Chapter 14: The Sister Who Knew Everything
I didn't go alone.
Michael arranged for an investigator to accompany us, and Robert insisted on coming.
The address Vanessa had sent belonged to an old commercial building outside Franklin.
The property had once housed Daniel's first real estate office.
Now most of the windows were boarded up, and weeds had grown through cracks in the parking lot.
A single light was visible on the second floor.
"She's inside," Robert said.
Michael checked his phone.
"Stay behind me. Nobody touches anything.""
We entered through a side door.
The building smelled of dust, damp wood, and old cigarette smoke.
At the top of the staircase, Vanessa was waiting.
She looked nothing like the confident woman from the birthday dinner.
Her makeup was smudged.
Her hair was tied back carelessly.
And she was holding a small black flash drive.
"Sarah.""
I stopped several feet away.
"Tell me what happened to my mother.""
Vanessa looked toward Robert.
"Can we talk privately?""
"No.""
She swallowed.
"Fine.""
She held up the drive.
"Everything is on here.""
Michael stepped forward.
"Where did you get it?""
"Daniel kept it in a locked cabinet at his old office. I copied it last week.""
"Why?""
"Because I knew he was going to blame me.""
I stared at her.
"You're already involved.""
Her eyes filled.
"I know.""
"Then start talking.""
Vanessa sat on an old office chair.
"Eleven years ago, Daniel was already involved in fraudulent property transactions. He had borrowed money from people, promised investments he couldn't deliver, and moved funds between companies.""
"That doesn't explain my mother.""
Vanessa nodded.
"Your mother found out. She had been helping Elizabeth understand some financial records. She discovered Daniel was using fake authorization forms.""
I felt my hands tighten.
"What happened the night she died?""
Vanessa looked down.
"Daniel followed her.""
Robert took a step forward.
"Why?""
"Because he wanted the documents she had.""
"Did he hit her car?""
Vanessa began crying.
"I don't know.""
I stared at her.
"You just said he followed her.""
"He wanted to frighten her. He told me he would make her hand over the documents.""
"Where were you?""
"In the other car.""
The room went silent.
Robert's face changed.
"You were there?""
Vanessa nodded.
"I was driving behind Daniel. He told me to wait near the highway.""
I felt sick.
"What happened?""
"He called me after the accident. He said the situation was out of control.""
"Did you see the crash?""
She covered her face.
"I saw the cars after they stopped.""
My voice shook.
"Was my mother alive?""
Vanessa began sobbing harder.
"I don't know, Sarah.""
I stepped closer.
"Did you call an ambulance?""
"Daniel said someone had already called.""
"Did you?""
She shook her head.
I felt something inside me break.
"You watched?""
"I was terrified!""
"You were twenty-three years old, Vanessa. My mother was dying, and you were terrified of your brother?""
She looked up.
"Daniel said if I told anyone, he'd make sure I went to prison too.""
Michael intervened.
"Vanessa, you need to understand that this is a serious matter. You should speak with an attorney and provide all evidence to the appropriate investigators.""
She nodded.
Then she handed him the flash drive.
"There are recordings. Messages. Everything.""
Michael took it carefully.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Why did you help him steal my money?""
She wiped her face.
"Because he promised me the house.""
"Why?""
"Because I owed money.""
"How much?""
"Almost forty thousand.""
I laughed bitterly.
"So you helped him steal eighty-five thousand from me to pay your debts?""
She didn't answer.
"Did you know he was still married to Elizabeth?""
"Yes.""
"Did you know about the fake medical report?""
She nodded.
I felt my stomach turn.
"And the attempted conservatorship?""
"Daniel said it was necessary.""
"Necessary for what?""
Vanessa finally looked me in the eye.
"To get control of the money before Elizabeth filed a lawsuit.""
I frowned.
"What lawsuit?""
She hesitated.
Then she revealed something I hadn't expected.
"Elizabeth wasn't trying to get back together with Daniel. She was collecting evidence against him.""
I stared at her.
"Then why was she buying the house?""
"She wasn't. Daniel made it look that way.""
Michael looked up sharply.
"Explain.""
Vanessa continued.
"The property was supposed to be transferred into Carter Holdings. Elizabeth was going to use the closing documents to prove that Daniel had stolen money from multiple people.""
I thought about the photograph of Daniel and Elizabeth outside the house.
The messages.
The supposed romantic reunion.
It had all been staged.
"Why didn't Elizabeth tell me?""
"She tried. Daniel monitored her communications. He told her if she contacted you, he'd expose her as an accomplice.""
I looked at the flash drive.
"What else is on there?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"Something about your mother.""
Michael immediately secured the device.
"We'll review it properly.""
But before we could leave, a car engine roared outside.
A black SUV pulled into the parking lot.
Daniel stepped out.
He slammed the door and stormed toward the entrance.
"VANESSA!""
She went pale.
Michael immediately positioned himself between us and the doorway.
Daniel entered carrying a briefcase.
When he saw the flash drive in Michael's hand, his expression transformed.
"Give me that.""
Michael stepped forward.
"No.""
Daniel pointed at his sister.
"You stupid idiot!""
Vanessa stood.
"Don't you dare blame me!""
Daniel moved toward her.
"You have no idea what you've done!""
I stepped between them.
"Enough.""
He looked at me.
For the first time, there was no charm in his face.
No fake concern.
No affectionate smile.
Only hatred.
"You should have stayed out of this, Sarah.""
I stared at him.
"You stole from my mother.""
His jaw tightened.
"Your mother was interfering in things she didn't understand.""
"She was trying to protect me.""
"She was trying to ruin me!""
Robert entered behind Michael.
"Daniel, it's over.""
My husband turned toward his father.
"You're responsible for this. You should have kept your mouth shut.""
Robert's voice trembled.
"I should have protected Sarah years ago.""
Daniel laughed.
"Sarah doesn't even know who she is. She isn't your daughter.""
Robert stepped forward.
"She's my daughter because I say she is.""
Daniel suddenly opened his briefcase.
He pulled out a thick stack of papers.
"Fine. Let's stop pretending.""
He threw them onto the desk.
"Here are the documents proving Sarah participated in the company. Her signature is on every authorization.""
I looked at the pages.
My name appeared repeatedly.
But Michael picked up the first document and immediately noticed something.
He turned it over.
There was a small printed code in the bottom corner.
He examined the next page.
Then another.
His expression changed.
"Daniel, where did you obtain these?""
Daniel smiled.
"From legitimate business records.""
Michael looked at me.
"Sarah, these documents were generated using a digital certificate.""
"What does that mean?""
He turned toward Daniel.
"It means we may be able to identify the computer and account used to create them.""
Daniel's smile disappeared.
Michael continued.
"And according to the metadata on this first document, it was created on a computer registered to...""
He paused.
Then read the name.
*Robert Mitchell.*
Everyone turned toward my father.
Robert stared at the screen.
"I've never owned that computer.""
Daniel smiled again.
But this time, it wasn't the smile of someone who had won.
It was the smile of someone who believed he had finally trapped everyone.
Then Michael opened the document properties and discovered something even more disturbing.
The file had originally been created under a different user's name.
May you like
*Margaret Collins.*
My dead mother.
