Chapter 5: The Person Who Wanted Dad Silent
The discovery changed everything.
For two days, I had believed my father’s death was a mystery involving Claire.
Now I realized something worse.
Claire wasn’t the only person hiding secrets.
Someone else had been watching.
Someone else had been waiting.
The police reopened the investigation.
The official report had always said Dad lost control because of the storm.
But the new evidence suggested something else.
The black SUV from Claire’s video had been found abandoned less than a mile from the crash site.
And inside it was something nobody expected.
A broken phone.
A phone containing messages about my father.
I sat across from Detective Harper in a small office downtown.
She placed a photo on the table.
“This vehicle belonged to Marcus Vale.””
I looked at the picture.
The name meant nothing.
Then I saw the second page.
My stomach dropped.
Marcus Vale.
Dad’s business partner.
The same man Claire mentioned.
“The person stealing from your father?”” I asked.
Detective Harper nodded.
“We believe your father discovered financial fraud.””
I looked through the window.
Everything felt unreal.
“So Claire wasn’t trying to hurt him?””
“We’re still investigating everyone involved.””
Fair.
But I couldn’t forget the video.
“She recorded him.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Detective Harper looked at me.
“That’s the question we need answered.””
When I returned home, Claire was sitting in the living room.
She looked exhausted.
For the first time, she looked like someone who had actually lost someone.
“I owe you the truth,” she said.
I stayed standing.
“I’m listening.””
She took a deep breath.
“Your father found out Marcus was moving money from the company.””
“How much?””
“Millions.””
I felt sick.
“And Dad confronted him?””
“Yes.””
Claire looked down.
“Marcus threatened him.””
“Why didn’t you tell anyone?””
“Because Daniel asked me not to.””
I almost shouted.
“You keep saying that!””
“Because it’s true!””
Her voice broke.
“He thought Marcus would come after me. After you.””
The room went quiet.
“Then why did you take the will?””
She looked ashamed.
“I didn’t.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“The papers I showed you weren’t from Daniel.””
My heart stopped.
“What are you saying?””
She looked at me.
“Someone replaced them.””
A cold feeling moved through me.
“Who?””
Claire reached into her purse.
She pulled out a small envelope.
“Your father gave me this the night before he died.””
I opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
Dad standing beside Marcus.
But someone had written a message on the back.
My fingers tightened around it.
The message said:
*“If you are reading this, Marcus knows you found the truth.””*
I looked at Claire.
“Why didn’t you give me this before?””
She looked away.
“Because I was scared.””
“Of Marcus?””
She nodded.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
No one spoke.
Only breathing.
Then a voice finally came through.
A voice I recognized.
Marcus Vale.
“Ethan.””
My blood ran cold.
“How did you get my number?””
A quiet laugh.
“Your father made the same mistake.””
“What mistake?””
The line went silent.
Then Marcus said:
“Trusting the wrong person.””
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
Because suddenly I understood something.
Marcus wasn’t calling to scare me.
He was calling because he knew.
He knew I had found the evidence.
And he knew exactly where I was.
Then Claire looked toward the front door.
Her face turned pale.
“Ethan…”
“What?””
May you like
She whispered:
“He’s here.””