Chapter 13: The Boy Who Knew What Happened
I stared at the photograph until my eyes began to hurt.
Daniel.
Standing beside Margaret.
And Thomas.
My biological father.
The date printed on the back was eighteen years earlier.
Daniel had been a teenager. Thomas had been a young man. Margaret stood between them with one hand resting on Daniel's shoulder.
I looked at my husband across the conference room.
"How old were you when this photograph was taken?""
Daniel didn't answer.
"Daniel, look at me.""
He turned away.
My father took the photograph from my hands.
"Detective Collins needs to see this immediately.""
Elaine called the investigator and arranged to have the photograph formally examined.
Meanwhile, I approached Daniel.
"You knew Thomas.""
He looked at me.
"I knew of him.""
"Don't lie to me.""
His jaw tightened.
"Sarah, this has nothing to do with our marriage.""
"He's my father!""
Daniel laughed bitterly.
"Your father abandoned you.""
I stepped closer.
"Then why were you standing beside him eighteen years ago?""
For the first time, Daniel had no immediate answer.
Margaret rose from her chair.
"Sarah, you need to stop listening to these people. They're trying to destroy our family.""
I turned toward her.
"You told me Thomas was dead.""
"He was gone.""
"That's not what I asked.""
Margaret picked up her handbag.
"I have nothing more to say.""
Elaine blocked the doorway.
"Mrs. Mitchell, the investigators have requested that you remain available for questioning.""
Margaret's face hardened.
"You cannot detain me.""
"No one is detaining you. But leaving before answering questions about these documents may complicate matters.""
Daniel stood.
"Mother, don't say anything.""
I looked at him.
"Why? What are you afraid she'll say?""
He pointed toward me.
"You're obsessed with the past. You should be thinking about your daughter.""
"That's exactly what I'm doing.""
At that moment, Detective Collins entered with another officer.
He carried a folder.
"Mr. Mitchell, Mrs. Mitchell, we need to ask some questions concerning Thomas Williams.""
Daniel immediately requested his attorney.
Margaret did the same.
The detective nodded.
"That's your right. However, we have recovered additional correspondence that we believe is relevant.""
He placed several pages on the table.
The first was an email from Harold to Margaret.
Thomas has become a problem. He has discovered the original property transfers and intends to speak to Sarah's mother.
The second was Margaret's response.
Daniel must understand that this man cannot become part of Sarah's life again.
The third email was from Margaret to someone identified only as D.
If Thomas returns, everything we have built will collapse.
I looked at Daniel.
"Everything you have built?""
He said nothing.
The detective opened another folder.
"We also found a payment record from a private medical facility in Charleston. The payments began approximately six months ago.""
My heart raced.
"Is Thomas there?""
"We believe so.""
"Can I see him?""
The detective hesitated.
"We need to confirm his identity and medical circumstances first. If he is the individual we're looking for, we'll arrange appropriate contact.""
My father stood.
"Then let's go to Charleston.""
The detective nodded.
"We're already coordinating with the facility.""
Daniel suddenly laughed.
"You really think finding him will change anything?""
I turned.
"What does that mean?""
He leaned forward.
"Your mother made choices. Thomas made choices. I made choices. You can't rewrite history just because you don't like the ending.""
My father stepped toward him.
"Daniel, enough.""
But I wanted an answer.
"Did you know Thomas was alive?""
Daniel looked at me.
Then, quietly, he said:
"I knew he was somewhere.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
"Did you visit him?""
He looked down.
That was answer enough.
Detective Collins asked him another question.
"Mr. Mitchell, were you aware that payments from your mother's inherited property were being sent to the Charleston facility?""
Daniel's face changed.
"That's not my account.""
"Your name appears on the authorization.""
"I didn't arrange those payments.""
Margaret suddenly interrupted.
"I did.""
Everyone turned toward her.
She looked at her son.
"Daniel, stop pretending.""
He stared at her.
Margaret lowered herself into her chair.
"I arranged the payments.""
"Why?"" I asked.
She looked at me.
"Because Thomas needed care.""
My chest tightened.
"You knew he was alive all these years?""
She nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because he was dangerous.""
My father frowned.
"How?""
Margaret hesitated.
"Thomas discovered that Harold and I had been using a company to purchase properties through fraudulent estate transfers. He threatened to expose us.""
"And you paid him to disappear?""
"He agreed to leave.""
"Then why was he in a care facility?""
Margaret looked away.
"Because he became ill.""
I stepped back.
"You kept my father hidden because you were afraid he'd expose your financial crimes.""
She didn't answer.
Then Detective Collins placed one final document on the table.
It was a signed statement from the Charleston facility.
The document confirmed that Thomas had recently asked to contact his daughter.
But beneath his request was a handwritten message.
Tell Sarah I didn't leave her. Tell her I tried to come home.
My knees weakened.
I gripped the table.
My father placed an arm around me.
For years, I'd carried the quiet pain of believing my biological father had abandoned me.
Now I knew someone had deliberately taken him out of my life.
And that someone had been part of my husband's family.
"Detective," I whispered, "I want to see him.""
He nodded.
"We'll arrange it.""
Then he turned toward Margaret.
"Mrs. Mitchell, there's another issue. We've found evidence that the payments to the Charleston facility were made through an account connected to the missing $480,000 loan.""
Margaret closed her eyes.
Daniel suddenly stood.
"Mother, you said that money was handled!""
She looked at him.
"I handled everything for you!""
Their voices rose.
And as the officers separated them, I realized something.
Daniel and Margaret were no longer protecting each other.
They were preparing to blame each other.
But the detective hadn't finished.
He opened a final envelope.
"There's one more person we need to locate.""
"Who?"" my father asked.
May you like
The detective looked directly at Daniel.
"Harold Mitchell has disappeared.""
