Chapter 11: The Night They Tried to Take My Son
I drove back to Atlanta with Daniel beside me.
Neither of us spoke during the first hour.
My mind was fixed on one thing.
Noah.
When we finally reached Robert's neighborhood, two police vehicles were parked outside his house.
Vanessa stood on the front lawn.
Ethan was beside her, holding a folder.
A police officer approached my car.
"Mr. Williams?""
"Yes.""
"Your son is inside with Mr. Robert. He's safe.""
I exhaled.
"Thank you.""
The officer explained that Vanessa had presented a document claiming temporary guardianship.
However, the court clerk had confirmed that no such order existed.
She had also refused to leave when Robert challenged her authority.
Daniel stepped forward.
"Officer, we have evidence that the document is fraudulent.""
Ethan immediately approached us.
"Marcus, this is getting ridiculous.""
I looked at him.
"You tried to take my son.""
"I'm trying to protect him.""
"From whom?""
"From you.""
He held out the folder.
"Your financial situation is unstable. You're making accusations without understanding the facts. I have documents showing that you're incapable of managing the trust.""
I laughed.
"Your documents?""
"Yes.""
"Like the ones you forged to make Vanessa his guardian?""
His expression hardened.
"You need to calm down.""
I stepped closer.
"Don't tell me to calm down after everything you've done.""
Vanessa interrupted.
"Marcus, please. We can still fix this.""
I turned toward her.
"How many times did you leave my son hungry?""
She looked away.
"That isn't relevant.""
"How many times did you tell him he didn't deserve dinner?""
"I never said that.""
A small voice came from behind the front door.
"Yes, you did.""
Everyone turned.
Noah stood beside Robert.
He was holding his red toy truck.
Vanessa's face changed.
"Noah, sweetheart, come here.""
He shook his head.
"You said Daddy didn't want me.""
Vanessa looked at me.
"He's confused.""
Noah's voice trembled.
"You said Mommy was dead and nobody had to love me anymore.""
The police officer stepped between them.
"Ma'am, please remain where you are.""
I walked toward my son.
"Come here, buddy.""
He ran into my arms.
I lifted him.
"You're okay.""
He buried his face against my shoulder.
"Can we go home?""
I looked toward Daniel.
He gave a small nod.
"Yes, buddy. We're going somewhere safe.""
Before we left, Ethan called after me.
"Marcus! You can't keep hiding from the truth!""
I turned.
"Then tell it.""
He glanced at the officers.
"Not here.""
"Why not?""
"Because you don't know what you're asking.""
I looked at him for a long moment.
Then I walked away.
That evening, Daniel arranged for Noah and me to stay at a secure hotel while the legal situation was reviewed.
Robert joined us for dinner.
Noah ate two grilled cheese sandwiches, a bowl of strawberries, and half a chocolate cake.
He smiled when I offered him another cookie.
"Are you sure?""
I nodded.
"You never have to earn your dinner, buddy.""
He looked down at his plate.
"Vanessa used to say I was expensive.""
I put my fork down.
"What do you mean?""
"She said Mommy left you with too many bills. She said I was the reason you worked late.""
I felt my eyes burn.
"Listen to me, Noah. You are not a bill. You're not a burden. You're my son.""
He looked up.
"Even if I don't have your eyes?""
I swallowed.
"Even if you had purple eyes, you'd still be my son.""
He laughed.
It was a small laugh, but it was the first time I'd heard him laugh freely in weeks.
After dinner, he fell asleep on the hotel bed.
I sat beside him until Daniel arrived with an update.
"The court has rejected Vanessa's guardianship application," he said.
I nodded.
"Good.""
"But there's something else.""
He placed a document on the table.
"The trust administrator has been removed pending an investigation. However, Ethan's attorney filed an emergency petition claiming Noah's inheritance was established under fraudulent circumstances.""
"On what grounds?""
"They're arguing that the original trust was never properly executed.""
I frowned.
"That's ridiculous. My father signed it.""
"Possibly. But the original signature page is missing.""
I stared at him.
"Where is it?""
Daniel shook his head.
"That's what we need to find.""
I thought about my father's office.
The metal box.
The letters.
The documents.
"Could Richard Coleman have it?""
Daniel nodded.
"That's my concern.""
He handed me another page.
It was a financial transfer record.
A payment of $180,000 had been made from the trust account to a private company three weeks after Danielle died.
The authorization carried my signature.
Again.
But beneath it was an electronic approval code.
I recognized the code.
It belonged to my old company laptop.
The same laptop I'd left at Ethan's office during the months after Danielle's funeral.
I felt sick.
"He's been using my credentials.""
Daniel nodded.
"And there's another problem. The money wasn't transferred to Vanessa's company.""
"Where did it go?""
He turned the page.
The beneficiary was a bank account in Michael's name.
I stared at it.
"Michael is dead.""
"That's what makes this suspicious.""
Daniel pointed to the transaction date.
"Someone reopened an account under his identity.""
I looked at Noah sleeping.
If Ethan had been using Michael's name after his death, then the fraud was far bigger than I'd imagined.
My phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice whispered:
"Mr. Williams, my name is David Price. I used to work for your father.""
"Who?""
"I was his accountant.""
I sat straighter.
"What do you want?""
"I have the original trust agreement. And I know who forged your signature.""
My heart began racing.
"Where are you?""
"Not somewhere safe.""
"Tell me where to meet you.""
He hesitated.
Then he said:
"Don't trust Daniel Brooks.""
I looked at my attorney.
Daniel was standing directly in front of me.
The caller continued.
"Your lawyer has known about the missing trust documents for two years.""
The line went dead.
I slowly lowered my phone.
Daniel noticed my expression.
"Marcus? What's wrong?""
I stared at the man who had been helping me uncover the truth.
Then I asked the question that changed everything.
May you like
"Daniel, what did you know about Danielle's last hospital visit?""
His face went completely still.
