Chapter 14: The Name on the Final Transfer
For several seconds, I couldn't understand what I was looking at.
My name.
My signature.
A transfer of money from Caroline's estate.
The date was twenty-six years earlier.
“I was a baby,” I whispered.
Daniel took the document from the detective.
“Someone used her identity.””
“Who had the authority?”” Harris asked.
Margaret looked toward the ground.
“Caroline's estate executor had access to the original trust documents. Richard had access to the company accounts. Victoria had guardianship.””
Nathan stared at his mother.
“You knew all of this?””
“I knew enough to be afraid,” Margaret replied.
“You let me believe my father was just a difficult businessman.””
“I thought protecting you meant keeping you away from the truth.””
Nathan laughed bitterly.
“That's what everyone keeps saying.””
I looked at the document again.
The transfer amount was $1.2 million.
A second page showed that the money had been moved into a company registered under my name.
Carter Bridal Holdings.
Brittany's company.
I felt cold.
“They've been using my identity to fund her business.””
Daniel nodded.
“And if the ownership documents were accepted, it would have appeared that you voluntarily transferred Caroline's designs to the company.””
The detective folded the papers.
“This is enough to expand the investigation. We need the original bank records and the executor's files.””
Margaret looked at me.
“There's something else in that envelope.””
I opened it.
A small photograph fell onto the pavement.
It showed Caroline standing beside a man in a dark suit.
The man was younger, with thick hair and a familiar expression.
Richard.
But there was another person in the background.
A woman standing near the entrance of the estate.
Aunt Eleanor.
I turned the photograph over.
The date was written on the back.
*Three days before Caroline's accident.*
Beneath it, Eleanor had written:
He promised to protect her. He lied.
I stared at the photograph.
“Who is she talking about?””
Margaret looked at it.
“Richard.””
Daniel shook his head.
“No. Look at the man beside him.””
I leaned closer.
The photograph was grainy, but the second man's face was visible.
It was the estate executor.
The same man whose name appeared on the transfer documents.
“His name was Thomas Whitaker,” Daniel said.
“He died in 2006.””
The detective examined the picture.
“Did he have any family?””
“Only one son,” Daniel replied.
“He inherited his father's legal practice.””
“Where is he now?””
Daniel took a moment.
Then he answered.
“Right here in Nashville.””
I felt the pieces shifting.
“Who?””
“Peter Whitaker. He's the attorney who currently represents Carter Bridal Holdings.””
My stomach dropped.
Brittany's lawyer.
The man who had prepared the transfer papers.
The man who had been trying to make the designs legally belong to her.
Detective Harris immediately called his office.
While he spoke, my phone vibrated.
A message from an unknown number.
You should stop asking about the estate.
Another followed.
Your aunt was not the only person who made a promise to your mother.
Then a photograph arrived.
It showed Peter Whitaker standing outside the alterations shop.
He was holding a small black notebook.
I showed the detective.
His expression hardened.
“That's enough. We're bringing him in.””
But before he could finish, Nathan's phone rang.
His father.
Nathan answered.
“Where are you?””
Richard's voice was low.
“I need to see you.””
“You can talk to the police.””
“Not about this.””
“Then you have nothing to say.””
Richard paused.
“Your mother gave you the wrong story.””
Nathan looked at me.
“What story?””
“The accident. The money. Everything. I didn't arrange Caroline's death.””
Margaret closed her eyes.
Richard continued.
“I was supposed to meet her that night. I was going to tell her the truth about the trust. Thomas had already moved the money, and I wanted to stop him.””
Nathan's expression changed.
“Then why did you lie?””
“Because I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“Of losing everything.””
Nathan closed his eyes.
I could hear Richard breathing through the phone.
Then he said something that made Nathan go completely still.
“Caroline wasn't the only person Thomas Whitaker tried to silence.””
I stepped closer.
“Who else?””
Richard heard my voice.
“Madison?””
“Tell me.””
A long silence.
Then Richard whispered:
“Your biological father was never supposed to survive.””
I looked at Daniel.
His face had gone white.
“What does that mean?”” I asked.
Richard continued.
“Thomas arranged the false death certificate. But he also arranged for Daniel to disappear. He had someone follow him, someone who was supposed to make sure he never came back.””
Daniel gripped the edge of the car.
“Who?””
Richard answered.
“Peter Whitaker.””
The detective motioned for Nathan to put the call on speaker.
“Mr. Reed, where are you?””
“I'm at the old estate office.””
“Stay there. Officers are coming.””
Richard's voice cracked.
“There's no time. Peter knows I've kept the original ledger.””
“Where is it?”” Harris demanded.
“Inside the wall behind Caroline's portrait.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Bellamere.””
The detective turned toward his officers.
“Let's move.””
We arrived at the estate just as the sun began to set.
The main hall was dark.
Caroline's portrait still hung above the staircase.
Richard stood beneath it, holding a small metal key.
His face looked exhausted.
“Thank you for coming,” he said.
I didn't answer.
He reached toward the portrait.
“Your mother wanted this to stay here.””
He unlocked a narrow compartment behind the frame.
Inside was a black ledger.
Daniel took it carefully.
“Is this the original?””
Richard nodded.
“Every payment. Every signature. Every instruction.””
The detective opened the first page.
Then he stopped.
A document was clipped inside the cover.
It was a letter from Thomas Whitaker.
The first line read:
If anything happens to Caroline, the girl must be placed with Victoria immediately.
The second line was worse.
Daniel Hayes must never learn that the child survived.
I felt Nathan take my hand.
The detective turned the page.
There was a handwritten list of names.
Richard Reed.
Margaret Reed.
Victoria Carter.
Thomas Whitaker.
And one final name.
The person who had signed the instruction to destroy the original records.
Peter Whitaker.
Then a noise came from the upper floor.
A door slammed.
Detective Harris drew his weapon.
“Police! Don't move!””
A figure appeared at the top of the stairs.
Peter Whitaker.
He held a folder in one hand and a small silver object in the other.
He looked directly at me.
“You really should have left the past alone.””
Then he dropped the silver object.
May you like
A small flame appeared.
The folder caught fire.
