Chapter 4: My Father's Missing Business Partner
“Franklin Whitmore?””
I repeated the name as if saying it aloud might make it less impossible.
Alexander nodded slowly.
“My father founded Whitmore Pharmaceuticals with two partners. One was a chemist named Richard Hale. The other was a mechanic and small-business owner named Thomas Carter.””
I stared at him.
“My father's name was Thomas Carter.””
“I know.””
“No. You don't understand. My father owned a repair shop.
He never mentioned pharmaceuticals. He barely knew how to use a computer.””
Alexander opened another folder.
“That's what I thought, too. But my father kept an old business archive in his private office. I've seen the original partnership documents.””
He placed a photocopy on the desk.
Three signatures appeared beneath the heading:
*Whitmore Research and Development — Founding Agreement.*
Franklin Whitmore.
Richard Hale.
Thomas Carter.
My father's signature was unmistakable.
The same distinctive loop in the T. The same long underline beneath his surname.
I pulled the document closer.
“When was this signed?””
“Thirty-two years ago.””
I shook my head.
“My father never told me.””
Alexander leaned forward.
“Mr. Carter, my father built his pharmaceutical empire using a research formula developed by the original partnership. Thomas Carter reportedly contributed the initial capital and designed the company's first laboratory equipment.””
I remembered something.
My father had kept an old metal toolbox locked inside his office.
He called it his investment box.
When I was a teenager, I once asked him why he never opened it.
He told me it contained things that weren't worth discussing.
After his death, I found the box empty.
Or at least, I thought it was empty.
“Why did my father leave the partnership?”” I asked.
Alexander's expression darkened.
“According to my father, Thomas voluntarily sold his shares.””
“How much?””
“Two thousand dollars.””
I laughed.
Not because anything was funny.
Because the number was absurd.
“My father helped build a pharmaceutical company, and they bought him out for two thousand dollars?””
Alexander didn't answer.
I stood and walked toward the window.
For thirty years, I had believed my father was simply a hardworking mechanic who had struggled to keep a small business alive.
Now I was learning that he might have been involved in something much bigger.
Behind me, Olivia began crying.
“Dad, I didn't know.””
I turned.
“Didn't know what?””
“About your father. About the partnership. I swear.””
I looked at the funding document.
“Then explain why his old business name was used to create an account for your PhD.””
She wiped her cheeks.
“Professor Hale told me the funding came from an anonymous donor. He said it was part of a private educational foundation.””
“Did you ever see the account?””
“No.””
“Did you ever sign anything?””
She hesitated.
Alexander noticed.
“Olivia?””
She lowered her eyes.
“I signed some funding documents.””
“How many?””
“I don't remember.””
“Did you know your father's signature was on one of them?””
“No!””
Her voice cracked.
“I didn't see that document until tonight.””
Alexander took a breath.
“Then tomorrow we're going to find out who submitted it.””
The next morning, we arrived at the university shortly before nine.
Dr. Bennett was waiting outside the administration building.
He looked tired.
“Alexander, I reviewed the initial records you sent.””
“And?””
Dr. Bennett glanced at Olivia.
“I'd prefer to discuss this in the dean's office.””
Olivia grabbed Alexander's sleeve.
“Can we please not do this in front of everyone?””
He gently removed her hand.
“You had six years to explain this privately.””
Inside, Dean Margaret Collins sat behind a large wooden desk.
Beside her was a university attorney.
Professor Richard Hale was already there.
He was in his early sixties, with silver hair and an expensive watch.
When he saw me, his expression changed.
“Daniel Carter?””
I stepped forward.
“Have we met?””
He didn't answer immediately.
Then he forced a smile.
“Your father and I were acquainted.””
I stared at him.
“Apparently, you were business partners.””
Hale's smile vanished.
Dean Collins opened a folder.
“Professor Hale, the university has received questions concerning the funding and academic documentation associated with Olivia Carter's doctoral research.””
Hale leaned back.
“This is a misunderstanding.””
Alexander placed the documents on the desk.
“Then you shouldn't have any trouble explaining them.””
Dr. Bennett began.
“The dissertation contains several discrepancies. Some figures appear to originate from earlier publications. Certain laboratory records are missing. Most importantly, the project funding account appears to have been established using business credentials belonging to Carter's Auto and Repair.””
Hale folded his hands.
“Those financial arrangements were handled by the foundation.””
“What foundation?”” I asked.
He looked at me.
“An educational trust established years ago.””
“By whom?””
He paused.
“The original partners.””
Dean Collins turned a page.
“Professor Hale, the university has no record of an educational trust associated with this project.””
Hale's jaw tightened.
“Perhaps the records were filed under a different entity.””
Alexander leaned forward.
“Then provide the entity name.””
Silence.
Olivia looked at Hale.
“Professor, you told me everything was legitimate.””
He turned toward her.
“And it was.””
“Then why are there missing laboratory records?””
“Because laboratory administration is complicated.””
“Why are some of the results dated before I began the experiments?””
Hale raised his voice.
“Olivia, I helped you when nobody else would!””
The room went still.
She stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
He looked toward the dean.
Then toward the attorney.
Finally, he sighed.
“You were struggling financially. Your father couldn't provide everything you needed. I arranged support.””
I felt my hands curl into fists.
“You arranged support using my father's business identity?””
Hale ignored me.
“Olivia needed a future. I gave her one.””
Alexander stood.
“You gave her a degree she may not have earned.””
Hale slammed his palm against the desk.
“Be careful, young man. Your family benefited from this arrangement, too.””
Alexander's expression changed.
“What did you say?””
Hale leaned back.
“Ask your father about the original agreement. Ask him what happened to Thomas Carter's shares.””
Alexander looked at me.
I could see the realization forming in his eyes.
Dean Collins closed the folder.
“Until this matter is investigated, Professor Hale, you are relieved of your supervisory duties. Olivia's doctoral records will be placed under review.””
Olivia began shaking.
“Does that mean my degree is being taken away?””
The dean spoke carefully.
“No decision has been made.””
Then she added something that changed the atmosphere completely.
“We also discovered that the university received a complaint about this research four years ago.””
Hale stood abruptly.
“That's irrelevant.””
Dean Collins looked directly at him.
“The complaint was submitted by someone using the name Thomas Carter.””
My heart stopped.
“My father?””
She nodded.
“But according to our records, the complaint was withdrawn forty-eight hours later.””
I looked at the document.
My father had died before Olivia even began graduate school.
Someone had used his name.
Someone had tried to expose the problem.
And someone had silenced the complaint.
I turned toward Professor Hale.
“Who withdrew it?””
He didn't answer.
Alexander looked at his phone.
A new message had arrived.
He read it, and his face drained of color.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He turned the screen toward me.
May you like
It was a message from his father.
Bring Daniel Carter home. There are things about his father's death that you both need to understand.
