Chapter 13: The Night My Mother Died
"Your mother didn't die in an accident.""
Robert's words seemed to suck all the air out of the room.
I stared at him.
"Say that again.""
He lowered his head.
"Margaret was on her way to meet me the night she died. She had discovered something about Daniel's financial activities, and she wanted to tell me in person.""
I shook my head.
"That's impossible. The police said another vehicle crossed the center line.""
"That part was true.""
"Then what are you saying?""
Robert looked toward Michael.
"I think someone made sure she never reached me.""
My knees weakened.
Michael pulled out a chair.
"Robert, we need you to explain exactly what happened.""
Robert sat down.
His hands trembled as he removed his glasses.
"Your mother called me at 8:15 that evening. She said she had obtained documents proving Daniel was using fraudulent companies to move money. She was frightened.""
I swallowed.
"What did she say?""
"She told me Daniel had discovered she was investigating him. She believed he was trying to gain access to your inheritance.""
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"She didn't want you involved. She thought keeping you away from the investigation would protect you.""
I looked at the photograph of my mother on the mantelpiece.
She was smiling, holding a birthday cake.
I remembered that night.
I'd been twenty-six.
I had called her around nine, but she hadn't answered.
At ten, I'd received a call from a police officer.
My mother was dead.
I'd spent years believing the accident was a terrible coincidence.
Now I was being told there might have been something else.
"Did you tell the police what she said?""
Robert nodded.
"But I didn't know enough to make an accusation. The accident report showed the other driver had crossed the center line. He died at the scene too.""
Michael leaned forward.
"Was there an investigation into the possibility of intentional interference?""
"Not that I know of.""
I turned toward Robert.
"Why didn't you tell me any of this before?""
His eyes filled.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
"That whoever was behind it would come after you.""
I stood abruptly.
"So you protected me by letting me live with the man who was stealing from me?""
Robert closed his eyes.
"I know how that sounds.""
"It sounds like everyone knew something except me!""
Nobody spoke.
I walked toward the window.
My mother had spent her final months trying to protect me.
And I had spent six years sleeping beside the man she had warned me about.
Michael finally broke the silence.
"We need the original accident records. Police reports, insurance investigations, vehicle inspections, everything.""
Robert nodded.
"I have something else.""
He opened a cabinet and removed a brown envelope.
"Your mother gave me this two days before she died.""
Inside was a photograph of a black sedan.
The front bumper was damaged.
A handwritten note was attached.
*Vehicle seen following me twice. Registration partially identified.*
Michael examined the photograph.
"Do you know whose vehicle this was?""
Robert shook his head.
"No. But Margaret wrote down part of the registration.""
He handed over the note.
Michael studied it.
Then he opened his laptop and began searching through the documents we'd collected.
After several minutes, he stopped.
"Robert, do you recognize this vehicle registration?""
He turned the screen toward us.
The registration belonged to a black Mercedes registered to Mitchell Property Consulting.
Daniel's company.
I felt the floor move beneath me.
"Was Daniel driving it?""
Robert looked at the photograph.
"I can't say.""
Michael enlarged the image.
The date stamp showed it had been taken two days before the accident.
Then he found another record.
The vehicle had been sold three weeks after my mother's death.
The buyer was a used-car dealership in Franklin.
I covered my mouth.
"Can we find the person who sold it?""
"We can try," Michael answered.
Robert suddenly stood.
"There's something else I should tell you.""
I looked at him.
"Please don't tell me there's another secret.""
He swallowed.
"Daniel wasn't alone that night.""
My heart began pounding.
"What do you mean?""
"I received a call from Vanessa the following morning. She asked whether Margaret had contacted me.""
I stared at him.
"Vanessa?""
"Yes. She sounded frightened. I asked why she wanted to know, but she refused to explain.""
"Did she know about the accident?""
"She knew before I told her.""
Silence.
Michael slowly closed his laptop.
"That's significant.""
I shook my head.
"No. Vanessa was barely involved in my life back then.""
Robert looked at me.
"She was involved with Daniel's business even then.""
I remembered the spreadsheet.
The $40,000 listed beside Vanessa's name.
The login attempt from her internet connection.
The fraudulent will.
Everything was connected.
Michael stood.
"We need to arrange formal interviews with everyone involved. And Sarah, I strongly recommend that you don't confront either Daniel or Vanessa alone.""
I nodded.
But my phone was already ringing.
Vanessa.
I answered and put it on speaker.
"Sarah, we need to talk.""
"About what?""
"Your mother.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"What about her?""
Vanessa took a breath.
"I know what Robert told you.""
"Then you know what I want to ask.""
"Sarah, I didn't hurt your mother.""
"I didn't ask whether you hurt her.""
She went quiet.
Then she whispered:
"Daniel was supposed to scare her. He wasn't supposed to let things go that far.""
My blood turned to ice.
Michael immediately signaled for me to keep her talking.
I could barely form the words.
"What did you just say?""
Vanessa started crying.
"I was young. I didn't understand what he was doing.""
"Tell me exactly what happened.""
"I can't.""
"Vanessa!""
She whispered:
"Daniel has the original recording. The one from the night your mother died.""
Then the call abruptly disconnected.
Michael immediately picked up his phone.
But before he could say anything, a new message arrived from Vanessa.
It contained an address.
May you like
And five words.
*Come alone if you want the truth.*
