Chapter 9: The Voice on the Recording
"After Richard's return.""
I repeated the words until they stopped sounding like English.
My mother had left money waiting for a man she claimed was dead. She had certified his death, collected the insurance payout, and instructed her attorney to transfer a separate account only if he came back.
It wasn't grief.
It was a plan.
"How long has that account existed?"" I asked.
Mr. Harrison examined the document.
"The account was established twenty-seven years ago, shortly after Richard's reported death. The balance has been maintained through periodic transfers.""
"By whom?""
"The statements list an offshore holding company. I'll need to verify the ownership records.""
Alexander leaned over the paperwork.
"What's the name of the company?""
Mr. Harrison read it aloud.
"Whitmore Strategic Holdings.""
I turned toward my husband.
He went completely still.
"That's impossible," he said.
"Why?""
"Because that company was dissolved before I founded my investment group.""
"Then how did it fund the account?""
"I don't know.""
I stared at him.
"Alexander, I need you to understand something. I'm done accepting that nobody knows anything. Every answer leads to another secret, and every person in this room has known more about my life than I have.""
He nodded slowly.
"You're right.""
He didn't try to defend himself. That almost made it worse.
Mr. Harrison opened his laptop again.
"The flash drive contains more than the hotel footage. There's an audio file attached to the original security archive.""
He clicked the file.
Static filled the speakers.
Then a man's voice emerged.
"Daniel, you can't keep threatening people and expect nothing to happen.""
I stopped breathing.
It was Richard's voice.
Another man replied.
"You should have thought about that before you helped me build this arrangement.""
Daniel.
The recording crackled.
Richard spoke again.
"I have a daughter. I won't let you drag her into this.""
"Your daughter?"" Daniel laughed bitterly.
"You mean the girl you're pretending is yours?""
My fingers curled around the chair.
The voices continued.
"You agreed to protect her," Richard said.
"I agreed to protect my own interests. The arrangement changes if you walk away.""
A sharp noise followed, like a glass being knocked against a table.
Then Daniel spoke again.
"Give me the documents, Richard. If you don't, Nathan will learn who he really is. And so will Claire.""
The recording ended.
Nobody moved.
I looked at Nathan.
"Did you know Daniel was threatening my father?""
Nathan nodded miserably.
"My father told me Richard had betrayed him. He said he wanted the documents back.""
"What documents?""
"The share transfer papers. The ones your mother mentioned.""
Alexander leaned closer to the laptop.
"Play the next file.""
Mr. Harrison opened another audio clip.
This one began with a woman's voice.
My mother's.
"If you're listening to this, then I failed to keep my family safe.""
My throat tightened.
"Eleanor?"" Mr. Harrison whispered.
Mom continued.
"Richard came to me after Daniel's death. He told me Daniel had been planning to destroy Claire's life. He said he had taken the documents to prevent that from happening.""
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
"He was alive," I whispered.
Alexander took my hand, but I barely felt it.
Mom's voice trembled through the speakers.
"I helped Richard disappear because I believed the men searching for him would use Claire to force him out of hiding. I told the police he was dead. I signed the paperwork. I accepted the insurance money because I was afraid refusing it would draw attention to the account Richard had established for Claire.""
The recording paused.
Then Mom spoke again.
"But I never knew whether Richard was protecting Claire or protecting himself.""
I felt tears sliding down my cheeks.
"Why didn't you tell me?"" I whispered toward the laptop.
The recording continued.
"Six years ago, Nathan came to me with proof that Daniel had discovered Claire's parentage. Nathan had already begun a relationship with Stephanie. I knew the engagement could not continue, but I was terrified of exposing the truth. I asked Nathan to leave Claire without revealing why.""
Nathan stared at the floor.
"So that's why you left me," I said.
He nodded.
"Your mother begged me to keep you away from Daniel's family. I thought if I broke the engagement, you'd be safe.""
"And Stephanie?""
"I was already involved with her. I told myself I could protect both of you if I kept the truth hidden.""
I looked at him with disbelief.
"You didn't protect either of us. You let Stephanie believe she had won me a competition I never entered.""
Stephanie began crying again.
For once, I didn't look at her.
Mom's recording continued.
"The forged trust document came later. I discovered that someone had tried to redirect Claire's inheritance. Nathan swore he hadn't submitted it, but his signature appeared on the witness statement. I couldn't determine whether he was involved or being manipulated.""
Nathan shook his head.
"I didn't forge Claire's signature.""
"Then who did?"" I demanded.
"I don't know.""
Alexander paused the recording.
"There's one more file.""
Mr. Harrison clicked it.
A different voice filled the room.
Older. Rougher. Familiar.
"Claire, if you've found this recording, then Eleanor is gone, and I have failed to come home.""
My heart stopped.
Richard.
"My little girl," he continued.
"I know what your mother told you. I know what you believe about me. But there is something you must understand before you trust anyone who claims to have protected you.""
A long silence followed.
Then he spoke again.
"Daniel Cole wasn't the only man who wanted control of your inheritance. The person who forged your signature wasn't Nathan.""
Nathan lifted his head.
Stephanie stopped crying.
Richard's voice became quieter.
"It was someone who had access to your childhood handwriting, your mother's private records, and the original trust documents.""
I looked at Stephanie.
She stared back at me, pale and trembling.
Then Richard said the name.
"Claire, the person who betrayed you six years ago was—"
The recording cut off.
Mr. Harrison tried to restart it.
Nothing happened.
Alexander leaned toward the laptop.
"The file is corrupted.""
I stared at the screen, my heart hammering.
Then my phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
Your father is alive. If you want to see him, come alone to the old Wilson house tonight.
A second message appeared before I could respond.
And Claire? Don't bring your husband. He knows what happened to Daniel.
I looked up at Alexander.
May you like
For the first time since our wedding, I couldn't tell whether the man beside me was the person who would help me find my father—
Or the person my father had spent six years hiding from.
