's message.
A photograph of a handwritten note.
Emily's handwriting again.
If James is involved, investigate the accident vehicle. The police report doesn't match what I saw.
I called Rebecca.
"What does this mean?""
She answered immediately.
"Emily told me she believed the vehicle involved in the accident had been tampered with.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
"Tampered with how?""
"She said the brakes had been inspected two days before the accident. The mechanic found something unusual.""
My mouth went dry.
"Why wasn't that in the police report?""
"Because the mechanic disappeared before he could make a formal statement.""
I looked at Daniel.
He had gone completely still.
"Rebecca, what's the mechanic's name?""
"Thomas Miller.""
I searched the name online.
A news article appeared.
*LOCAL MECHANIC REPORTED MISSING THREE YEARS AGO AFTER QUESTIONING FATAL CAR ACCIDENT.*
I clicked it.
The article contained a photograph.
A middle-aged man standing outside a repair shop.
I recognized the name.
Thomas Miller had serviced my company vehicles for years.
I called Rebecca again.
"Where is he now?""
"I don't know. But I found something else while reviewing Emily's files.""
"What?""
"A payment made two days before the accident.""
"From whom?""
"Northbridge Consulting.""
I looked at Daniel.
"To whom?""
Rebecca's voice dropped.
"Thomas Miller.""
The room went silent.
I stared at the photograph of the missing mechanic.
Then another notification appeared on my phone.
An email from an unknown sender.
No subject line.
Just one attachment.
A scanned hospital document dated the night Emily died.
At the bottom was a signature.
James Carter.
I opened it.
It was an emergency admission record.
And beside the patient's name was a detail I had never known.
*Passenger: James Carter.*
My brother hadn't merely known about Emily's accident.
He had been inside the car.
And according to the document, he had arrived at the hospital nearly forty minutes before the police reported the crash.
I looked at Daniel.
"Get me everything from that hospital.""
Then my phone rang again.
This time, it was James.
I answered.
His voice sounded strangely calm.
"Michael, I know you've found Emily's folder.""
I said nothing.
He continued.
"There's something you need to understand before you make another mistake.""
"What?""
A long pause followed.
Then James whispered:
May you like
"Emily wasn't the only person in that car who knew what really happened.""
And he hung up.
