Chapter 8: The Recording My Brother Tried to Destroy
The police kept us separated for nearly two hours.
Michael was taken outside in handcuffs. Brittany was interviewed in the dining room, while Daniel and I gave our statements to separate officers.
I answered every question honestly.
Yes, Daniel had punched me.
Yes, Brittany had staged the assault.
Yes, my brother had threatened us with a gun.
And yes, I had reason to believe the three incidents were connected to financial crimes dating back more than twenty years.
When the officer asked whether I wanted to press charges against Daniel, I looked through the doorway.
My son sat alone at the kitchen table, his hands clasped between his knees.
He looked older than he had that morning.
“Yes,” I said.
“I want everything documented.””
The officer nodded.
I added, “That doesn't mean I don't love him.””
“I understand.””
“I'm not sure he does.””
By late afternoon, Helen arrived with an evidence specialist she had contacted after the confrontation. The police had retained the flash drive, but they allowed the specialist to examine a forensic copy once the proper arrangements were made.
We gathered in my study.
Helen sat beside me, Daniel stood near the window, and the specialist connected the copied files to a laptop.
“There are several audio recordings,” he explained.
“Some appear to have been made on a phone. Others were transferred from an older device.””
“How old?”” I asked.
“Based on the file metadata, some may date back more than twenty years.””
My throat tightened.
“Play the earliest one.””
A hiss of static filled the room.
Then I heard Richard's voice.
“Michael, you can't keep moving money out of the company. Frank will discover the missing funds eventually.””
A second voice answered.
Michael.
“You're making this sound worse than it is. It's temporary.””
“It's fraud.””
“It's a loan.””
“Without authorization!””
There was a pause.
Then Michael spoke again.
“You don't understand what happens if this money isn't replaced. Thomas has already promised it to people we can't afford to disappoint.””
Richard's voice lowered.
“Who are these people?””
“I can't tell you.””
“You'd better.””
The recording ended abruptly.
Daniel turned toward the laptop.
“Uncle Michael was stealing money before Dad even knew anything was wrong.””
Helen nodded.
“And if these recordings are authentic, they may help establish what happened to the company funds.””
I stared at the screen.
“Play the next one.””
The second file was shorter.
Richard sounded frightened.
“If anything happens to me, make sure Frank gets the original records. Don't let Michael convince him that I ran away.””
A door slammed in the background.
Then another man's voice spoke.
“You should have left this alone, Richard.””
Thomas Reed.
The accountant.
Richard replied, “You told me the accounts were clean.””
“They were supposed to be.””
“And the payments to the shell companies?””
“Keep your voice down.””
“I won't. I'm taking this to the police.””
There was a scuffle.
A chair scraped.
Then the recording stopped.
Daniel sat down heavily.
“Dad, this sounds like they were planning something.””
I rubbed my injured cheek.
“It sounds like Richard was in danger.””
Helen leaned toward the specialist.
“Are there any recordings after the date of his reported death?””
The specialist checked the file list.
“Several. One is dated October 2004.””
My pulse quickened.
The same month as the photograph we had found in the storage unit.
“Play it,” I said.
For several seconds, there was only wind and the distant sound of traffic.
Then Richard spoke.
“If you're hearing this, Michael has probably told everyone I'm dead.””
Daniel covered his mouth.
I gripped the edge of the desk.
Richard continued.
“I don't know who I can trust anymore. Thomas has been moving money through accounts connected to people I don't know. Michael insists he's trying to protect the company, but I saw the documents myself.””
He paused.
“I have to stay away until I know who is involved. Frank, if you ever hear this, I'm sorry. I should have told you everything sooner.””
The recording crackled.
Then came a sentence that made my heart pound.
“There's one person Michael will never suspect. The person who helped me disappear is—”
The audio cut off.
The specialist replayed it.
Same result.
The file ended mid-sentence.
“Can you recover the missing portion?”” Helen asked.
“Possibly. The file may have been truncated during copying, but I can't promise anything.””
Daniel stood abruptly.
“Then we find Richard.””
Helen looked at him.
“Your father may be alive, but this recording doesn't establish where he is now.””
“Someone took that photograph two years after his death.””
“Yes. And the photograph needs authentication.””
“His wife believes he's alive.””
“Belief isn't proof.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Dad, if Richard survived, why didn't he come back for Brittany? Why didn't he tell us?””
I had asked myself the same questions.
I remembered Richard's laugh, his terrible jokes, and the way he used to bring Eleanor flowers whenever he came to dinner.
I remembered the phone call telling me he was dead.
And I remembered something else.
Three days before his supposed accident, Richard had visited my office and asked whether I still kept the spare key to the old workshop.
At the time, I thought he was being sentimental.
Now I wondered whether he had been trying to leave me a warning.
My phone vibrated.
An unfamiliar number appeared on the screen.
Helen raised a hand.
“Don't answer it yet.””
The specialist checked the number and confirmed it wasn't associated with any of the police contacts.
I put the call on speaker.
A man's voice came through.
“Frank Hayes?””
“Who is this?””
“My name is Thomas Reed.””
Daniel went rigid.
Helen immediately signaled for the call to be recorded through the appropriate evidence process.
Thomas continued.
“I heard Michael was arrested. I also heard you found the ledger.””
“Then you know the police will be interested in speaking with you.””
A nervous laugh came through the speaker.
“I'm not calling to surrender. I'm calling because you have something that belongs to me.””
“The ledger?””
“No. The original recording.””
I looked at the laptop.
“You mean the recording we just heard?””
Silence.
Then Thomas said, “You don't understand what Richard was trying to do.””
“Then explain it.””
“I can't explain it over the phone.””
“Why not?””
“Because the person who helped Richard disappear is still alive.””
My chest tightened.
“Who?””
Thomas took a shaky breath.
“Meet me tomorrow morning. Come alone, and I'll tell you everything.””
Helen shook her head sharply.
I ignored Thomas's demand.
“You can speak to the police.””
“No! If they know where I am, I'll be dead before I reach the station.””
“Then why should I trust you?””
His answer came so quietly that I almost missed it.
“Because the person you're protecting isn't who you think.””
The call ended.
Daniel stared at me.
“Dad, what did he mean?””
I looked toward the study door, where Brittany stood with an officer beside her.
She had been listening.
May you like
Her face had gone completely white.
Then she whispered, “He's talking about my mother.””
