Chapter 8: The Recording Danielle Never Meant Me to Hear
Patricia refused to leave the coffee shop until Daniel arranged for someone to escort her home.
She was terrified of Ethan.
And after what I'd learned, I couldn't blame her.
We left through the rear entrance.
Ethan's SUV remained outside.
He didn't follow us.
But as Daniel drove away, I received another message.
You should ask Patricia what happened to her first husband.
I showed Daniel.
He frowned.
"He's trying to turn you against her.""
"Why would he mention her husband?""
"Because he knows we're getting close to something.""
I looked at the memory card in my hand.
"Let's hear Danielle's recording.""
We returned to my father's office.
Daniel connected the memory card to his laptop.
There were four audio files.
The first contained several minutes of hospital background noise.
The second was a conversation between Danielle and Patricia.
The third was labeled with a date.
The fourth had no title.
I clicked the third recording.
Danielle's voice filled the room.
"You're asking me to sign away my son's inheritance.""
Ethan answered.
"I'm asking you to stop making everything difficult.""
"I won't.""
"Danielle, think about Marcus. He can't run that company forever.""
"Then he can appoint someone independent.""
"That isn't what Dad wanted.""
"My father-in-law wanted Noah protected.""
Ethan laughed.
"Your father-in-law trusted me with everything.""
"Except Noah.""
There was a long silence.
Then Ethan spoke again.
"You don't understand what happens if you refuse.""
Danielle's voice became quieter.
"Are you threatening me?""
"I'm warning you.""
The recording ended.
I stared at the screen.
Daniel opened the fourth file.
This one began with the sound of a door closing.
Then Vanessa spoke.
"Did she sign?""
Ethan answered.
"No.""
"Then what are we supposed to do?""
"We wait.""
"She doesn't trust you anymore.""
"She doesn't need to trust me. Marcus does.""
I stopped breathing.
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"And what about the boy?""
Ethan replied, "Once Marcus signs the guardianship papers, Noah won't be a problem.""
I felt my stomach twist.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"What if Marcus refuses?""
"Then we make him believe he's incapable of raising him.""
There was a pause.
Then Vanessa asked, "And the money?""
"Once Noah is under our supervision, the trust can be challenged.""
I slammed my fist against the desk.
Daniel stopped the recording.
"Marcus.""
I stood up.
"They planned to take my son.""
Daniel nodded.
"And your father's money.""
I paced across the office.
"They've been planning this since before Danielle died.""
"Possibly longer.""
I looked at the photographs scattered across the desk.
My father.
Danielle.
Noah.
Three people who had trusted me to protect them.
And somehow, I'd allowed the people closest to us to build a trap around our family.
I picked up my phone and called Robert.
"Is Noah okay?""
"He's fine. We're playing with his toy cars.""
"Please don't let him out of your sight.""
Robert's voice became serious.
"Marcus, what's going on?""
"I'll explain later. Just keep him with you.""
After ending the call, I examined the remaining audio.
One recording contained only Danielle speaking.
She sounded exhausted.
"Marcus, I don't know how much time I have. I found out that Vanessa has been accessing your personal accounts. She knows your passwords, your business information, and the details of your father's trust.""
She paused.
"I think Ethan wants to marry someone he can control. Someone who will help him get Noah.""
I stopped the audio.
Daniel looked at me.
"That sounds like what happened.""
I nodded.
But something bothered me.
Danielle had recorded the conversation with Ethan and Vanessa.
Why had she kept it?
Why hadn't she immediately gone to the police?
I returned to the beginning of the recording.
This time, I noticed something in the background.
A television.
A news presenter was discussing a charity event.
I increased the volume.
A date was mentioned.
It was the same evening I'd been attending a business conference in Charlotte.
I'd told Ethan I wouldn't return until the following morning.
But the recording proved Vanessa and Ethan had been in my house that night.
I checked the security system records from our old home.
Most of the footage had been deleted.
However, the system had automatically backed up several short clips to my business account.
I found one from that evening.
The camera showed Ethan entering the house at 9:42 p.m.
Vanessa followed him.
They carried a large envelope.
At 10:16, Ethan left.
Vanessa remained inside.
Then something happened.
She walked into Danielle's bedroom carrying a small black bag.
She stayed there for eleven minutes.
When she came out, she was holding a jewelry box.
I paused the footage.
It was Danielle's jewelry box.
The same one Noah had found the toy truck inside.
I felt my heart hammer.
"Daniel, look.""
He leaned toward the screen.
"Can you zoom in?""
I enlarged the image.
Vanessa was holding something small.
A silver ring.
Danielle's wedding ring.
I stared at the screen.
Then I understood.
Ethan hadn't simply taken the ring from the hospital.
Someone had already removed it from Danielle's jewelry box before she died.
And Vanessa had been involved.
My phone rang.
It was Patricia.
I answered immediately.
"Patricia?""
Her voice was shaking.
"Mr. Williams, I remembered something.""
"What?""
"Your brother didn't come to the hospital alone the day Danielle died.""
"Who was with him?""
She whispered a name.
"Your mother.""
I froze.
My mother had died three years before Danielle.
That was impossible.
"Patricia, what did you just say?""
She began crying.
"I'm sorry. I meant your mother-in-law. Danielle's mother.""
I closed my eyes.
Danielle's mother, Eleanor, had been living in Florida after her daughter's death.
She rarely spoke to me.
I'd always assumed she blamed me for not doing enough to save Danielle.
Patricia continued.
"She came into the room and argued with Ethan. I heard her say that Danielle had already told Marcus everything.""
I gripped the phone.
"What did Ethan say?""
Patricia whispered:
"He told her that if she wanted to protect her grandson, she needed to keep quiet.""
Then the call disconnected.
Daniel immediately tried calling her back.
No answer.
A minute later, another message appeared on my phone.
This time, it came from Eleanor.
Marcus, I know you've found Danielle's recordings.
There is something I should have told you two years ago.
Your wife didn't die because of an unfortunate medical mistake.
May you like
She died because someone wanted her silent.
And beneath that message was an address in Florida.
