Chapter 4: The Cabinet Marked 317
“Get someone to that workshop immediately!””
Officer Daniels spoke into his radio while the investigator grabbed his coat.
I stood frozen beside Toby's hospital bed.
“Is Richard inside the house?”” I asked.
“According to the officers outside, yes.””
“Then arrest him!””
“We need to establish what he's doing there.””
I stared at him.
“He nearly killed three children. What else do you need?””
Daniels didn't answer.
Instead, he turned toward Toby.
“Can you tell me exactly where your father kept that key?””
Toby nodded.
“Inside my stuffed bear. Mom threw the bear away after Dad died.””
“Do you remember where?””
“The trash behind the garage.””
I looked at my little brother.
“You never told me this.””
Toby lowered his head.
“Mom said Dad's things were garbage. I didn't want her to throw away everything.””
I squeezed his shoulder.
“You don't have to hide things from me anymore.””
A few minutes later, Daniels received another radio transmission.
“Units are at the property,” he announced.
“Richard is refusing to leave the workshop.””
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I answered cautiously.
“Hello?””
A man's voice came through.
“Emily. It's Richard.””
My blood turned cold.
“How did you get this number?””
“Your mother gave it to me.””
“What do you want?””
He sighed like I was an unreasonable child.
“I understand you're upset, but you're making a terrible mistake.””
“My brothers are in the hospital because of you.””
“That's an accusation.””
“You turned off the heat.””
“I had nothing to do with the furnace.””
“Then why did you go back to the house?””
Silence.
Then he spoke softly.
“Because your father left something that belongs to me.””
I looked at Officer Daniels.
He immediately gestured for me to keep him talking.
“What did Dad leave?””
“Something you wouldn't understand.””
“Try me.””
Richard chuckled.
“You've always been like Michael. You think asking questions makes you powerful.””
My fingers tightened around the phone.
“Did you kill my father?””
His breathing changed.
For a moment, there was nothing.
Then he said, “Your father should have stayed out of my business.””
The call ended.
Officer Daniels immediately took my phone.
“Did you hear that?””
“Yes.””
He looked toward the investigator.
“We have a recorded call if the system captured it. Get the officers inside that property.””
Within minutes, another message arrived.
Richard had been detained outside the workshop.
He was carrying a metal toolbox.
Inside were two screwdrivers, a small crowbar, electrical cutters, and a pair of gloves.
The officers had also found fresh damage around the workshop door.
I wanted to believe it was over.
But something about Richard's words bothered me.
Your father left something that belongs to me.
Why would he risk returning to a house surrounded by police just to retrieve an old document?
Unless it wasn't a document.
Unless it was evidence.
An hour later, Daniels returned.
“We located cabinet 317.””
“Was it locked?””
“Yes. The blue key opened it.””
I stood.
“What was inside?””
He placed a photograph on the table.
It showed a metal cabinet with three shelves.
The top shelf contained old financial records.
The middle shelf held a digital recorder.
The bottom shelf contained a thick brown envelope.
My father's handwriting was visible across the front.
*Evidence against Richard Hale.*
I covered my mouth.
“He knew.””
Daniels nodded.
“Your father apparently spent months collecting information.””
“What kind of information?””
“Financial transactions, photographs, recordings, and copies of documents connected to a company called Hale Property Development.””
I recognized the name.
Richard's company.
“What did Dad have to do with his business?””
Daniels opened the envelope.
“Your father was an accountant. According to the records, he discovered suspicious transfers involving several properties.””
“Was Richard stealing money?””
“Possibly. We're still reviewing the financial records.””
I stared at the photograph.
“Did Dad confront him?””
“We found a letter suggesting he did.””
Daniels handed me a photocopy.
The letter was dated October 14.
Three days before the accident.
My father had written:
Richard, I know about the missing funds. I have copies of the original transactions. If anything happens to me, Emily knows where to look.
I felt tears gather in my eyes.
My father had known he was in danger.
And he had tried to leave us a way to discover the truth.
“Officer, what happens to Richard now?””
“He's being questioned. We also requested a warrant to search his vehicle and electronic devices.””
I nodded.
Then I noticed something in the photograph.
The brown envelope had been opened.
“Wait.””
Daniels looked up.
“What?””
“The envelope. Is everything still inside?””
He studied the image.
“It appears so.””
“No. Look at the corner.””
There was a small tear along the bottom.
I remembered my father's habit of folding important papers twice before putting them away.
“That envelope used to have a photograph tucked inside the flap.””
Daniels leaned closer.
“What photograph?””
“My father told me once that he had proof of something. He said one picture could explain everything.””
The officer immediately called the investigator.
A few minutes later, he returned.
“Miss Parker, there's a problem.””
“What?””
“The envelope contains several documents, but the photograph you described isn't there.””
I felt the room tighten around me.
“Someone took it?””
“Possibly.””
“Richard?””
“We don't know.””
Then Daniels received a message.
He read it twice.
His expression changed.
“What happened?”” I asked.
He looked directly at me.
“Your mother has just arrived at the police station.””
“Why?””
“She says she knows what was in that photograph.””
May you like
He paused.
“And she's demanding immunity before she'll tell us.””
