Chapter 8: Three People and One Missing Envelope
I had to grip the chair to keep myself upright.
“Jason was in my house?””
Daniel nodded.
“I'm sorry, Mom.””
“Tell me exactly what happened.””
Daniel wiped his face.
“I arrived around 9:20. Tiffany and Jason were already arguing with Dad. They wanted the blue envelope. Dad refused to hand it over.””
Detective Harris pulled out his notebook.
“Why did you go there?””
“Because Tiffany told me Dad had changed his mind about the property. She said he was willing to sign the documents.””
“And you believed her?””
Daniel looked ashamed.
“I wanted to believe her.””
I stared at my son.
“Your father was protecting you. Did you understand that?””
“I know that now.””
“No, Daniel. You should have known it then.””
He lowered his head.
Detective Harris continued.
“What happened when you arrived?””
Daniel took a shaky breath.
“Dad was standing near the dining table. Jason had papers spread everywhere. Tiffany was demanding that Dad sign something.””
“What did your father say?””
“He told them to get out.””
“And then?””
Daniel's voice cracked.
“Tiffany grabbed the envelope. Dad tried to take it back. They struggled.””
I felt sick.
“Did anyone hurt him?””
Daniel squeezed his eyes shut.
“I heard a crash.””
“What kind of crash?””
“The dining chair fell. Dad was on the floor.””
I covered my mouth.
For eleven months, I'd believed Walter had simply suffered a sudden heart attack.
Now I was learning that he'd been surrounded by three people while struggling to protect our home.
“What did you do?”” I asked.
Daniel began crying harder.
“I panicked.””
“Did you call an ambulance?””
“Not immediately.””
“Why?””
He looked toward the detective.
“Jason told us to wait.””
“WAIT?””
“He said Dad might get up. He said calling the police would make everything worse because the documents were all over the house.””
I couldn't believe him.
“Your father was lying on the floor, and you were worried about paperwork?””
Daniel buried his face in his hands.
“I thought he was breathing.””
Detective Harris interrupted.
“What time did you finally call for help?””
“I don't remember exactly.””
“Emergency dispatch records show an initial call at 9:42 p.m. from Dr. Samuel Carter. The call wasn't completed until much later.””
Daniel looked up.
“Jason called him.””
“Why?””
“He said Jason was a doctor and could help.””
I shook my head.
“Jason was the doctor who signed my medical certificate?””
Daniel nodded.
I turned toward Helen.
“Could that certificate have been prepared before Walter died?””
Helen opened the folder again.
“The first draft was created on November eighteenth. The day before Walter's death.””
Detective Harris immediately wrote that down.
“Who had access to the original?””
“Walter had a copy. Jason apparently had another. I never saw the original until now.””
Robert approached us.
“I think I can help establish something.””
He placed his phone on the table.
“My company has security cameras at our administrative offices. Two days after the funeral, Tiffany and Jason visited our building.””
Tiffany immediately stood.
“You said those recordings were deleted!””
Robert turned toward her.
“I never said that.””
“You told me—”
She stopped herself.
Detective Harris looked up.
“What were you discussing?””
Robert opened the video.
The footage showed Tiffany entering the office with Jason.
They sat across from an employee's desk.
Jason placed a large envelope on the table.
Tiffany opened it.
Then she handed him a document and pointed to something near the bottom.
Although there was no audio, their expressions were unmistakable.
They were arguing.
Jason slammed his hand against the desk.
Tiffany stood and leaned toward him.
Then she opened her purse and removed a smaller envelope.
She slid it across the table.
Jason checked its contents before putting it into his jacket.
Robert paused the recording.
“That's the day I received the deposit agreement.””
Detective Harris looked at the date.
“November twenty-third.””
“Correct,” Robert replied.
I stared at the screen.
“What was in the envelope?””
Robert shook his head.
“I don't know. But I have something else.””
He opened another recording.
This time, the camera showed Jason leaving the building.
Tiffany remained behind.
A few minutes later, she walked toward the reception desk and spoke to the receptionist.
Robert increased the volume.
Her voice became clear.
“If anyone asks about the documents, tell them Margaret signed everything herself.””
The receptionist nodded nervously.
Tiffany continued.
“And don't mention the original envelope. That's already been taken care of.””
I felt my skin turn cold.
Detective Harris stopped the recording.
“Ms. Miller, I think we'd better have another conversation.””
Tiffany was now standing by the doorway.
“I've had enough.””
Robert moved aside.
“Go ahead. But I hope you understand that every document you signed has a trail.””
She glared at him.
“You'll regret choosing her over your own daughter.””
Robert's voice broke slightly.
“I regret not asking questions sooner.””
Tiffany walked away.
Linda remained behind, crying silently.
I looked at her.
“Linda, you knew Jason was involved?””
She shook her head.
“I knew they were having problems.””
“Did you know about the documents?””
“I saw Tiffany with some papers. She said Daniel needed help.””
“Did you see the blue envelope?””
Linda stopped crying.
Her silence frightened me more than anything she'd said.
“Linda?””
She looked directly at me.
“I saw Tiffany give it to Jason.””
“When?””
“The morning after Walter died.””
My heart pounded.
“What did she say?””
Linda wiped her cheeks.
“She told him the old man had hidden something inside. She said the deed was useless without it.””
Helen immediately stood.
“Did you see what happened to the envelope?””
Linda nodded slowly.
“Jason took it to his medical office.””
Detective Harris exchanged a look with his colleague.
“Mrs. Miller, we need that information in a formal statement.””
Linda nodded.
Then she whispered something else.
“But there's another thing Margaret needs to know.””
I leaned closer.
“What?””
Linda looked toward the hallway where Tiffany had disappeared.
“Jason wasn't the only person waiting for that envelope.””
She took a folded photograph from her purse.
It showed Walter standing outside our home with a younger man.
The man had his arm around Walter's shoulder.
I recognized him immediately.
It was Daniel.
But the photograph had been taken nearly three weeks before Walter died.
On the back, Walter had written:
The person I trusted most is the person I fear most.
May you like
And beneath that sentence was a name.
*Daniel.*
