Chapter 6: The Witness Who Was Never Supposed to Survive
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Margaret Ellis.
The woman who had once worked for my father.
The woman who had disappeared after his death.
The woman Evelyn claimed possessed the original documents.
And now she was working for Robert Whitmore.
My grandfather slowly lowered himself into a chair.
"That cannot be right.""
Marcus placed his phone on the table.
"We confirmed her identity through the employee records. She's been working as Robert Whitmore's personal administrative assistant for the past eleven years.""
I looked at Evelyn.
"You said you gave her the documents.""
Evelyn nodded.
"I did.""
"Then why would she work for the man my father was investigating?""
Evelyn's expression was troubled.
"Because Robert offered her something.""
"What?""
"Protection.""
Arthur's face hardened.
"From whom?""
Evelyn didn't answer.
Instead, she looked at me.
"From whoever was in your father's car.""
I felt a chill move through my body.
The room seemed suddenly too quiet.
My grandfather stood and walked to the window.
"Marcus, arrange a meeting with Margaret.""
"Sir, should we contact the police?""
"Not yet.""
I looked at him.
"Why not?""
"Because if Margaret has been hiding something for twenty years, we need to understand what she knows before we alert the people who may be involved.""
Arthur turned toward me.
"Chloe, I want you to stay here with Lily.""
"No.""
His eyebrows rose.
"Sweetheart—"
"She is my daughter, and this is my family. I am not going to spend the rest of my life hiding while other people decide what happens to us.""
Arthur studied me.
For a moment, I thought he would argue.
Then he gave a small nod.
"Your grandmother would have said the same thing.""
He turned toward Marcus.
"Arrange the meeting here. Tomorrow morning. Neutral room. No unnecessary visitors.""
Marcus nodded.
But before he could leave, my phone rang.
Daniel.
I stared at the screen.
Arthur shook his head.
"Don't.""
This time, I didn't listen.
I answered.
"What do you want?""
Daniel's voice sounded exhausted.
"Chloe, thank God.""
I said nothing.
"Where are you?""
"Somewhere safe.""
"Your grandfather's estate?""
"Why?""
"Because I need to see you.""
"You've had plenty of opportunities to talk.""
"Not like this.""
I laughed bitterly.
"You mean without your sister, your father, and twenty guests watching?""
He exhaled.
"Please don't do this.""
"Do what, Daniel? Ask you why you wanted to use our daughter as leverage?""
Silence.
Then he spoke.
"Who told you that?""
I closed my eyes.
So he wasn't going to deny it.
"Was it true?""
"Chloe, you don't understand the context.""
I felt my fingers tighten around the phone.
"Then explain it.""
He lowered his voice.
"Vanessa was angry. She said things she shouldn't have said.""
"That's your explanation?""
"No. Listen to me. I never wanted Lily hurt.""
"Yet you watched it happen.""
"I was trying to prevent a bigger scene.""
I stared at the floor.
"You were trying to protect your reputation.""
"That's not fair.""
"Neither was watching your sister slap your daughter.""
Daniel went quiet.
Then he said, "I know I made a mistake.""
I laughed once.
"A mistake?""
"Yes. I should have stopped her.""
"Before or after she hit Lily?""
"Chloe—"
"Did you plan to make me sign those papers?""
He stopped speaking.
That silence told me everything.
"Daniel?""
"I was going to explain the agreement.""
"Was my signature forged?""
His voice changed.
"What?""
"Did you use my name on a financial guarantee without my permission?""
"That's complicated.""
"No. It isn't.""
He sighed.
"My father arranged the paperwork. I didn't know every detail.""
I looked at Arthur.
He was listening.
"Did you know Evelyn was helping you investigate my family?""
Daniel's breathing became uneven.
"Where did you hear that name?""
I almost smiled.
"You keep asking where I heard things. Why don't you try answering one question?""
He lowered his voice.
"Chloe, please. We have a daughter. Whatever happened between us, Lily deserves both parents.""
I looked toward the hallway.
Lily was sitting with the housekeeper, drawing pictures.
She had drawn three people holding hands.
One was wearing a peach dress.
One was wearing a tiny cream dress.
The third was a tall figure with a dark blue jacket.
I felt tears sting my eyes.
"She deserves a father who protects her.""
Daniel's voice softened.
"I love her.""
"Then you should have acted like it.""
I ended the call.
My grandfather placed a hand on my shoulder.
"You did well.""
I shook my head.
"I don't feel like I did anything well.""
"You stopped allowing him to control the conversation.""
I looked at him.
"What if Daniel really is in trouble?""
Arthur's expression remained firm.
"Then he can answer for his choices. His problems do not become your responsibility simply because you once loved him.""
I nodded slowly.
For the rest of the night, I stayed close to Lily.
We ate breakfast together in the east wing.
She asked for pancakes.
I burned the first batch because I was distracted.
She laughed when I turned the second one into something resembling a map.
For a few precious minutes, we were just a mother and daughter having breakfast.
Then the doorbell rang.
At nine thirty, Marcus entered the dining room.
"Mrs. Bennett, Margaret Ellis has arrived.""
I put down my fork.
"Where is she?""
"In the west conference room.""
Arthur appeared behind him.
"Let's go.""
I kissed Lily's forehead.
"Stay with Mrs. Collins, sweetheart.""
She nodded.
"Are you going to talk to the lady?""
"Yes.""
"Will you come back?""
I smiled.
"Always.""
The west conference room had tall windows overlooking the gardens.
Margaret was sitting at the far end of the table.
She was in her early sixties now, with silver-blond hair and thin glasses.
But I recognized her immediately.
"Miss Margaret?""
She looked up.
Her eyes widened.
"Chloe.""
I approached slowly.
For a moment, she seemed unsure whether to stand.
Then she did.
"Oh, sweetheart.""
She reached for my hands.
I stepped back.
"Why are you working for Robert Whitmore?""
Her face crumpled.
Arthur took his seat.
"Margaret, I suggest you answer.""
She sat down.
"I know how this looks.""
"Then explain it," I said.
She opened her handbag and removed an old envelope.
"I kept these for twenty years.""
She placed it on the table.
Inside were photographs, handwritten notes, and several pages of company correspondence.
I recognized my father's handwriting.
"What is this?""
"Your father gave me these documents the week before he died.""
Arthur leaned forward.
"Why didn't you bring them to me?""
Margaret looked at him.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Robert?""
She shook her head.
"Of the man who was in Richard's car.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who was it?""
Margaret looked directly at me.
"Your father's business partner.""
Arthur frowned.
"Robert?""
"No.""
She swallowed.
"It was someone from the Bennett family.""
My grandfather's face went still.
"Who?""
Margaret looked down at her hands.
Then she said a name.
"Thomas Bennett.""
I blinked.
I knew that name.
Thomas was my father's younger brother.
My uncle.
He had disappeared shortly after my father's funeral. I had been told he moved overseas and wanted nothing to do with the family business.
"Uncle Thomas was in the car?""
Margaret nodded.
"He was driving.""
Arthur stood so abruptly that his chair scraped against the floor.
"That's impossible. Thomas wasn't even supposed to be in the country that night.""
Margaret's eyes filled.
"He survived the crash.""
I stared at her.
"Where is he now?""
She looked toward the window.
"That's why I came here.""
She opened another envelope.
Inside was a recent photograph.
A middle-aged man stood outside a small seaside house.
His hair was gray.
His face was thinner.
But I recognized him from the family portraits.
Thomas Bennett.
My uncle.
Alive.
I looked at Margaret.
"Where did you find him?""
She took a shaky breath.
"He contacted me six months ago.""
Arthur leaned forward.
"Why?""
"Because Robert Whitmore finally made a mistake.""
She slid another document across the table.
It was a bank transfer record.
A large payment had been sent to a company registered overseas.
The beneficiary name was Thomas Bennett.
Arthur stared at the page.
"Robert has been paying him?""
Margaret nodded.
"For years.""
I looked at the photograph again.
"Why would Robert pay my uncle?""
Margaret's voice broke.
"Because Thomas helped him arrange the accident that killed your father.""
The room fell silent.
I felt as though someone had struck me.
My grandfather gripped the edge of the table.
"You're telling me my own son-in-law was responsible?""
Margaret shook her head.
"Not your son-in-law, Arthur. Your son.""
Arthur closed his eyes.
I reached for the back of a chair.
My father had died.
My uncle had survived.
My grandmother had hidden evidence.
And Robert Whitmore had apparently been paying someone in our family for two decades.
"Why did Thomas contact you now?"" I asked.
Margaret looked at me.
"Because he wants to come home.""
"After twenty years?""
"He says he has something to confess.""
Arthur's expression was unreadable.
"What does he want in return?""
Margaret hesitated.
"Immunity.""
My grandfather let out a bitter laugh.
"After all this time, he still thinks he can negotiate.""
Then Margaret reached into her handbag again.
This time, she removed a small photograph.
It showed my father standing beside a little girl.
The girl was about my age in the picture.
I frowned.
"Who's that?""
Margaret looked at me.
"Your father's daughter.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
She nodded.
"Your father had another child before he married your mother.""
I stared at her.
"That's impossible.""
"Her name is Olivia.""
Arthur slowly sat down.
"Richard never told me.""
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
"He intended to. But he died before he could.""
I looked at the photograph.
The little girl had my father's eyes.
And suddenly, another question entered my mind.
"Where is she?""
Margaret lowered her voice.
"She's been living under another name.""
"Why?""
"Because after the accident, someone took her away.""
My grandfather stared at the photograph.
"Who?""
Margaret looked at me.
Then she answered.
"Robert Whitmore.""
I felt my entire body go cold.
Before I could ask another question, Marcus rushed into the room.
"Mr. Bennett.""
Arthur looked up.
"What is it?""
Marcus held out his phone.
"We just received a call from the local police.""
"About what?""
Marcus glanced at me.
"There's been an incident at the Whitmore estate.""
My stomach tightened.
"Daniel?""
"He's alive, ma'am. But that's not why they're calling.""
Marcus paused.
"Vanessa Whitmore has filed a formal complaint against you.""
I stared at him.
"For what?""
"Assault, harassment, and allegedly abducting a child.""
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"Abducting?""
Marcus nodded.
"She claims Lily was taken from her legal residence without Daniel's consent.""
Arthur's expression turned ice-cold.
"Get our attorneys.""
Marcus continued.
"There's one more thing, sir.""
"What?""
"The police say they have a witness who claims Mrs. Bennett has been threatening the Whitmore family for months.""
I looked at Margaret.
She had gone completely pale.
Then she whispered:
"Robert has found out that Thomas is coming home.""
She gripped the edge of the table.
"And if Thomas talks, Robert will make sure nobody believes him.""
My grandfather stood.
"Then we'd better find him first.""
But Margaret shook her head.
"You're too late.""
I stared at her.
"What do you mean?""
She looked directly at me.
"Thomas isn't coming home tomorrow.""
Her voice trembled.
"He's already on his way here.""
A beat passed.
Then she added:
May you like
"With Daniel.""
And somewhere outside the conference room, a car door slammed.
