Chapter 7: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
The voice outside the door came again.
"Mr. Carter.""
Dad's fingers tightened around the arms of his wheelchair.
Lisa's face had gone white.
Damon whispered, "That's him.""
I stared at the doorknob.
"Raymond?""
No answer.
Then the man outside said, "You really should have listened to your sister.""
Lisa grabbed my arm.
"Don't open it.""
I looked at her.
"You said Raymond was dead.""
"I thought he was.""
The doorknob turned again.
This time, the door opened.
A man stepped inside.
He was in his late sixties, wearing a dark gray suit despite the Georgia heat. His hair was almost completely white. A thin scar ran from beneath his right eye toward his jaw.
But it was his limp that made Dad gasp.
"Raymond.""
The man smiled.
"Hello, Walter.""
Dad stared at him as though he'd seen a ghost.
"You died.""
Raymond closed the door behind him.
"That's what everyone was told.""
I stepped in front of Dad.
"Get out.""
Raymond looked at me.
"Michael Carter.""
"You know my name.""
"I know a great deal about you.""
"Then you know I'm not afraid of you.""
He smiled.
"No. You're angry. That's different.""
Lisa stepped forward.
"You weren't supposed to come here.""
Raymond looked at her.
"You weren't supposed to involve your brother.""
"I didn't.""
"You did the moment you let him find the drive.""
Her eyes widened.
"You knew about the drive?""
"I knew about everything.""
Damon stepped backward.
I noticed.
"Raymond," I said, "why is my name on that property transfer?""
He looked at me.
"Because you signed it.""
"I didn't.""
"That's unfortunate.""
I moved closer.
"You forged my signature.""
Raymond's smile disappeared.
"Be careful with accusations.""
"You forged my signature, forged Dad's documents, and tried to take this house.""
"No.""
He reached inside his jacket.
I tensed.
He pulled out a folded document.
"I didn't try to take anything.""
He placed it on the coffee table.
"The transfer was already completed.""
I glanced at the paper.
"Then why are you here?""
"To collect.""
"Collect what?""
"The original deed.""
Lisa whispered, "Michael, don't give it to him.""
Raymond looked at her.
"You've become remarkably brave.""
She stepped back.
"You threatened my family.""
"No.""
He looked at Dad.
"Your father threatened himself.""
Dad's voice shook.
"You killed my wife.""
Raymond's expression changed.
For the first time, there was no smile.
"I didn't kill Eleanor.""
Dad stared at him.
"Then who did?""
Raymond looked at me.
"That's the question your mother spent twelve years trying to answer.""
My heart pounded.
"You knew she was investigating.""
"Yes.""
"You knew she had the recordings.""
"Yes.""
"And you still let her die.""
Raymond shook his head.
"I tried to stop what was coming.""
Dad laughed bitterly.
"You threatened her.""
"I warned her.""
"You threatened me.""
"I warned you too.""
I stepped between them.
"Who killed my mother?""
Raymond's eyes moved toward Lisa.
She shook her head.
"Don't.""
He looked back at me.
"Ask your father.""
Dad closed his eyes.
I turned.
"Dad?""
He didn't respond.
Raymond spoke quietly.
"Your father knows.""
I looked at him.
"Then why are you here?""
"Because your father isn't the only one who knows.""
He pointed toward Damon.
"Your grandson does too.""
Damon froze.
I turned.
"What?""
Damon shook his head.
"I don't.""
Raymond smiled.
"You found the photographs.""
Damon's face drained.
"What photographs?""
I asked.
Damon looked at me.
"I found them in Mom's room.""
Lisa snapped, "Damon!""
"They were in a box.""
"What photographs?""
Damon swallowed.
"Mom meeting someone.""
"Who?""
He looked at Raymond.
"Him.""
Lisa covered her mouth.
I stared at Raymond.
"When?""
"Six months ago.""
Damon shook his head.
"No.""
Raymond corrected him.
"Seven.""
I looked at Lisa.
"You said Raymond was dead.""
"I believed he was.""
"You met him.""
She started crying.
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Because he contacted me.""
"What did he want?""
"He wanted the debt paid.""
"And you gave him Dad's money.""
"I was trying to buy time.""
Raymond laughed.
"She was trying to buy forgiveness.""
Lisa turned toward him.
"You promised you'd leave Dad alone.""
"I promised nothing.""
"You said if I transferred the property, the debt would disappear.""
"I said your debt would be reduced.""
Lisa stared at him.
"You're lying.""
"No.""
He looked at me.
"Your sister owes considerably more than twenty-five thousand.""
I looked at Lisa.
"How much?""
She couldn't answer.
Raymond did.
"One hundred eighty thousand.""
The room went silent.
Damon whispered, "Mom...""
I stared at Lisa.
"How?""
She sank onto the sofa.
"I kept borrowing.""
"Why?""
"I thought I could fix it.""
"You couldn't.""
"I know.""
"You dragged Dad into it.""
"I know.""
"You dragged Damon into it.""
"I know.""
"And you put the house at risk.""
"I know.""
Her shoulders shook.
"I was ashamed.""
Raymond interrupted.
"Shame is expensive.""
I turned toward him.
"Enough.""
He looked at me.
"Give me the deed.""
"No.""
"You misunderstand.""
"No, I understand perfectly.""
I pointed at the documents.
"You want Dad's house.""
"Legally, it isn't his anymore.""
"It isn't yours either.""
Raymond's eyes narrowed.
"Explain.""
"The transfer was forged.""
"You have no proof.""
I held up the flash drive.
"Mom left proof.""
His expression changed.
Just slightly.
But I saw it.
"You don't have the original recording.""
"No.""
"Then you have nothing.""
I smiled.
"That's where you're wrong.""
I reached for my phone.
"I copied everything.""
Raymond took one step toward me.
"Where?""
"Cloud storage.""
His face hardened.
"You don't know what you're doing.""
"Maybe not.""
I raised the phone.
"But I know enough to send it to the police.""
Raymond stopped.
Lisa stared at me.
"Dad...""
I called 911.
Raymond didn't move.
He simply watched me.
Then he said something that made my blood run cold.
"Before you do that, Michael, ask your father what happened to the original deed.""
I lowered the phone.
Dad looked at me.
His eyes filled with tears.
"I don't have it.""
Raymond smiled.
"I know.""
I turned toward him.
"Where is it?""
He pointed at Lisa.
"Ask her.""
Lisa shook her head violently.
"I never had it.""
Raymond's smile returned.
"Not you.""
He looked at Damon.
"Damon has it.""
Everyone turned.
Damon stood completely still.
His hands were shaking.
"No.""
Raymond said, "Check his backpack.""
Damon backed toward the wall.
"I don't have anything.""
I looked at him.
"Damon.""
He shook his head.
"I swear.""
Lisa suddenly screamed.
"Don't touch him!""
Raymond smiled.
"That's interesting.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
She froze.
Then Damon slowly removed his backpack.
He placed it on the floor.
I opened it.
Clothes.
A laptop.
A charger.
A notebook.
Nothing else.
Then I found a hidden zipper.
Inside was a plastic sleeve.
I pulled it out.
The original deed was inside.
My hands went cold.
Damon stared at it.
"I've never seen that before.""
Lisa began crying.
Raymond said nothing.
I unfolded the deed.
At the bottom was my father's signature.
Then mine.
Then a witness.
And beneath the witness signature was the name I'd seen on the scanned document.
The person Lisa claimed was dead.
Raymond.
But there was something else.
A second witness.
I read the name.
My breath caught.
"Dad.""
He looked at me.
"Who is this?""
He stared at the page.
Then his face collapsed.
"Michael...""
"Who?""
Dad whispered the name.
It was someone none of us had expected.
Someone who had been in our house that day.
Someone who had watched Damon pour water on him.
Someone who had known exactly where the deed was.
My father looked toward the doorway.
May you like
And whispered:
"Your mother.""