Chapter 13: What Andrew Left Behind
Dad stared at the frozen image of Andrew Bennett.
“I knew him as Andy Cole.””
Tyler looked up sharply.
“Cole?””
Dad nodded slowly.
“When I was nineteen, I worked summers at a machine shop. Andy worked there too. Everyone called him Cole because that was his mother's maiden name.””
I looked toward the laptop.
“So you knew Tyler's stepfather?””
“Before Tyler was born.””
Dad sat down.
“He was older than me. Maybe twenty-eight. He taught me how to rebuild an engine. When my own dad got sick, Andy covered my shifts so I could go to the hospital.””
His voice caught.
“I never knew his last name was Bennett.””
The detective leaned toward the screen.
“We need the trust document.””
The forensic technician searched Melissa's hidden partition.
A folder appeared.
*AB TRUST — ORIGINAL LOCATION*
Inside were photographs of legal papers and a handwritten letter.
Dad opened the letter.
*Daniel,*
*If you're reading this, something happened before I could explain.*
Dad stopped.
“Keep going,” Tyler whispered.
Dad swallowed.
The letter described a piece of industrial property outside Columbus.
Twenty-two acres.
Andrew had inherited half from his grandfather.
The other half belonged to Marcus Carter's family.
Years earlier, Marcus had tried to buy Andrew out after developers became interested in the land.
Andrew refused.
Then he'd discovered something.
The property sat beside a proposed logistics corridor.
Its value could explode if a planned highway expansion was approved.
Andrew didn't trust Marcus.
So three days before his death, he'd transferred his ownership interest into a trust.
Dad was named successor beneficiary.
“Why me?”” Dad whispered.
The letter answered.
*Because you once refused money to lie for my supervisor when he blamed me for damaged equipment. You lost your job instead. I never forgot that.*
Dad leaned back.
I had never heard that story.
Tyler whispered, “So Marcus wants the land?””
The detective nodded.
“Potentially.””
The technician found another document.
A recent valuation.
*Estimated market value: $3.8 million.*
Nobody spoke.
Suddenly the missing laptop, the forged deed, and even the insurance policy looked like pieces of something much larger.
Dad's phone rang.
The officer answered this time.
It was the unit sent to Melissa's last known location.
They had found her car.
Empty.
Driver's door unlocked.
Phone on the seat.
Dad stood immediately.
“Where?””
The detective raised a hand.
“You're not going there.””
“That's my wife.””
“And Carter may want you there.””
Tyler's face tightened.
“He has her.””
“We don't know that yet.””
Dad looked furious.
Then Evan called.
“I found the storage unit.””
The detective put him on speaker.
“Did you find Raymond's notebook?””
“Yes.””
Paper rustled.
“My dad wrote about Andrew's crash.””
“Read it.””
Evan's voice became quieter.
“September 17. Andrew brought car in. Brake system good.””
Another page.
“October 2. Saw news about crash. Police say brake failure. Doesn't make sense.””
Then:
“October 4. Reviewed camera. Male entered yard 1:13 a.m. night before crash.””
Evan paused.
“What?”” Dad asked.
“My dad wrote a plate number.””
The detective grabbed a pen.
Evan read it.
An officer entered it into a database.
His expression changed.
“The plate was registered to Marcus Carter.””
Tyler closed his eyes.
The detective said, “That's significant, but it still doesn't prove he sabotaged the car.””
Evan continued.
“There’s another entry.””
“Read it.””
“October 8. Melissa refused footage. Says forget it.
Man called afterward. Said I have a son too.””
Evan's voice shook.
“He threatened my dad.””
The detective asked, “Is the footage there?””
“I found an old external drive.””
“Don't touch anything else.””
Then Dad's phone received another email.
Marcus.
This time there was an address.
And a photograph.
Melissa sat in a chair inside what looked like an abandoned warehouse.
She wasn't tied up.
But Marcus stood behind her.
Underneath:
*Bring Andrew's trust documents. Come alone.*
Dad's face hardened.
The detective immediately took the phone.
“Good.””
Dad stared at him.
“Good?””
“He just gave us a location.””
Melissa looked terrified in the photograph.
Tyler stepped closer.
“Please get her back.””
The detective nodded.
“We will do everything we can.””
Dad looked at Tyler.
For all his anger toward Melissa, Tyler was still a fifteen-year-old looking at a picture of his mother beside a man who might have killed once already.
Dad put both hands on Tyler's shoulders.
“You stay here.””
“I want to come.””
“No.””
“But—”
“If your mother gets out of there, she's going to need you somewhere safe.””
Tyler finally nodded.
Police prepared to move.
Dad wasn't allowed to join the entry team.
But the detective wanted him nearby because Marcus had specifically demanded him.
Before leaving, Dad looked at me.
“Stay with Tyler.””
I nodded.
He started toward the door.
Then Tyler called after him.
“Dad.””
Dad stopped.
Tyler seemed surprised by the word himself.
His voice cracked.
“Bring Mom home.””
Dad looked at him for a long moment.
“I'll try.””
Then he left.
Twenty-three minutes later, my phone rang.
Dad.
I answered instantly.
“Dad?””
For several seconds, all I heard was shouting in the background.
Then Dad spoke.
“They found Melissa.””
Tyler grabbed my arm.
“Is she okay?””
I put the phone on speaker.
Dad breathed heavily.
“She’s alive.””
Tyler almost collapsed with relief.
Then Dad said, “But Marcus isn't here.””
My stomach tightened.
“What happened?””
“The warehouse was a setup.””
A loud voice called Dad's name in the background.
Then he said something that made Tyler's relief disappear.
“Marcus left a message on the wall.””
“What message?””
May you like
Dad paused.
“He knows where Andrew's original trust is.””
