Chapter 7: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Malcolm dropped the photograph.
For several seconds, he simply stared at it lying on the kitchen floor.
Then he looked at Mrs. Evelyn.
"Where did you get this?""
Evelyn wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"Please don't shout at me, Mr. Carter.""
"Where did you get it?""
"From Tasha's handbag. I took it before she left.""
Malcolm picked up the photograph.
His hands were shaking.
The man standing beside Tasha wore a charcoal suit and a silver watch. His hair was darker than Malcolm remembered, but there was no mistaking the face.
It was his father.
Richard Carter had supposedly died five years earlier after suffering a heart attack during a business trip to Florida.
Malcolm had identified his body.
He had attended the funeral.
He had watched the casket lowered into the ground.
Now his father was standing in a photograph taken outside a bank less than twenty-four hours earlier.
"That's impossible," Malcolm whispered.
Evelyn shook her head.
"I wish it were.""
I pulled out a chair.
"Mrs. Evelyn, sit down. Start from the beginning.""
She looked at Malcolm.
"I've known your father since you were a little boy. I know what I saw.""
Malcolm placed the photograph on the table.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of my father?""
"Of what he could do.""
Malcolm laughed bitterly.
"My father is dead.""
Evelyn looked directly into his eyes.
"Your father was alive when Danielle died.""
The room went silent.
I felt my stomach turn.
Malcolm stepped backward.
"No.""
"Mr. Richard visited the house several times after Danielle became sick. He told me not to mention his visits to you.""
"Why?""
"He said he was handling a family matter.""
"What family matter?""
Evelyn looked toward the staircase.
Then she lowered her voice.
"Isaiah's inheritance.""
Malcolm gripped the edge of the table.
"Tell me everything.""
Evelyn took a deep breath.
"Your father believed Danielle had made a mistake leaving so much money to Isaiah. He said a nine-year-old child didn't need hundreds of thousands of dollars. He wanted the money redirected into the family business.""
Malcolm shook his head.
"My father never said anything like that.""
"He said it to Danielle.""
I looked at her.
"Did she refuse?""
"Yes. She told him that every dollar belonged to her son.""
Evelyn's eyes filled again.
"Your father became furious. He told Danielle that she had no right to decide what happened to Carter family money.""
Malcolm slammed his palm against the table.
"It wasn't Carter family money! It was Danielle's!""
"I know.""
Evelyn reached into her handbag again.
This time, she removed a folded piece of paper.
"I kept this because I knew one day somebody would need it.""
Malcolm unfolded it.
It was an old handwritten note.
The writing was unfamiliar.
At the bottom was Richard Carter's signature.
The boy will not receive the property or the account. Tasha understands what must be done. Keep Malcolm away from the original documents.
Malcolm read it twice.
Then he looked at Evelyn.
"Why did you keep this?""
"Because Danielle asked me to.""
My heart began pounding.
"Danielle knew?""
Evelyn nodded.
"She suspected your father was planning something. Before she died, she gave me a small box and told me to hide it somewhere nobody would think to look.""
"Where is it?"" Malcolm asked.
Evelyn hesitated.
"At the cemetery.""
Malcolm frowned.
"What?""
"Your father's grave.""
I stared at her.
"Why would Danielle hide something at his grave?""
"Because she knew nobody would look there. She told me that if anything happened to Isaiah's money, I should give the box to Patricia.""
Malcolm grabbed his jacket.
"Let's go.""
But Evelyn caught his arm.
"There's something else.""
He turned.
"More?""
She nodded.
"Your father wasn't the only person who visited Danielle.""
"Who else?""
Evelyn looked at me.
"Tasha.""
"That's obvious," I said.
"No. I mean before Danielle died. Tasha used to visit her when Malcolm wasn't home.
They argued about something. One evening, I heard Danielle crying.""
"What did she say?""
Evelyn swallowed.
"She told Tasha that if she ever touched Isaiah's inheritance, she would make sure the truth came out.""
Malcolm closed his eyes.
Then Evelyn said something that made the room feel colder.
"Tasha answered that Danielle wouldn't be alive long enough to stop her.""
I felt my hand fly to my mouth.
Malcolm grabbed the back of a chair.
"Are you saying my sister threatened my wife?""
Evelyn nodded.
"I heard it myself.""
We drove to the cemetery just before sunset.
Patricia met us there.
She had already contacted her legal team and arranged for the discovery to be documented.
When Evelyn led us to Richard Carter's grave, I noticed something strange.
The headstone was new.
Too new.
Malcolm stared at it.
"My father was buried here five years ago.""
Patricia examined the ground.
"Then why does the cemetery's maintenance record show this section was reopened last month?""
Malcolm turned toward her.
"What?""
Patricia looked at Evelyn.
"Did you know?""
Evelyn shook her head.
"No.""
A cemetery employee approached us carrying a clipboard.
"Are you the Carter family?""
Malcolm nodded.
The employee looked uncomfortable.
"There's been a recent request regarding this grave.""
"From whom?""
He checked his clipboard.
"A woman named Tasha Carter.""
Malcolm closed his eyes.
"What did she request?""
"She asked for permission to place a memorial box beneath the stone.""
Patricia's expression sharpened.
"Was the request approved?""
"No. The paperwork was incomplete.""
Evelyn pointed toward the base of the headstone.
"That's where Danielle told me to look.""
The cemetery employee allowed us to inspect the area with him present.
Behind the lower edge of the stone, partially hidden by soil and artificial flowers, was a small metal compartment.
Inside sat a weathered wooden box.
Evelyn gasped.
"That's it.""
Patricia carefully opened the box.
There were three items inside.
A USB drive.
A photograph.
And a sealed letter.
The photograph showed Richard Carter, Tasha, and another man standing outside a bank.
The date printed on the back was five years earlier.
Two months before Richard's supposed death.
Malcolm stared at the image.
Then he noticed the man standing beside his father.
"That's not possible.""
I leaned closer.
"Who is it?""
Malcolm pointed.
"That's Victor Hale. My father's business partner.""
Patricia examined the photograph.
"Do you know where he is?""
Malcolm swallowed.
"He's been dead for four years.""
Patricia looked at the USB drive.
"Then we may have more than one false death to investigate.""
She opened the letter.
It was written by Danielle.
To whoever finds this box:
If Richard's family has succeeded in convincing Malcolm that his father is dead, then the plan has already gone further than I feared.
I discovered that Richard and Tasha were using a second account to move money from Isaiah's trust.
But there is one person who can prove where the money went.
Victor Hale.
He is not dead.
Malcolm's knees nearly buckled.
Patricia held the letter steady.
The final paragraph contained a name.
A name none of us expected.
If Victor refuses to cooperate, ask him about the child he helped Richard hide.
I looked at Malcolm.
He stared at the paper.
Then he whispered:
"Who is the child?""
Patricia turned the page.
And the answer was written in Danielle's handwriting.
*Daniel Brooks.*
The same man who had contacted Patricia that morning.
May you like
The same man who was supposed to be Richard Carter's secret.
And apparently, the person who knew why Isaiah's inheritance had been targeted from the beginning.
