Chapter 9: The Recording My Brother Was Afraid Of
Nobody moved after Rebecca spoke.
Thomas stared at her as if he were seeing her for the first time.
"You're certain?"" he asked.
Rebecca nodded.
"Your father was conscious when you left the hospital?"" Thomas repeated.
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you tell Michael?""
She pressed her hands against her face.
"Because Daniel told me not to.""
I felt a terrible calm settle over me.
"Tell us everything.""
Rebecca lowered her hands.
"When I entered the room, your father was awake. He looked weak, but he recognized me. He asked whether I had brought the documents.""
"What documents?""
"The original trust agreement and the notebook.""
I gripped the back of a chair.
"You went there to steal from him while he was dying?""
"I went there because Daniel threatened Ashley.""
She looked at me through tears.
"He said if I didn't bring him the documents, he'd take Ashley away from me. He said he'd tell everyone about our relationship and claim custody.""
"Daniel was hiding from the law. How could he claim custody?""
"I didn't know what he could do. I was young, frightened, and stupid.""
"You're still avoiding the question.""
Rebecca swallowed.
"Your father asked me to stay. He said he wanted to tell me something about Daniel. But I was afraid someone would see me there, so I left.""
"What did he say?""
"That I should stop protecting Daniel because he would eventually destroy everyone who helped him.""
I stared at her.
"Did he mention the trust?""
"Yes. He said the documents were only part of the problem. He said Daniel had done something that could never be repaired.""
"What?""
Rebecca shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Thomas stood and walked to the window.
"If your father was conscious when Rebecca left, we need to establish the timeline. The hospital records should show when his condition deteriorated.""
Laura opened her envelope and removed another sheet of paper.
"My father kept copies of the medical records," she said.
"He was concerned because the timeline in the official report didn't match the security footage.""
I took the paper.
The hospital record showed that my father had been stable shortly after midnight. His condition worsened several hours later.
But the exact time of his final collapse had been amended in the report.
Someone had changed it.
"Who signed the amendment?"" I asked.
Laura pointed to the bottom.
"Dr. Samuel Price.""
Thomas frowned.
"I remember him. He was one of the attending physicians.""
"Is he still alive?"" I asked.
Laura nodded.
"He works at a private clinic in Wisconsin.""
I looked at Thomas.
"We need to speak to him.""
"Not before we secure the documents and involve the authorities," Thomas said firmly.
"Daniel is already threatening you. We cannot allow this to become a private investigation that puts everyone at risk.""
He was right.
For years, I had handled every problem through business negotiations, personal favors, and the belief that money could fix almost anything.
This was different.
My brother had faked his death, stolen company assets, and manipulated my family. My wife had concealed evidence. My stepdaughter had been drawn into a scheme she barely understood.
If I made another mistake, I could lose everything.
I agreed to preserve the documents and let Thomas contact the authorities.
But before he could make the call, Emily's phone rang.
The number was blocked.
She looked at me.
"Should I answer?""
I nodded.
She put it on speaker.
A man's voice filled the room.
"Emily Carter?""
"Who is this?""
"My name is Daniel. Your uncle.""
Emily went rigid.
"You don't get to call me that.""
Daniel laughed softly.
"You sound like your father.""
"What do you want?""
"I want to help you understand what's happening. Your father has spent his life believing he's the victim. He never told you what happened between us.""
Emily's eyes filled with anger.
"Then tell me.""
Daniel paused.
"Your grandfather promised me half the company. When he changed his mind, he destroyed my future. I had debts.
People were threatening me. I had no choice but to disappear.""
"You had a choice not to steal from Dad.""
"You don't know anything about what happened.""
"I know you faked your death and let him mourn you for eight years.""
Daniel's voice hardened.
"Your father was never as innocent as he pretends.""
I reached for the phone.
"Daniel, leave my daughter alone.""
"I'm talking to her because she deserves to know the truth.""
"Then tell her why you sent her a message threatening our family.""
"I didn't threaten anyone.""
Emily shook her head.
"You told us to look behind the furnace.""
"Because I wanted you to find the box.""
The admission stunned us.
"Why?"" I demanded.
"Because Father left something there that Michael needs to see.""
"We found it.""
"No, you found the first box.""
My skin prickled.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel's voice dropped.
"There's a second compartment behind the wall. The first box was a warning. The second contains the original hospital recording.""
Thomas moved closer to the phone.
"Daniel, you need to stop contacting this family.""
Daniel ignored him.
"Michael, you have until tomorrow morning to bring me the flash drive and the trust documents. If you don't, I'll release the recording.""
"And if you do?""
"I'll give you the notebook.""
"Why would I trust you?""
"You shouldn't.""
For the first time, Daniel sounded completely serious.
"But you should be afraid of what's on that recording.""
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Then I went back to the basement.
Thomas followed me, insisting that we document everything before touching the wall again. We photographed the cavity, recorded the location of the first lockbox, and carefully examined the surrounding plaster.
Behind a wooden support, almost invisible beneath a layer of dust, was a narrow metal panel.
It wasn't part of the original construction.
I removed the screws.
Inside was a second compartment.
There was no lockbox this time.
Only a small envelope and a digital recorder sealed inside a clear plastic bag.
My hands trembled as I opened the envelope.
The note inside was written by my father.
Michael, if you have found this, Daniel has returned. The recording will tell you what happened after I asked Rebecca to leave my room.
I looked at the recorder.
Thomas took it carefully and examined the device.
"There's a memory card inside," he said.
"We should make a forensic copy before playing anything.""
He removed the card and placed it in a protective case.
For a moment, I felt relieved.
Then Laura noticed something written along the bottom of my father's note.
She read it aloud.
"Do not trust the first version of the recording.""
I looked up.
"What does that mean?""
Laura turned the note over.
There was another sentence on the back.
*The person who altered the hospital report was not Daniel.*
I looked at Thomas.
He was staring at the note with an expression I couldn't read.
Then he slowly closed his briefcase.
"Michael," he said, "there's something I haven't told you about your father's final night.""
I waited.
Thomas took a breath.
"I was at the hospital, too. And I wasn't there to visit your father.""
He looked toward the stairs, where Rebecca stood silently listening.
"I was there because your father had asked me to protect someone from your family.""
May you like
His eyes shifted toward my wife.
"And that person wasn't you.""
