Chapter 8: My Brother's Confession
I called Michael back six times.
He didn't answer.
By evening, I had stopped pretending that the situation could still be explained away as a misunderstanding.
My younger brother knew about the recordings.
He knew about the missing documents.
And he was connected to Camille and Richard.
Margaret advised me not to confront him alone.
“We need evidence, Eleanor. Not another emotional argument.””
But Michael called me the following morning.
“Can we meet?”” he asked.
“Where?””
“Dad's old house.””
I froze.
That house had been empty since George died.
Michael had kept the keys.
“Why there?””
“Because I need to tell you something.””
Margaret wanted to accompany me.
Michael refused.
“I'll only speak to my sister.””
After discussing the situation, Margaret agreed to let me meet him in a public room at the house while she remained nearby.
When I arrived, Michael was standing by the fireplace.
He looked older than I remembered.
His hair had turned almost completely gray, and his hands trembled slightly.
He didn't offer me coffee.
He didn't ask about the boys.
Instead, he said:
“David shouldn't have gotten involved.””
I stared at him.
“That's how you're starting this conversation?””
Michael looked down.
“He was stubborn.””
“He was my son.””
“I know.””
“No, Michael. You don't know. You weren't there when I buried him.
You weren't there when Jeffrey asked why his father couldn't come home. You weren't there when Lucas cried himself to sleep.””
Michael's eyes filled.
“I tried to help.””
“Then tell me the truth.””
He walked to the fireplace and removed a small photograph from the mantel.
It showed him, David, and George standing outside the garage.
“David discovered that money was disappearing from his company,” Michael began.
“At first, he thought Robert was stealing it.””
“And was he?””
“Yes. But Robert wasn't working alone.””
“Camille?””
Michael nodded.
I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
“What did she do?””
“She helped move the money through different accounts. Richard arranged some of the transfers.””
“And you?””
Michael closed his eyes.
“I introduced David to Robert.””
I stepped backward.
“You did what?””
“Years ago, I invested in one of Robert's projects. I thought he was legitimate. I encouraged David to work with him.””
“And when David discovered the fraud?””
“I was already involved.””
My mouth went dry.
“How?””
Michael sat down.
“Robert had borrowed money from me. A lot of it. When the company started collapsing, he promised he could recover everything if we moved the remaining funds through another account.””
“Whose account?””
“Camille's.””
I stared at him.
“And you agreed?””
“I didn't think it would become this serious.””
“You helped steal from your own nephew?””
Michael covered his face.
“I was trying to protect my family.””
I laughed bitterly.
“Which family, Michael? The one you helped destroy or the one you left behind?””
He looked at me.
“David found out about my involvement. He confronted me two days before the accident.””
My legs weakened.
“What happened?””
“He told me he was going to the police. He said he had copies of everything.””
“And you stopped him?””
“No.””
“Did you know Robert was following him?””
Michael didn't answer.
That silence told me enough.
“Michael!””
“I knew Robert wanted the documents. I didn't know he would hurt David.””
I stared at my brother.
“Were you there the night my son died?””
He nodded slowly.
“I followed them to the service station.””
“Why?””
“To get the envelope.””
“And?””
“George saw me. He told me to leave.””
I remembered the photograph.
My father standing beside David.
Robert behind them.
And now Michael.
“How did George die?””
Michael's eyes widened.
“What?””
“You heard me. Did he die of natural causes?””
“Yes.””
“Are you certain?””
He looked away.
“Eleanor, I swear I didn't hurt George.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Michael finally spoke.
“George knew everything. After David died, he became terrified. He believed Robert would come after the boys.””
I felt sick.
“What did he do?””
“He gave me the original documents.””
The room went silent.
“You had them?””
“Yes.””
“For ten years?””
He nodded.
“Where are they?””
Michael stood and walked toward a wooden cabinet.
He opened a hidden compartment beneath the bottom shelf.
Inside was a thick brown envelope.
He placed it on the table.
“This is everything David collected.””
I stared at it.
“Why didn't you give it to the police?””
“Because my signature is on several of the transfers.””
“You were involved.””
“Yes.””
“And you let Camille accuse me of stealing the boys.””
Michael looked devastated.
“I didn't know she would go that far.””
I picked up the envelope.
“You knew she was looking for these documents.””
“Yes.””
“You knew she was using the boys to get them.””
He nodded.
I wanted to scream.
Instead, I asked the one question that mattered.
“Did you have anything to do with David's accident?””
Michael's face crumpled.
“No. I swear to you, Eleanor. I didn't cause the accident.””
“Then who did?””
He opened his mouth.
Before he could answer, a loud crash came from the hallway.
Margaret appeared at the doorway.
“Eleanor, we need to leave. Now.””
Behind her stood a uniformed officer.
Michael looked frightened.
“What happened?””
Margaret held up her phone.
“Someone has broken into your home.””
My blood turned cold.
“Are the boys safe?””
“Lucas is with a neighbor. Jeffrey is at the police station with an officer.””
I grabbed the envelope.
“Why is Jeffrey at the police station?””
Margaret hesitated.
“Because he received a message from Robert Hale.””
She showed me the screenshot.
I know where your father's original recording is. If you want the truth about his death, come alone.
I felt my heart stop.
“He went to meet him?””
“Thankfully, no. He showed the message to his teacher, who contacted the police.””
I looked at Michael.
He had gone pale.
“Robert knows we found the documents,” he whispered.
Then he said something that made Margaret turn sharply.
“He knows because he still has access to the account.””
“What account?”” I demanded.
Michael swallowed.
“The account where the original recording was stored.””
Margaret stepped closer.
“Are you saying there is another copy?””
Michael nodded.
“David gave Robert access to a cloud account before he discovered the fraud. He never realized Robert could still get into it.””
“Can he delete the files?””
“He can.””
I looked at the envelope.
For ten years, we had been chasing pieces of a story.
Now the person who knew the entire truth was trying to erase it.
As we hurried toward the door, Michael caught my arm.
“Eleanor, wait.””
I turned.
He looked directly into my eyes.
“There's something I haven't told you about the accident.””
My heart pounded.
“What?””
Michael's voice broke.
“Robert wasn't driving the car that followed David.””
“Then who was?””
May you like
He looked toward the window.
“Richard.””
