Chapter 9: The Last Night Angela Was Alive
I drove to Raymond's house without saying another word.
Patricia offered to come with me, but I told her to stay with Kayla.
I didn't want either child caught in the middle of another confrontation.
When I arrived, Raymond was sitting at the kitchen table.
The metal box was open.
Documents were scattered across the surface.
He looked up when I entered.
I didn't sit down.
"Tell me what happened that night.""
Raymond rubbed his hands together.
"Angela called me around eight.""
"Why?""
"She wanted me to come to the hospital. She said there was something she needed to tell me privately.""
"What?""
"That Denise had been visiting her.""
I stared at him.
"Why would Denise visit my wife without telling me?""
"Angela said Denise claimed she wanted to apologize.""
"For what?""
"An argument about the charitable fund.""
I walked around the table.
"And you believed her?""
"No.""
"Then why didn't you tell me?""
Raymond looked down.
"Because Angela begged me not to.""
I felt my anger rising.
"Stop hiding behind promises. My wife is dead. My son has been hurt. I need the truth.""
Raymond nodded slowly.
Then he began.
"When I arrived at the hospital, Angela was exhausted. She had been receiving treatment all day. She told me Denise had come earlier and asked her to change the paperwork on Malik's education account.""
I frowned.
"Change it how?""
"She wanted to be listed as the person responsible for managing the money if anything happened to you.""
I stared at him.
"Why would Angela agree to that?""
"She didn't. They argued.""
I pulled out a chair.
"What happened next?""
Raymond looked toward the window.
"Angela said Denise threatened to tell you something about her.""
"Something about what?""
"I asked the same question. Angela wouldn't tell me.""
He reached into the metal box and removed another envelope.
This one was smaller.
The front bore Angela's handwriting.
*For Raymond. Only if Marcus asks.*
My hands began trembling.
"What's inside?""
Raymond slid it toward me.
I opened it.
There was a single handwritten page.
Raymond,
If Marcus ever asks you what happened that night, tell him the truth.
Denise came to see me. She said she had information about my illness and claimed she could help me get access to a treatment program.
She wanted me to sign documents giving her control over Malik's education fund.
I refused.
She became angry and told me that if I didn't cooperate, she would make sure Marcus learned about something from my past that I have never told him.
I stopped reading.
My stomach tightened.
My past?
I looked up.
"What was Angela talking about?""
Raymond shook his head.
"I don't know.""
I continued.
I don't trust her. I don't want her near Malik. If anything happens to me, please make sure Marcus knows that Denise was here.
The letter ended with a final sentence.
And please don't let her convince him that I was afraid of dying. I was afraid of leaving my son with the wrong people.
I lowered the page.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then I asked the question that had been burning inside me.
"Did Denise have anything to do with Angela's death?""
Raymond looked horrified.
"No. I don't believe that.""
"Then why did you hide this?""
"Because I didn't know what to do. Angela was already very sick. Denise threatened to expose something that could have destroyed your marriage before she died.""
I stared at him.
"What could possibly destroy my marriage?""
Raymond took a breath.
"Angela had been trying to find someone from her past.""
I frowned.
"What someone?""
"Her biological father.""
I froze.
"Angela's father died before she was born.""
Raymond shook his head.
"That's what she told you.""
The room seemed to grow smaller.
"What are you saying?""
"Angela discovered that the man who raised her wasn't her biological father. She had been looking into it for years.""
I sat down.
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"She was ashamed. She didn't want to reopen old wounds.""
I stared at him.
"And Denise knew?""
"Apparently. She found documents in the charitable organization's records that revealed the connection.""
"What connection?""
Raymond looked at me.
"Denise claimed Angela's biological father had been involved with her mother years ago.""
I struggled to understand.
"You're saying Denise and Angela might have been related?""
"That's what Denise told Angela. But I don't know if it was true.""
I stared at the letter.
It was possible Denise had used a deeply personal family secret to blackmail my wife.
But there was still something missing.
"What did Angela do after that?""
Raymond rubbed his eyes.
"She told me she had already contacted a lawyer. She wanted to make sure Malik's inheritance was protected.""
"Did she say anything else?""
"Yes.""
He hesitated.
"She said Denise had been trying to contact you for months before you met her.""
I went completely still.
"Months?""
Raymond nodded.
"She had asked about your work, your family, and your financial situation.""
My throat tightened.
"How did Angela know?""
"She found the messages.""
I stared at him.
"Where are they?""
Raymond opened his laptop.
"I saved copies.""
He turned the screen toward me.
There were several old email exchanges.
The earliest was dated four months before Angela died.
Denise had contacted Angela through the family-support organization.
One message read:
I know Marcus is struggling. I could help him and Malik. Maybe we should meet.
Angela's reply was brief.
Please stop contacting my husband.
Another message from Denise arrived two days later.
He deserves someone who can give him a complete family. You can't do that anymore.
I felt physically sick.
The next email was worse.
You can make this easy for everyone. Sign the papers, and I'll make sure Marcus never has to worry about Malik again.
I looked at Raymond.
"She was planning this before Angela died.""
Raymond nodded.
"I think so.""
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
It contained a photograph of Malik standing outside Raymond's house.
He was holding a basketball.
The picture had been taken recently.
Underneath it was a message.
*You have until tomorrow to bring my daughter home. Otherwise, I'll tell the police what Malik did.*
I immediately called the police and shared the message, explaining the ongoing threats and the children's safety concerns.
Then another message arrived.
This one contained a video attachment.
I hesitated before opening it.
Raymond stood beside me.
The video showed Denise sitting in her bedroom.
She was speaking to someone off camera.
"Once Marcus understands what Angela did, he'll stop protecting that boy.""
A man's voice answered.
"You're sure the paperwork is enough?""
Denise nodded.
"Everything is ready. I just need Malik out of the house.""
The man asked another question.
"And Raymond?""
Denise laughed.
"Raymond won't say anything. He knows what happened that night.""
I stopped the video.
My hands were shaking.
"Who is that man?""
Raymond leaned closer.
The video continued for another few seconds.
The man stepped into view.
And Raymond went completely pale.
I looked at him.
"Who is he?""
My brother didn't answer.
He simply whispered:
"That's Angela's doctor.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"What?""
Raymond backed away from the laptop.
"Marcus, I need you to understand something. That doctor was the one who treated Angela during her final week.""
I stared at the screen.
Denise had been speaking with the doctor.
About Malik.
About the paperwork.
And about the night Angela died.
Then my phone rang.
It was Mrs. Collins.
"Mr. Reed, I'm sorry to call so late, but something has happened.""
My heart began racing.
"What?""
"Malik was approached outside the school by a man who claimed he was there to take him home.""
I stood so quickly my chair fell backward.
"Where is my son?""
"He's safe. A staff member recognized him and brought him inside.""
I exhaled.
"Who was the man?""
Mrs. Collins hesitated.
Then she said:
"He showed us a document claiming he had legal authority to collect Malik.""
My blood turned to ice.
"Who signed it?""
There was a pause.
Then she answered.
"Denise Carter.""
I looked at the laptop.
At the doctor.
At the messages.
And suddenly I understood that Denise wasn't simply trying to silence Malik anymore.
She was trying to take him away from me.
But what terrified me most was the possibility that she had help from someone who had been involved in Angela's final days.
May you like
Someone who might know exactly what happened to my wife.
And someone who had just tried to get his hands on my son.
