Chapter 8: My Uncle's Confession
I knew going alone was a terrible idea.
Dad said it at least twenty times.
Patricia said it even more.
But Richard had specifically asked for me, and I couldn't ignore the possibility that he knew something about my mother's final hours.
We agreed on a compromise.
Dad and Patricia would wait two blocks away. I would enter the house with my phone recording and an emergency call ready.
At 7:58 p.m., I stood outside my mother's childhood home.
The property had been empty since my grandmother died. The paint was peeling, the front garden was overgrown, and the porch light flickered whenever the wind moved the old electrical wires.
I knocked.
The door opened almost immediately.
Richard stood there.
He looked older than I remembered.
His hair was uncombed, and his shirt was wrinkled.
"Ethan.""
He pulled me into a hug.
For one second, I almost forgot everything.
Then I remembered the photograph.
I stepped back.
"You said you had something for me.""
Richard nodded.
"Come inside.""
The living room smelled of dust and old furniture.
He led me to the dining table, where a brown envelope was waiting.
"Your mother gave me this two days before she died.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you give it to me?""
He lowered his eyes.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Daniel?""
Richard nodded.
"And Vanessa.""
I sat down.
"Why were you at our house the night Mom died?""
He rubbed his face.
"I went there because Danielle called me. She said she had discovered something terrible.""
"What?""
"She found out that Daniel had been stealing money from her trust for months. Vanessa had been helping him.""
I opened the envelope.
Inside was another copy of the death certificate.
But this one was different.
The official cause of death was listed as multiple traumatic injuries from a single-vehicle collision.
However, beneath the medical examiner's signature was a handwritten note.
Unidentified substance detected in blood sample. Further toxicology requested.
I looked up.
"What substance?""
Richard shook his head.
"I don't know. The final report was changed.""
"Changed by whom?""
"Daniel had connections with someone at the medical examiner's office.""
My hands tightened around the paper.
"You're telling me my mother was poisoned?""
"I'm telling you that the report originally raised questions about something in her system.""
Richard reached into his jacket and removed a small flash drive.
"Your mother recorded a conversation the night she died.""
I stared at it.
"With whom?""
"Daniel.""
"Where is it?""
"On that drive.""
I reached for it.
Richard pulled his hand back.
"Before you listen, you need to understand something.""
"What?""
"I wasn't the person who opened your front door that night.""
I frowned.
"But Daniel said—"
"Daniel lied.""
Richard leaned forward.
"I arrived at your house at 9:12 p.m. Danielle was already outside. She was holding a folder and crying.""
"What did she tell you?""
"She said Marcus had unknowingly signed documents that could transfer control of the trust. She was terrified that Daniel would take you away from her.""
My throat tightened.
"Did you help her?""
Richard nodded.
"I offered to take her somewhere safe. But she said she needed to retrieve something from inside first.""
"What?""
"A second phone.""
He looked toward the hallway.
"Then someone opened the front door.""
I felt my heart pounding.
"Who?""
Richard's eyes filled.
"Vanessa.""
I froze.
"She was already married to Dad?""
"No. She was working for Daniel. They were involved long before she married your father.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell us?""
Richard slammed his palm against the table.
"Because I was threatened! Daniel told me that if I spoke, he'd make sure I went to prison for the missing money. He had documents with my signature.""
"Did you steal money?""
Richard looked away.
"I helped him move some of it. I thought it was legitimate at first.""
I stood up.
"So you helped them steal from my mother?""
"I made a mistake.""
"A mistake? My mother died!""
Richard's eyes filled with tears.
"I know.""
I backed away.
He continued.
"That night, Vanessa came outside. She told Danielle that everything could still be fixed if she surrendered the documents.""
"What happened?""
"Danielle refused. Then Daniel arrived.""
My skin went cold.
"Was Dad there?""
Richard shook his head.
"No. Your father was at the hospital with his mother. Daniel had arranged that.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Then whose ring was that?""
Richard closed his eyes.
"Daniel took Marcus's ring from the office. He wore it that night so the neighbors would believe Marcus had been there.""
My stomach turned.
"Why?""
"Because he wanted to make it look like your father had been involved in whatever happened afterward.""
Richard pushed the flash drive toward me.
"Listen to this. Your mother recorded everything.""
I picked it up.
Then my phone vibrated.
A message from Dad.
Ethan, leave the house immediately. Richard is not telling you everything.
I looked up.
Richard's expression had changed.
He was staring at my phone.
"Your father knows?""
Before I could answer, every light in the house went out.
A car engine roared outside.
Then someone slammed the front door.
Richard grabbed my arm.
"Get down!""
A gunshot shattered the window.
Glass exploded across the dining table.
I hit the floor as Richard dragged me behind the sofa.
Someone outside shouted:
"WHERE IS THE DRIVE?""
Richard looked at me in terror.
May you like
Then he whispered the words I would never forget.
"They found us. And Ethan, the person who ordered this isn't Daniel.""
