Chapter 8: What My Mother Knew
Raymond closed the door behind him.
I stared at him.
For seventeen years, I had imagined the people connected to my mother's death as shadows from an old story.
Now one of them was standing six feet away.
Alive.
Older.
Calm.
His hair had turned gray at the temples.
But I recognized him from the photograph on my father's desk.
“You're Raymond.””
He smiled.
“So you've heard of me.””
“My father said you disappeared.””
“I had to.””
“Why?””
“Because your father wanted me dead.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
Raymond laughed softly.
“You still defend him.””
“I don't know you.””
“You know enough.””
Calvin stood beside him.
“Where's the ledger?””
I pointed toward the monitor.
“My mother was the one who put it here.””
Raymond's smile disappeared.
“She should have left it alone.””
“What did she discover?””
“Nothing.””
“She discovered you were stealing money.””
“That's what Marcus told you?””
“My mother said it.””
Raymond looked at the screen.
For the first time, something like fear crossed his face.
“You watched the recording.””
“Yes.””
“Then you know she was wrong.””
I stepped closer.
“About what?””
“She thought the money was the problem.””
“What was the problem?””
Raymond looked at Calvin.
Calvin nodded.
Raymond walked toward the metal cabinet.
“Your mother discovered payments to people who didn't exist.””
“Fake accounts?””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because someone was using the company to move money.””
“Who?””
Raymond looked directly at me.
“Your father.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“You're going to have to accept that eventually.””
“My mother said Marcus wasn't stealing.””
Raymond's face tightened.
“Your mother was emotional.””
“She knew you were stealing.””
“No.””
He opened the cabinet.
“Your mother knew Marcus was moving money.””
I stared.
“What?””
“Not stealing.””
Raymond pulled out an old folder.
“Moving.””
“What does that mean?””
“Your father had been sending money to someone.””
“Who?””
Raymond placed the folder on the desk.
“Daniel.””
My heart stopped.
“Why would he send money to Daniel?””
“Because Daniel knew what happened.””
“What happened?””
Raymond looked at Calvin.
Calvin said, “Tell her.””
Raymond sighed.
“Your mother didn't die in an accident.””
I gripped the desk.
“I know.””
“No,” he said.
“You don't.””
He opened the folder.
Inside was a police report.
A photograph.
And a handwritten statement.
I picked up the report.
The cause of death was listed as blunt-force trauma followed by drowning.
I stared at the words.
“She drowned?””
Raymond nodded.
“Her car went into a drainage canal.””
“But the report says—”
“Her body wasn't inside when the car was pulled out.””
My fingers went numb.
“What?””
“Your mother was found twenty yards away.””
I looked at Calvin.
“You knew?””
He nodded.
“I investigated the claim.””
“Then why did you say it was an accident?””
“Because the police ruled it an accident.””
“Why?””
“Because there was no witness.””
I looked back at Raymond.
“You were there.””
He shook his head.
“Not when she died.””
“Then who was?””
He hesitated.
I already knew.
“Daniel?””
“No.””
My stomach twisted.
“Then who?””
Raymond looked at the door.
“Someone your father trusted.””
The room went silent.
I whispered, “Who?””
Raymond didn't answer.
I slammed my hand against the desk.
“Who?””
He finally said it.
“Vanessa.””
My blood turned cold.
“No.””
“She was there.””
“She said she left before the crash.””
“She lied.””
“She said she saw Daniel.””
“She saw him afterward.””
I remembered Vanessa's face when she'd told us.
She hadn't been hiding guilt.
She'd been hiding fear.
“What did she do?””
Raymond's expression hardened.
“She confronted your mother at the facility.””
“Why?””
“Because your mother had discovered the insurance policy.””
“That doesn't make sense.””
“It does if Vanessa knew your mother was planning to take you away.””
I shook my head.
“My mother wanted to leave Marcus.””
“Yes.””
“With Vanessa.””
“Yes.””
“Then why would Vanessa hurt her?””
Raymond looked at me.
“Because your mother changed her mind.””
I stared.
“About what?””
“She decided to tell Marcus everything.””
“What everything?””
“Who had been taking the money.””
My phone buzzed.
A message.
*Don't believe Raymond.*
Daniel.
I looked at the screen.
Another message appeared.
*He wasn't there that night.*
Raymond noticed my expression.
“Daniel?””
I didn't answer.
He smiled.
“He's scared.””
“Of what?””
“That you're going to find the second ledger.””
My heart skipped.
“Second ledger?””
Calvin stepped forward.
“Enough.””
Raymond raised a hand.
“No.””
He opened another drawer.
“Your mother kept two books.””
He placed a smaller black notebook on the desk.
“This one was hidden.””
I stared at it.
“What does it contain?””
“Names.””
“Whose names?””
“Everyone who knew.””
I reached for it.
Raymond grabbed my wrist.
“Not yet.””
I pulled away.
“You don't get to tell me what to do.””
His expression changed.
For the first time, the calm mask disappeared.
“You have no idea what you're holding.””
“My mother's truth.””
“Your mother's truth got her killed.””
I looked at him.
“Then why are you still alive?””
He went silent.
I had him.
“You weren't there,” I said.
He frowned.
“You said you weren't there.””
“I said I wasn't there when she died.””
“But you were there before.””
He didn't answer.
“What did you do?””
Calvin moved closer.
“That's enough.””
I stepped backward.
“Why are you protecting him?””
Calvin said nothing.
“Are you working for him?””
“No.””
“Then who?””
Calvin's jaw tightened.
“My job is to recover the documents.””
“For who?””
He looked at Raymond.
I suddenly understood.
“You're working for whoever owns the archive.””
Raymond's eyes narrowed.
I looked around.
“This building belongs to Raymond.””
“Yes.””
“And the basement.””
“Yes.””
“And the camera system.””
“Yes.””
I raised my phone.
“So you knew I was coming.””
Raymond smiled.
“Of course.””
“Then Daniel didn't bring me here.””
“No.””
“You did.””
“No.””
“Then who?””
The basement door suddenly unlocked.
It swung open.
Marcus stood there.
His face was pale.
“Aaliyah.””
I ran toward him.
He grabbed my shoulders.
“Are you okay?””
“Yes.””
“Did they hurt you?””
“No.””
His eyes moved toward Raymond.
Raymond smiled.
“Hello, Marcus.””
My father went still.
“Raymond.””
“You look older.””
Marcus pushed me behind him.
“You stay away from my daughter.””
Raymond laughed.
“Still playing hero.””
“You know what happened.””
“Yes.””
“You know I didn't kill her.””
Raymond's smile faded.
“I know.””
My father looked at him.
“Then tell her.””
I stared.
“Tell me what?””
Marcus looked at me.
His eyes were wet.
“Your mother called me that night.””
“Before the accident?””
“Yes.””
“What did she say?””
“She told me Vanessa was with her.””
I looked toward the empty doorway.
“Where is Vanessa?””
Marcus froze.
“She was supposed to be at home.””
I looked at the security monitor.
The hallway camera showed Vanessa walking through the archive entrance.
Alone.
Marcus saw it.
His face went white.
“She followed you.””
Raymond suddenly moved toward the second ledger.
I grabbed it first.
He lunged.
Marcus shoved him away.
Calvin stepped between them.
“Stop!””
I ran toward the door with the notebook.
“Aaliyah!”” Marcus shouted.
I kept moving.
We reached the hallway.
Then the lights came on.
Vanessa stood at the end of the corridor.
She wasn't alone.
A man stood beside her.
Daniel.
I stopped.
Marcus stepped forward.
Vanessa looked at me.
“I didn't want you to find out this way.””
Daniel's voice was quiet.
“You weren't supposed to find out at all.””
I looked between them.
Then at the notebook in my hand.
“Which one of you killed my mother?””
Vanessa started crying.
Daniel closed his eyes.
And my father whispered:
“Neither of them.””
I stared at him.
“Then who?””
Marcus looked at the man standing behind Vanessa.
Raymond's face changed.
Because someone else had entered the hallway.
A man in a dark suit.
Older.
Calm.
And carrying the same gold necklace Vanessa had used to frame me.
My father whispered his name.
“Calvin.””
I looked at the insurance investigator.
Then at the man in the suit.
They were not the same person.
The man in the suit smiled.
May you like
And said:
“Marcus, you really should have listened to your wife.””