Chapter 10: The Recording
“Malcolm?””
Nothing.
I stared at my phone.
“Malcolm!””
Still nothing.
Sean stepped closer.
“What happened?””
“The call dropped.””
His face tightened.
“No. It didn't.””
I looked at him.
“What do you mean?””
“Tasha doesn't let calls just drop.””
Before I could answer, my phone rang again.
Malcolm.
I answered immediately.
“Are you hurt?””
His breathing was ragged.
“I'm okay.””
“Where is Tasha?””
“She left.””
“What happened?””
“She threw a glass at the wall.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why?””
“She wanted the flash drive.””
Sean looked at me.
I lowered my voice.
“Did she say why?””
“She said if that recording gets out, all of us are finished.””
“Who is ‘all of us’?””
Malcolm didn't answer.
“Malcolm.””
“I don't know.””
“You're lying.””
“No.””
“Then tell me what you're hiding.””
He exhaled.
“I found another document.””
My stomach tightened.
“What document?””
“Emily's original will.””
I looked at Sean.
“Where?””
“In a safety deposit box.””
“Whose?””
“Emily's.””
“Did Tasha know about it?””
“I don't think so.””
“What's in it?””
“She left everything to Isaiah.””
I almost laughed from relief.
“Then it's settled.””
“No.””
His voice became quiet.
“There's a second page.””
“What does it say?””
“I haven't read it yet.””
“Why not?””
“Because it has your name on it.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“My name?””
“Yes.””
I looked at Sean.
“Bring it to me.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because Tasha took the key.””
“Then get the bank to open it.””
“I already did.””
“And?””
“They said the box was emptied yesterday.””
My blood ran cold.
“Yesterday?””
“Yes.””
I looked at the flash drive in my hand.
Someone knew.
Someone had been moving pieces before I ever arrived.
I turned to Sean.
“Where can we hear this?””
He pointed toward the back office.
“There’s a computer.””
We went inside.
The room smelled like dust and old paper.
Sean plugged in the drive.
A folder appeared on the screen.
*EMILY — EVIDENCE*
Inside were dozens of files.
Bank statements.
Photographs.
Audio recordings.
Video clips.
I clicked the first video.
The screen showed Tasha sitting at a kitchen table.
Her back was toward the camera.
A stack of bank statements sat in front of her.
She picked up a pen.
Then she spoke.
“Evelyn won't notice.””
My breath stopped.
Tasha continued.
“She's too emotional. Malcolm will believe whatever I tell him.””
Sean whispered, “That's the one.””
On screen, Tasha signed my name.
Slowly.
Carefully.
Then she held the paper up.
“It has to look like she authorized everything.””
A man's voice came from somewhere off-camera.
“Are you sure?””
Tasha turned.
“I'm not losing my children's future because Emily decided her son mattered more.””
I paused the video.
My hands were shaking.
“Who was the man?””
Sean stared at the screen.
“I don't know.””
We played another recording.
Tasha's voice again.
“Once the money is gone, they'll blame Malcolm.””
The man said, “And the DNA test?””
Tasha froze.
“That's my problem.””
My skin prickled.
“What did she mean?””
Sean didn't answer.
The recording continued.
“I can't let Malcolm find out.””
“About Isaiah?””
“No.””
There was a pause.
“About what happened at the hospital.””
I stopped the recording.
“What happened at the hospital?””
Sean looked away.
“You said you knew.””
“I know pieces.””
“Then you need to hear the rest.””
I pressed play.
Tasha's voice filled the room.
“Emily was going to tell him.””
The man's voice asked, “Everything?””
“Yes.””
“Then why didn't she?””
Tasha's voice became cold.
“Because I made sure she couldn't.””
The recording ended.
I stared at the black screen.
“What does that mean?””
Sean's face had gone white.
“I think she caused Emily's death.””
I stepped backward.
“No.””
“She said she did.””
“She could have meant she stopped her from talking.””
“Then why was she talking about the hospital?””
I couldn't answer.
My phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
*You have ten minutes to bring the drive to the old hospital parking lot.*
A second message appeared.
*Come alone.*
Then a photograph.
Isaiah.
Standing outside his school.
My heart stopped.
May you like
The message underneath read:
*If you want your grandson safe, don't bring Malcolm.*
