Chapter 5: The Letter My Husband Left Behind
Nobody moved.
Michael sat with his hands clasped together, staring at the table.
I read Daniel's letter again.
Claire, if you're reading this, Michael has already betrayed me.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
The slight slant.
The heavy pressure on certain letters.
The tiny ink mark near the bottom of the page where Daniel had always paused before signing his name.
I pressed the letter against my chest.
"Tell me what happened.""
Michael shook his head.
"I can't.""
"You just said you didn't plan for Daniel to die.""
"That's the truth.""
"Then tell me what you did plan.""
He looked at James.
"Can we at least get these people out of the room?""
James stood.
"Nobody is leaving until we understand what happened.""
Michael slammed his palm against the table.
"This is a family matter!""
I flinched.
Lily stirred in my arms.
I immediately lowered my voice.
"Don't you dare raise your voice around my daughter.""
Michael looked away.
Peter Lawson quietly stood.
"James, perhaps we should involve legal counsel and law enforcement.""
"Already arranged," James answered.
Michael's head snapped up.
"Police?""
"Yes.""
For the first time, he looked genuinely frightened.
He stood.
"I need to leave.""
Two security officers moved toward the door.
James remained calm.
"Sit down, Michael.""
"You can't hold me here!""
"We aren't holding you. But the police are on their way, and I'd strongly recommend you stay.""
Michael looked at me.
"Claire, please. You have to understand.""
I held Daniel's letter.
"Then start talking.""
He sat down again.
Michael told us that the trouble had begun fourteen months earlier.
Richard had approached him with a proposal.
The hotel manager had discovered a way to divert company money through fake maintenance contracts and consulting invoices.
At first, Michael claimed he hadn't participated.
He said Richard had merely shown him the accounting discrepancies.
But then Richard offered him a share of the stolen money.
"How much?"" I asked.
Michael stared at his hands.
"Two hundred thousand dollars.""
My stomach tightened.
"Two hundred thousand?""
"It was supposed to be temporary. Richard said he could replace the money before the next audit.""
"And you accepted?""
He nodded.
I looked away.
My brother had sold our family's trust for two hundred thousand dollars.
"Why?""
He rubbed his face.
"I had debts.""
"What debts?""
"Business losses. Investments that went wrong.""
"So you stole from Daniel?""
"I didn't think of it that way.""
I stared at him.
"How else would you describe it?""
He had no answer.
Michael continued.
"Daniel found out about the transfers. He confronted Richard and demanded the money back. Then he discovered my involvement.""
"Did he confront you?""
"Yes.""
"When?""
"Three days before he died.""
I closed my eyes.
"What did he say?""
Michael's voice cracked.
"He told me I had one chance to make things right. He wanted me to return the money and give him the documents Richard had provided.""
"Did you?""
"No.""
I opened my eyes.
"Why not?""
"Because Richard threatened to expose me. He had records of my debts, my transfers, everything.""
I stared at him.
"So you chose Richard over your own brother-in-law.""
Michael began crying.
"I was scared.""
I thought of Daniel sitting alone in our kitchen.
I thought of all the times he had looked worried and told me everything was fine.
I thought of the funeral.
And then I remembered something.
"Why did you give Richard the briefcase?""
Michael looked up.
"It contained copies of the original ownership documents.""
James leaned forward.
"Which ownership documents?""
"The ones Daniel had prepared for Project Lighthouse.""
James's face hardened.
"Those documents were supposed to be secured in the executive archive.""
"Daniel gave me copies.""
"Why?""
Michael swallowed.
"He thought I could help him identify the person behind the fake consulting companies.""
James stared at him.
"And instead, you handed them to Richard.""
Michael nodded.
I felt sick.
"Did you know Richard was trying to sell the hotel?""
"I found out afterward.""
"Afterward?""
"Yes.""
"Then why didn't you stop him?""
Michael looked at me.
"Because he told me something.""
"What?""
He hesitated.
"He said Daniel's accident wasn't an accident.""
The room went silent.
I felt my fingers tighten around the paper.
"What did he mean?""
Michael shook his head.
"I don't know.""
"You don't know?""
"Richard said Daniel had gotten involved with people who were much more dangerous than either of us. He said the accident was a warning.""
I looked at James.
He immediately picked up his phone.
"Nobody leaves this room without speaking to the investigators.""
Michael leaned forward.
"Claire, listen to me. I didn't hurt Daniel.""
I stared at him.
"But you knew someone might have.""
He lowered his head.
That was answer enough.
The police arrived shortly afterward.
Two detectives, a man and a woman, introduced themselves as Detective Harris and Detective Morgan.
They took Michael into a separate room for questioning.
Before he left, he turned toward me.
"Claire.""
I didn't respond.
He looked at Lily.
"She's beautiful.""
I held her closer.
"Don't.""
His face crumpled.
"I loved Daniel.""
I finally looked at him.
"Then you should have protected him.""
He walked away without another word.
The detectives spent the next hour reviewing the footage, the emails, and Daniel's letter.
They explained that the evidence suggested possible fraud, embezzlement, and conspiracy. They would need to establish whether anyone had interfered with Daniel's death.
I agreed to cooperate.
James arranged for additional security at the hotel and a private driver to take us home.
But before we left, I asked to see Richard.
"Claire, that's not necessary," James said.
"It is to me.""
Richard was being held in the hotel's security office while the police reviewed the evidence.
When I entered, he was sitting in a chair with his tie loosened.
He looked up.
"Ms. Bennett.""
I stood across from him.
"Did you know Daniel?""
Richard gave a dry laugh.
"Of course. We worked together.""
"Did you threaten him?""
"I don't know what Michael told you, but he's a liar.""
"Did you steal company money?""
"No.""
"Did you attempt to sell this hotel without authorization?""
His eyes narrowed.
"That's a complicated matter.""
"Did you arrange for someone to harm my husband?""
Richard stopped moving.
For a moment, the room was completely silent.
Then he smiled.
"Your husband was a difficult man.""
My stomach tightened.
"That wasn't my question.""
"He believed he could control everyone around him.""
"Did you hurt him?""
Richard leaned back.
"You should be careful, Ms. Bennett. You have a newborn child. You don't need to spend your life chasing ghosts.""
I felt my blood turn cold.
"Is that a threat?""
He looked toward the security camera.
"I didn't say that.""
I turned to leave.
But just before I reached the door, Richard spoke again.
"Ask your brother about the second envelope.""
I stopped.
"What second envelope?""
Richard smiled.
"The one he never gave you.""
On the drive home, I called James.
"Find out what Richard meant.""
"I've already asked the investigators.""
"And James?""
"Yes?""
"Check every document Daniel left behind. Every email. Every archive.""
"I will.""
I looked out the window.
The city lights blurred past.
Lily was asleep in her car seat.
My phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
I opened the message.
Your husband left you more than a letter. Check the nursery before someone else does.
My heart stopped.
I immediately called the driver.
"Please turn around.""
"Ma'am?""
"Take me to the house. Now.""
I called James again.
"Claire? What's wrong?""
I showed him the message through a screenshot.
His voice sharpened.
"Don't enter the house alone. I'm sending security.""
But I was already thinking about Daniel's study.
The nursery.
The white wooden crib he had assembled with his own hands.
May you like
What had he hidden there?
And who else knew about it?
