Chapter 4: The Night My Father Died
Nathan recovered quickly.
Too quickly.
“What kind of question is that?””
“The kind you answer.””
We stood beneath the harsh hospital lights while doctors worked behind Claire’s door.
Nathan glanced toward the nurses’ station.
“Dad died at home.””
“That’s what Mom always said.””
“Because it’s true.””
“Where at home?””
His eyes narrowed.
“Why does that matter?””
“Claire says it matters.””
That hit him.
He stepped closer.
“What exactly did Claire tell you?””
I didn’t answer.
Nathan lowered his voice.
“Daniel, you’ve been gone for years. You don’t know what’s been happening here.””
“So explain it.””
“You think Mom is some monster because you walked into a situation you don’t understand.””
“She put my living wife in a coffin.””
Nathan looked away.
“She panicked.””
I stared at him.
“She panicked?””
“I didn’t say I agreed with it.””
“You stood there.””
“I came after Claire was already unconscious.””
“Then why didn’t you call an ambulance?””
Nathan’s mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
I stepped closer.
“Why didn’t you call?””
“Because Mom said Claire was dead.””
“You believed her?””
“She showed me paperwork.””
“What paperwork?””
Nathan rubbed his forehead.
“A death certificate.””
My stomach tightened.
“Where is it?””
“I don’t know.””
“You held a glass of whiskey beside my wife’s coffin while believing she had died hours earlier?””
Nathan’s eyes flashed.
“You want me to admit I was scared? Fine. I was terrified.””
“Of what?””
He looked at me.
“Mom.””
That answer surprised me.
Before I could respond, Dr. Patel came out.
“Mr. Hayes?””
I turned immediately.
“Claire?””
“Stable again. We’ve adjusted her medication. She needs uninterrupted rest.””
“Can I stay?””
“For a few minutes.””
Nathan moved toward the door.
“I want to see her.””
“No.””
He looked at me.
“She’s family.””
“She told me not to trust you.””
Silence.
Nathan stopped breathing for half a second.
Then he laughed softly.
But his eyes didn’t.
“She said that?””
“Yes.””
“While drugged?””
“Interesting. Mom said the same thing.””
Nathan’s expression hardened.
“Maybe because it’s true.””
He turned and walked toward the elevator.
I followed him.
“Where did Dad die?””
Nathan pressed the button.
“Go sit with your wife.””
“Where?””
The elevator opened.
He stepped inside.
I caught the door.
Nathan stared at my hand.
“Daniel.””
“Answer me.””
Something broke in his face.
Not anger.
Guilt.
“He didn’t die in the house.””
My pulse quickened.
“Where?””
Nathan looked down.
“At the old warehouse.””
Our father had owned a warehouse near the river, one of his first properties.
It had been empty for years.
“Why was Dad there?””
“I don’t know.””
“Were you there?””
Nathan didn’t answer.
The elevator doors tried to close against my arm.
I stepped inside.
“Were you there?””
“Yes.””
The word barely escaped him.
My stomach dropped.
“You told me you were in Chicago.””
“Mom told me to say that.””
“Why?””
Nathan hit the lobby button.
“Because she found Dad.””
“You just said you were there.””
“I arrived after.””
“After what?””
He looked at me.
“After he fell.””
“Fell from where?””
“The office stairs.””
I stared at him.
“Our father’s death certificate says cardiac arrest.””
“He had a heart attack after the fall.””
“Who called the ambulance?””
Nathan’s silence answered.
“No one?””
“Mom said it was too late.””
The elevator doors opened.
Nathan walked out.
I grabbed his shoulder and turned him around.
“You moved his body.””
His face twisted.
“Keep your voice down.””
“You moved Dad’s body from the warehouse to the house.””
“Mom said she was protecting the company.””
“From what?””
Nathan shoved my hand away.
“I don’t know everything.””
“Then tell me what you do know.””
He looked around the lobby.
“Dad had been investigating missing money.””
“I know.””
Nathan stared at me.
“You opened the letter.””
“Yes.””
His shoulders sagged.
“Then you know why Mom was terrified.””
“No. I know someone stole money.””
“It wasn’t just money.””
I waited.
Nathan looked toward the entrance.
“Dad found shell companies. Properties bought under fake corporate names. Loans secured against buildings he already owned outright.””
“Who signed them?””
“I never saw the documents.””
“You were vice president.””
“After Dad died.””
“Who benefited?””
Nathan hesitated.
“Mom.””
There it was.
I felt something cold settle inside me.
“Did Claire find proof?””
“I think so.””
“How?””
Nathan leaned closer.
“Two months ago, she called me asking about Dad’s old accountant, Thomas Reed.””
I recognized the name.
Reed had worked for my father for nearly twenty years before disappearing shortly after Dad’s death.
“What did you tell her?””
“That he retired.””
“Did he?””
Nathan shook his head.
“No.””
“Where is he?””
“I don’t know.””
My phone rang again.
This time it was a detective.
“Mr. Hayes? Detective Laura Bennett. Officers are at your mother’s residence.””
“What happened?””
“We found evidence that someone recently purchased funeral supplies using cash.””
I closed my eyes.
“Okay.””
“There’s something else.””
Nathan watched me.
“What?””
Detective Bennett paused.
“The coffin wasn’t ordered today.””
My eyes opened.
“When?””
“Six weeks ago.””
Six weeks.
Claire had been perfectly healthy six weeks ago.
Someone hadn’t panicked tonight.
Someone had planned this.
“Who bought it?””
“We’re working on that.””
Nathan took a step backward.
I watched him.
“Detective, I need you to check the old Hayes warehouse near the river.””
Nathan shook his head sharply.
“Daniel, don’t.””
I ignored him.
“My father may have died there four years ago.””
The detective went quiet.
“Why do you believe that?””
“Because my brother was there.””
Nathan’s face hardened.
“You son of a—”
The hospital doors opened behind us.
Two uniformed officers entered.
Nathan turned toward them.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at the screen.
His anger vanished.
Pure fear replaced it.
“Who is it?”” I asked.
Nathan declined the call.
It rang again.
“Who keeps calling you?””
He finally looked at me.
“You want the truth?””
“Yes.””
Nathan held up the phone.
The caller ID displayed a name I hadn’t seen in four years.
*THOMAS REED.*
I stared at him.
“You said you didn’t know where he was.””
Nathan swallowed.
“I lied.””
“Why?””
His voice dropped to a whisper.
“Because Claire found him first.””
The phone stopped ringing.
A message appeared.
Nathan read it.
Then he looked at me as though something terrible had just happened.
“What does it say?””
He turned the screen toward me.
May you like
Four words.
*EVELYN KNOWS I TALKED.*
