Chapter 8: The Man Holding the Syringe
Nobody spoke.
Dad stared at the photograph.
Then he looked at his brother.
"Explain.""
Daniel sat down slowly.
His hands shook as he rubbed them together.
"Marcus, that photograph doesn't show what you think.""
Dad picked it up.
"You're standing beside my dying wife with a syringe in your hand.""
"I was administering medication.""
"You're not a doctor!""
"It was prescribed medication!""
"By whom?""
Daniel swallowed.
"Your wife's physician.""
Detective Harris took the photograph.
"Mr. Carter, what medication?""
Daniel shook his head.
"I don't remember the name.""
Dad slammed his palm against the table.
"You're lying!""
Daniel flinched.
I stared at the photograph.
Mom looked exhausted, but she was smiling at Daniel.
That detail hurt almost as much as the syringe.
She had trusted him.
She had trusted everyone.
"Uncle Daniel," I said quietly.
He looked at me.
"Did you hurt my mother?""
His eyes filled.
"No, Ethan.""
"Then why did Michael tell me not to trust you?""
Daniel looked down.
"Because I did something worse than you know.""
Detective Harris moved closer.
"Explain it clearly.""
Daniel took a deep breath.
"Three years ago, I was drowning in debt. I had invested money in a commercial property project, and the development collapsed. I owed nearly two million dollars.""
Dad stared at him.
"So you stole from my wife?""
"I borrowed money.""
"Without permission.""
Daniel nodded.
"I planned to replace it.""
"When?""
"Before the trust matured.""
Dad laughed bitterly.
"You had three years to replace money you had no right to touch.""
Daniel's voice broke.
"I know.""
He explained that Vanessa had discovered the missing transfers and threatened to expose him unless he helped her gain control of the trust.
Michael was behind the arrangement.
Robert prepared the documents.
Daniel provided access.
And Vanessa handled the household.
They had all played different roles.
But there was something Daniel still hadn't explained.
"The syringe," I said.
He looked at me.
"Your mother had severe pain that night. Her physician had prescribed medication. Patricia was assisting with her treatment, but she had to leave the room to collect another prescription.""
"And you gave Mom the medication?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because she asked me to.""
Dad shook his head.
"That doesn't explain why Michael was there.""
Daniel looked toward the detective.
"Michael came to the hospital to retrieve a document. Your wife had hidden it somewhere in her room.""
"What document?""
"The original ownership certificate for Carter Development Group.""
I frowned.
"What's that?""
Dad slowly turned toward me.
"It's the company my father started.""
Daniel nodded.
"Your mother inherited a controlling interest in it after our father died. She later transferred that interest into a trust for you.""
I remembered the phone call.
Michael had said Mom left me a company.
Not just money.
A company.
"How much is it worth?""
Daniel answered.
"Approximately forty million dollars.""
Dad sank into a chair.
Forty million.
I felt as if I were listening to a story about someone else's family.
Daniel continued.
"Michael believed the company belonged to him. He thought he was entitled to it because he was our father's firstborn son.""
Dad shook his head.
"He abandoned this family.""
"That's what he believed, too. He thought our father had stolen his inheritance.""
"So he targeted my wife?""
Daniel nodded.
"Your mother discovered that Michael had been secretly transferring company assets into shell corporations. She threatened to expose him.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Then what happened that night?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Michael arrived shortly after I gave your mother her medication. He demanded the ownership certificate. She refused.""
"What did he do?""
"He threatened her.""
Dad's face twisted.
"Did you stop him?""
Daniel looked away.
"I tried.""
"You tried?""
"He pushed me into the wall. Then he took the document from the drawer.""
I stepped forward.
"Did Mom see him take it?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes. She pressed the emergency button. Michael ran.""
"And then?""
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Your mother told me to call Patricia. She said she was feeling dizzy.""
Dad grabbed his shoulders.
"Why didn't you call me?""
"I did!""
"When?""
"At midnight. You didn't answer.""
Dad looked stunned.
"I was asleep.""
"I know. Vanessa told me you were home.""
I felt something tighten in my chest.
"Why would Vanessa tell you that?""
Daniel looked toward her.
"Because she wanted everyone to believe you had visited the hospital that night.""
Detective Harris checked his notes.
"That would explain the false visitor entry.""
Dad shook his head.
"Michael impersonated me.""
Daniel nodded.
"He wanted the hospital records to show that Marcus had been there. If anything happened to your wife, it would create confusion about who had access to her room.""
Detective Harris looked serious.
"We'll need to verify every part of this account.""
Daniel nodded.
"There's one more thing.""
He removed a folded sheet of paper from his wallet.
It was a photograph of a handwritten note.
My mother's handwriting.
I recognized it instantly.
Daniel, if anything happens to me, give Ethan the key. Tell him the company belongs to him. And tell Marcus that Michael is not the only person who knows what happened to our father.
I read it twice.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel looked at Dad.
"Our father didn't die naturally.""
Dad went completely still.
"What?""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"Twenty-five years ago, Michael was accused of stealing from the company. Our father confronted him. Three days later, our father was found dead in his office.""
Dad shook his head.
"That was ruled an accident.""
"Your wife discovered it wasn't.""
The room seemed to shrink.
Then Detective Harris's phone rang.
He answered, listened, and looked at Daniel.
"Mr. Carter, we just received preliminary confirmation from the hospital.""
Daniel swallowed.
"What confirmation?""
"The medication administered to your sister-in-law that night was not the medication listed in her treatment record.""
Dad grabbed the edge of the table.
"What was it?""
Harris looked at his screen.
"An unauthorized sedative.""
I stared at Daniel.
He began shaking his head.
"I didn't know.""
But before anyone could question him further, another message arrived on my phone.
This time, it included an audio attachment.
The sender had written:
Your mother recorded this before she died. Listen carefully to the last thirty seconds.
I pressed play.
My mother's voice filled the room.
"Ethan, sweetheart, if you're hearing this, it means I didn't get the chance to tell you the truth.""
A pause.
Then her voice became weaker.
"There's someone you must never forgive. And it isn't Vanessa.""
The recording crackled.
May you like
Then she whispered:
"It's the person who has been pretending to protect you.""
