Chapter 9: The Voice Behind the Recording
Daniel replayed the recording three times.
Each time, the unknown man's voice became more familiar.
I couldn't place it.
Eleanor leaned closer to the laptop.
"Sarah never told me who that was.""
Daniel paused the audio.
"Could you recognize his voice if you heard it again?""
Eleanor shook her head.
"Not with certainty.""
I rubbed my temples.
"Who else attended the meeting?""
"Sarah, Richard, Vanessa, and one other person," Eleanor answered.
"I wasn't present. Sarah told me about it afterward.""
Daniel rewound the recording.
The unknown man spoke again.
"Richard, stop. You're forgetting the other agreement.""
Then Richard answered.
"I know what I promised.""
I looked at Daniel.
"Can we identify the speaker?""
"Possibly. But we need more recordings or a witness who recognizes him.""
Eleanor suddenly stood.
"Wait.""
She walked to a bookshelf and removed an old photograph.
It showed Sarah standing outside a restaurant with three people.
Richard was on the left.
Vanessa stood beside Sarah.
The third man was tall, broad-shouldered, and wearing a dark suit.
I recognized him.
"That's Peter Lawson.""
Daniel frowned.
"Who is he?""
"Sarah's former business partner.""
Eleanor nodded.
"Exactly. He handled some of her early investment accounts before she became ill.""
I stared at the photograph.
Peter had attended Sarah's funeral.
He had hugged me afterward and told me Sarah had been one of the finest people he had ever known.
I remembered him saying he would always be there if Lily needed anything.
"Where is he now?"" I asked.
Daniel searched his contacts.
"I know the name. He runs a financial consulting company in Atlanta.""
Eleanor's expression darkened.
"Marcus, there's something else Sarah told me.""
"What?""
"She said Peter was the only person who knew about a second account that wasn't listed in the original trust documents.""
I looked down at the red notebook.
The words from Sarah's final letter returned to me.
Find the original account.
"Could Peter have opened it?"" I asked.
Eleanor nodded slowly.
"Possibly.""
Daniel immediately called his office.
"I need you to look into Peter Lawson's business records. Search for any financial connection to Richard Coleman or Vanessa's maiden name.""
While he made the call, I walked to the window.
My mind was racing.
For four years, I had believed Sarah's final days were spent making peace with the people around her.
Now I was discovering that she had been fighting to protect Lily from people she once trusted.
My phone buzzed.
A message from an unfamiliar number.
*You need to stop investigating Sarah's old accounts. Some things are better left buried.*
I showed it to Daniel.
He photographed the message.
"Don't respond.""
Another message arrived.
*Ask Patricia what happened the night Sarah was admitted to the hospital.*
I stared at the screen.
The night Sarah was admitted.
I remembered it clearly.
She had been feeling weak for several days. I had taken her to the hospital after she collapsed in the kitchen.
Patricia had been there that evening.
She had insisted on staying with Lily while I accompanied Sarah for additional tests.
I had never questioned her intentions.
I called Patricia.
She answered after several rings.
"Marcus?""
"Where were you the night Sarah was admitted to the hospital?""
Silence.
"Why are you asking me that?""
"Someone just sent me a message telling me to ask you.""
Her breathing changed.
"Who sent it?""
"I don't know.""
She whispered something I couldn't hear.
Then she said, "Marcus, I need to tell you something.""
"Go ahead.""
"That night, Sarah asked me to bring her handbag from the house. There was a small folder inside. She said it contained something important.""
"What did you do with it?""
Patricia began crying.
"I gave it to Richard.""
My grip tightened around the phone.
"Why?""
"He said he needed to check the documents before Sarah signed anything.""
"Did you know what was inside?""
"No.""
"You're lying.""
She started sobbing.
"I swear I didn't know!""
I closed my eyes.
"Did you see Sarah after that?""
Patricia was silent for several seconds.
Then she whispered:
"Yes.""
"What happened?""
"She was conscious. She asked me whether I had brought the folder back.""
My heart began pounding.
"What did you tell her?""
"I told her Richard had it.""
"And?""
Patricia broke down.
"She started crying. She said I had betrayed her.""
I couldn't speak.
Patricia continued.
"She asked me to call you. She wanted to tell you something about Vanessa and Peter. But Richard came into the room before I could.""
"What did he do?""
"He told her she needed to rest. Then he asked me to leave.""
I stared at the floor.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Richard threatened me. He said if I told you anything, he would make sure I never saw Lily again.""
I looked toward Daniel.
He was listening carefully.
"Patricia, what was in that folder?""
She whispered:
"Sarah's original medical records.""
My stomach dropped.
"What?""
"She had discovered something strange about her medication. She believed someone had been changing her prescriptions.""
For a moment, the room seemed to disappear around me.
"Are you saying someone interfered with Sarah's treatment?""
"I don't know, Marcus. I don't know what happened. But Sarah was frightened.""
I ended the call with shaking hands.
Daniel immediately stood.
"Marcus, we need to get those hospital records.""
I nodded.
Then another message arrived.
This time, it contained a photograph.
It showed Sarah sitting in her hospital bed, holding a piece of paper.
The date was visible in the corner.
The night before she died.
Underneath the photograph was a single sentence.
*Your wife didn't die believing she was losing her life. She died knowing someone had betrayed her.*
I stared at the image.
Then I noticed something in the background.
Standing beside Sarah's hospital bed was Peter Lawson.
And in his hand was a small medicine bottle.
I zoomed in.
The label was partially visible.
But the name printed beneath the hospital logo wasn't Sarah's.
It belonged to someone else.
Daniel looked over my shoulder.
His face went pale.
"Marcus, we need to find Peter Lawson immediately.""
I turned the photograph toward him.
"Why?""
Daniel pointed at the label.
"Because that medication wasn't prescribed to your wife.""
Then my phone rang again.
This time, the caller ID displayed a name I hadn't seen in years.
*Dr. Samuel Reed — Sarah's former oncologist.*
I answered.
His voice was trembling.
"Marcus, I know what you're investigating.""
I stood up.
"What do you know?""
There was a long silence.
Then he said:
"Sarah asked me to keep something from you until Lily turned eighteen. But after seeing what's happening now, I don't think I can keep that promise.""
I gripped the phone.
"What did Sarah tell you?""
Dr. Reed took a shaky breath.
"Your wife didn't just leave behind an inheritance. She left behind evidence that someone deliberately interfered with her medical treatment.""
He paused.
"And Marcus, the person who authorized the final change to her medication was not Peter Lawson.""
My heart pounded.
"Who was it?""
May you like
Dr. Reed answered in a whisper.
"Your wife, Vanessa.""
