Chapter 5: The Woman in the Photograph
Benjamin read Thomas's message again.
He didn't respond.
Instead, he turned toward Naomi.
"Sweetheart, I need you to stay here with Grace.""
Naomi immediately noticed his expression.
"What happened?""
"Nothing you need to worry about right now.""
"Daddy, please don't do that.""
He paused.
"Thomas sent me a message. He mentioned your mother.""
Naomi's face changed.
"My mother?""
Benjamin nodded.
"What did he say?""
"He claims there's something about her that I don't know.""
Naomi looked toward the window.
Her mother, Elizabeth Carter, had died when Naomi was sixteen.
For years, she had remembered her as a gentle woman who loved gardening, old jazz records, and handwritten birthday cards.
Benjamin rarely spoke about her.
Not because he had forgotten.
Because every mention of Elizabeth seemed to bring an old sadness into the room.
Naomi swallowed.
"What could Thomas possibly know about Mom?""
"I don't know.""
"Did she have something to do with Victoria?""
Benjamin hesitated.
"Your mother knew the Whitmore family.""
Naomi turned sharply.
"What?""
"Years ago, Elizabeth worked with a charitable foundation that funded housing and education programs across Louisiana. Richard Whitmore was involved with one of its financial partners.""
"Why didn't you ever tell me?""
"Because it was business, sweetheart. Nothing that concerned you.""
Naomi shook her head.
"Apparently, it concerns me now.""
Benjamin looked at Richard.
"Bring Thomas upstairs.""
Richard nodded.
But before he could leave, Naomi spoke.
"I want to be there.""
Benjamin looked at her.
"Naomi—"
"I'm not sixteen anymore. If this involves Mom, I deserve to know.""
He studied her face.
Then he nodded.
"All right.""
Thomas arrived twenty minutes later.
He was a thin man in his late forties, wearing a navy suit and carrying a brown leather folder.
His hair was neatly styled, and his expression was carefully neutral.
"Benjamin," he said.
"Sit down.""
Thomas noticed Naomi immediately.
"Naomi. I'm sorry about what happened.""
Naomi didn't return his greeting.
"Did you give Victoria Whitmore my reservation details?""
Thomas looked uncomfortable.
"I shared some information with her.""
"Why?""
"It was a business request.""
"What business request requires telling a stranger where a woman and her newborn daughter will be staying?""
Thomas looked toward Benjamin.
"Sir, I can explain.""
Benjamin's voice was cold.
"Start explaining.""
Thomas placed the folder on the table.
"Victoria Whitmore contacted me several weeks ago. She said her husband was preparing a major investment proposal for Carter Hospitality Group.""
"That doesn't explain the reservation.""
"She asked whether you were planning to visit the hotel.""
"I wasn't.""
"She then asked whether Naomi would be attending.""
Naomi frowned.
"How did she know I might come here?""
Thomas hesitated.
"She had information from an old family contact.""
Benjamin leaned forward.
"Which contact?""
Thomas opened the folder.
Inside were several printed emails, photographs, and copies of financial records.
He slid one photograph across the table.
Naomi picked it up.
Her breath caught.
It showed Elizabeth Carter standing beside a younger Victoria Whitmore.
Both women were smiling.
Behind them was a banner bearing the name of the Elizabeth Carter Foundation.
Naomi stared at the picture.
"That's my mother.""
Thomas nodded.
"Taken fourteen years ago.""
Naomi looked at Victoria's younger face.
"Why were they together?""
"Your mother helped establish the foundation. Mrs. Whitmore was one of the donors.""
Benjamin looked at the photograph.
"I remember the event.""
Thomas continued.
"At the time, the foundation was managing several large donations. Some of those funds were supposed to support families who had lost their homes after severe flooding.""
Naomi looked up.
"What happened to the money?""
Thomas placed another document on the table.
"Some of it disappeared.""
Benjamin's face darkened.
"How much?""
"Approximately four million dollars.""
The room went silent.
Naomi looked at her father.
"Did you know?""
Benjamin shook his head.
"Your mother handled the foundation's daily operations. I was running the company and trusted her judgment.""
Thomas cleared his throat.
"Elizabeth discovered discrepancies shortly before she died.""
Naomi froze.
"Shortly before she died?""
Thomas nodded.
"She had begun investigating several transactions connected to Richard Whitmore's investment company.""
Benjamin slowly stood.
"Why didn't I know about this?""
Thomas looked down.
"Because someone intercepted her report.""
"Who?""
Thomas opened another page.
"According to the records, the report was sent to the foundation's external auditor. The auditor never received it.""
Richard Hayes leaned forward.
"Who intercepted it?""
Thomas pointed to a name.
Victoria Whitmore.
Naomi felt her fingers go cold.
"Are you saying Victoria stole money from my mother's foundation?""
"I'm saying the records suggest she helped redirect funds through companies connected to her husband.""
Benjamin stared at the paperwork.
"Then why is she still asking about Naomi?""
Thomas looked at the final page.
"Because the missing money wasn't the only thing Elizabeth discovered.""
He pulled out a small photograph.
It showed a woman holding a sealed envelope outside an old office building.
Naomi recognized the woman immediately.
It was her mother again.
On the back, someone had written a date and a short message.
*If anything happens to me, Naomi must never receive this alone.*
Naomi's eyes filled.
"What's in the envelope?""
Thomas shook his head.
"We don't know. It disappeared after Elizabeth's death.""
Benjamin looked at him sharply.
"You expect me to believe you came here with all this information and have no idea where the evidence is?""
Thomas's voice became quieter.
"I didn't say I had no idea.""
He opened the leather folder and removed a small brass key.
Naomi stared at it.
"What's that?""
"Your mother gave it to me twelve years ago.""
Benjamin's expression turned dangerous.
"You had something belonging to Elizabeth for twelve years?""
Thomas nodded.
"She made me promise to keep it safe.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because she said you wouldn't believe her.""
Benjamin stepped closer.
"Elizabeth was my wife.""
"I know.""
"She trusted me.""
Thomas looked down.
"She was afraid someone had already compromised your office.""
Richard Hayes took the key.
"Do you know what it opens?""
Thomas nodded.
"An old safety deposit box at a bank in Baton Rouge.""
Naomi stood.
"Can we go there?""
Benjamin looked at her.
"Not tonight. You and Grace need rest.""
Thomas shook his head.
"There's a reason we shouldn't wait too long.""
Benjamin turned.
"What reason?""
Thomas removed one final document.
It was a copy of an email sent that morning.
The subject line read:
*THE CARTER GIRL HAS RETURNED.*
The message was short.
*Victoria, confirm the baby is with her. We need to know whether Elizabeth left another heir-related document. If the box is still intact, retrieve it before Benjamin finds out.*
Naomi looked at the screen.
"Another heir-related document?""
Benjamin's face hardened.
"Who sent that email?""
Thomas hesitated.
Then he pointed to the sender's name.
Naomi felt the room tilt.
The email hadn't come from Victoria Whitmore.
It had come from someone whose name she had seen on family Christmas cards her entire life.
Someone who had held her as a baby.
Someone she had trusted without question.
May you like
Her uncle.
*Michael Carter.*
