Chapter 10: The Witness Who Disappeared
The recording played again.
And again.
My father’s voice filled the kitchen.
“Charles must know the truth about who was there that night.””
Then silence.
The kind of silence that makes you hear your own heartbeat.
Nobody moved.
My mother stared at the phone like it was something dangerous.
Stephanie looked sick.
Evelyn slowly reached for the device.
“Where did this come from?””
“I don’t know.””
“Who sent it?””
“Unknown number.””
Evelyn looked at the screen.
“This wasn’t sent randomly.””
“What do you mean?””
She looked at me.
“Someone wanted you to hear this now.””
I looked around the kitchen.
At the farmhouse.
At the place where I grew up.
For years, I thought I knew every corner of this house.
But now it felt like there were locked rooms everywhere.
“Mom.””
She looked at me.
“Who was there?””
Her lips parted.
But no words came out.
“Mom.””
She looked down.
“I don’t know.””
I stepped back.
“You don’t know?””
She shook her head.
“I know someone was there.””
“Who?””
A tear fell down her face.
“I saw a car.””
“What car?””
“A black sedan.””
My heart tightened.
“Richard’s?””
She didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Stephanie stood up.
“My father drove a black sedan.””
My mother looked at her.
“I know.””
Stephanie covered her mouth.
“No.””
Evelyn stepped forward.
“Margaret, you need to tell him everything.””
My mother looked at me.
“I was scared.””
I sat down slowly.
“Scared of what?””
She looked toward the old photographs hanging on the wall.
“After your father died, Richard came to the farm.””
“When?””
“Three days later.””
My hands tightened.
“What did he say?””
She swallowed.
“He told me accidents happen.””
The room went cold.
“And?””
“He said I should consider his offer.””
My voice became quiet.
“What offer?””
“To buy Willowbrook.””
I laughed once.
A bitter sound.
“After my father died.””
“Yes.””
“And you refused.””
She nodded.
“I told him I would never sell.””
I looked at the documents.
“Then he started the agreement with Uncle James.””
“Yes.””
Stephanie suddenly spoke.
“My father didn’t just want the farm.””
Everyone looked at her.
She hesitated.
“He wanted something else.””
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Your mother’s reputation.””
I frowned.
“What?””
Stephanie took a deep breath.
“My father told me if your family resisted, he would make people believe your mother was unstable.””
My mother went pale.
“He threatened to destroy me.””
I looked at Stephanie.
“You knew this?””
She looked ashamed.
“I heard him talking.””
“And you still stayed?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was raised to believe my father was always right.””
Nobody answered.
Because that was the saddest part.
Stephanie wasn’t defending herself.
She was admitting she had been part of something bigger than herself.
Evelyn picked up the documents.
“There’s one thing we still need.””
“What?””
“The original evidence your father collected.””
“What evidence?””
“The proof connecting Richard directly.””
I frowned.
“But we already have the documents.””
“No.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“These show the fraud.””
She pointed at the papers.
“But your father had something stronger.””
“What?””
“A recording.””
My stomach dropped.
“A recording of who?””
Evelyn looked at me.
“Richard.””
The room became silent.
“Where is it?””
She looked toward the old storage building.
“I don’t know.””
“Then why are we here?””
“Because your father hid things carefully.””
My mother suddenly stood.
“No.””
Everyone turned.
Her voice was shaking.
“No, he didn’t hide it there.””
I looked at her.
“What?””
She walked slowly toward the hallway.
“He hid things where Richard would never look.””
“Where?””
She stopped.
May you like
Then looked at the old wooden staircase.
“In the house.””
