Chapter 9: The Betrayal Sitting at Our Dinner Table
“My business partner?””
Dad repeated the words.
Gregory nodded.
“Richard Cole.””
Dad stared at him.
“That makes no sense.””
Gregory looked nervous.
“Vanessa said he wanted the notebook.””
“Why would Richard want something belonging to my wife?””
“I don't know.””
Dad stepped closer.
“Think carefully. What exactly did she tell you?””
Gregory rubbed his palms together.
“She said the notebook contained records that could cause problems for several people. She said Richard would pay to get it back.””
Michael looked at Dad.
“Daniel, what business did you and Richard operate together?””
“A construction company.””
“Did Claire have any involvement?””
Dad hesitated.
“She helped with the accounting during our early years. Before she got sick, she handled some of our investment records.””
Michael looked toward the missing notebook.
“Then we need to establish whether those records relate to the company.””
Dad shook his head.
“Richard and I have worked together for fifteen years. He was at our wedding. He visited Claire in the hospital.””
I remembered Richard.
He was a tall man with silver hair who always brought expensive chocolates when he visited.
He used to call me his little superstar.
Sometimes he took Dad and me out for dinner.
He had even attended my mother's funeral.
I looked up.
“Is Uncle Richard a bad man?””
Dad crouched.
“I don't know, sweetheart.””
“But Vanessa said he wanted Mom's notebook.””
Dad gently touched my shoulder.
“We need to find out why.””
Officer Reynolds stepped away to make a call.
Officer Brooks continued speaking with Gregory.
Michael examined the financial statements.
I sat beside the storage box and looked through the photographs.
There was one of Mom and Dad on their wedding day.
Another showed Mom holding me as a baby.
Then I found a photograph of Mom sitting at a desk with several papers spread in front of her.
She was smiling.
On the back, she had written:
The truth always leaves a paper trail.
I showed it to Dad.
He stared at the handwriting.
“Your mother used to say that all the time.””
Michael looked over.
“Did she keep copies of business documents?””
Dad nodded.
“She kept everything.””
“Then the missing notebook may be more important than we thought.””
Officer Reynolds returned.
“We've contacted the appropriate investigators. Mr. Bennett has agreed to provide a formal statement.””
Gregory looked relieved.
Then he turned toward Dad.
“I need to tell you something else.””
Dad looked at him.
“What?””
Gregory swallowed.
“Vanessa didn't come to me alone the first time.””
“Who was with her?””
“Richard.””
Dad's face changed.
“When?””
“About a year after Claire died.””
Gregory continued.
“They met me in the office. Richard asked whether the storage company could provide a replacement authorization if the original document was lost.””
Michael's expression hardened.
“Did you provide one?””
“No. I refused.””
Dad shook his head.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Gregory looked ashamed.
“Because I thought it was a private arrangement between business partners. I didn't realize the documents were being used to move property.””
Officer Reynolds stepped forward.
“Did Richard offer you money?””
Gregory nodded.
“How much?””
“Five thousand dollars.””
Dad stared.
“For what?””
Gregory looked down.
“To keep the original records from being released.””
Silence.
Michael closed the folder.
“Daniel, I think we should contact your company's legal department immediately.””
Dad nodded.
He looked exhausted.
But he wasn't finished.
“Can you tell us where Richard is now?””
Gregory checked his phone.
“He's supposed to meet Vanessa this evening.””
“Where?””
“At your house.””
Dad looked at me.
I felt a chill run down my back.
“Why would they meet at our house?””
Gregory shook his head.
“I don't know. But Vanessa told me she needed to collect something before the officers found out.””
Officer Reynolds immediately made another call.
She explained the information to her supervisor.
Then she turned toward Dad.
“We're going to coordinate the next steps. Please don't contact either person directly.””
Dad nodded.
“I understand.””
We left the storage facility with Michael and the officers.
The box remained under the appropriate control while the contents were documented.
Dad drove me home.
He didn't turn on the radio.
Neither of us spoke for several minutes.
Finally, I asked:
“Daddy, did Mom know Richard was doing something wrong?””
Dad looked at the road.
“I don't know.””
“Did she trust him?””
“Yes. She trusted him.””
“Then why would he take her things?””
Dad's eyes filled.
“Sometimes people do things that even the people who love them cannot understand.””
I touched the silver heart.
“Mom knew something was wrong, didn't she?””
Dad nodded slowly.
“I think she suspected something.””
When we reached home, Dad called Michael.
He put the phone on speaker.
“Michael, I want the company's financial records reviewed.””
“Already arranged.””
“And I want Richard's access to the business accounts suspended until we know what's happening.””
“That's a sensible precaution.””
Dad glanced toward me.
“There's something else. I need to know whether Claire's notebook could contain evidence of financial misconduct.””
Michael answered carefully.
“Given the payments and the attempted document transfers, that's possible.””
Dad ended the call.
He went into the study.
I followed.
On his desk were several framed photographs.
One showed him with Richard at the opening of their first construction project.
Another showed Mom standing between them.
I looked at the picture.
Mom's smile was wide.
Richard's arm rested on Dad's shoulder.
I suddenly remembered something.
“Daddy?””
He turned.
“What is it?””
“When Mom was sick, Richard came to our house one night.””
Dad frowned.
“When?””
“I don't remember exactly. I was little.””
“What do you remember?””
I closed my eyes.
“He was talking to Mom in the kitchen. I woke up because I wanted water.””
Dad sat down.
“What did you hear?””
I thought carefully.
“Mom said, 'You promised me the money would be put back.''”
Dad's face went pale.
I continued.
“Then Richard said something about the company needing more time.””
Dad leaned forward.
“Did they know you were listening?””
I shook my head.
“I don't think so.””
“What happened next?””
“Mom told him he had until Friday. She said if he didn't fix it, she would tell you.””
Dad stared at me.
The office became completely silent.
Then he stood and walked to the window.
“Friday,” he whispered.
I looked at him.
“What?””
Dad shook his head.
“Claire died on Thursday.””
My heart dropped.
He turned slowly.
“She never got the chance to tell me.””
For a moment, he looked as though he might collapse.
Then his phone rang.
Richard Cole.
Dad stared at the screen.
He didn't answer.
The call stopped.
A message appeared.
Daniel, we need to talk. Vanessa says things have gotten out of hand. I can explain everything.
Another message followed.
Don't let Michael convince you that Claire was trying to protect you from me.
Dad's jaw tightened.
He placed the phone on the desk.
Then a third message appeared.
Meet me alone tonight. I have the original notebook.
Dad looked at me.
I could see the anger in his eyes.
But beneath it was something else.
Hope.
He called Michael.
“Richard says he has Claire's notebook.””
Michael immediately answered.
“Do not meet him alone.””
“I'm not planning to.””
“Daniel, if he has the original, we need the authorities involved.””
Dad nodded.
“Agreed.””
Then he looked at the message again.
“There's something strange about this.””
“What?””
“Richard says he has the notebook. But Gregory told us Vanessa took it.””
Michael paused.
“Perhaps they were working together.””
Dad looked at the clock.
The meeting was scheduled for seven.
It was already six thirty.
Suddenly, someone knocked on the front door.
Dad looked toward the hallway.
I followed him.
He opened the door.
Vanessa stood outside.
She wasn't wearing her red blouse anymore.
She had changed into a black coat and was holding a small leather handbag.
Her eyes moved immediately toward me.
“Daniel,” she said.
Dad didn't move.
“What do you want?””
She looked at him.
“I came to tell you the truth.””
Dad folded his arms.
“Then start talking.””
Vanessa swallowed.
“Richard didn't just take money from your company.””
Dad's expression hardened.
“What did he take?””
She looked at me.
Then back at Dad.
“He took money from Claire's personal account before she died.””
Dad went completely still.
“That's impossible.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“It's not.””
“Why are you telling me this now?””
She looked down.
“Because Richard is planning to leave.””
Dad stared at her.
“And the notebook?””
Vanessa reached into her handbag.
For one second, I thought she was going to pull it out.
Instead, she removed a small photograph.
She placed it in Dad's hand.
It showed Mom standing outside a bank.
Beside her was a man I didn't recognize.
On the back, Mom had written:
If anything happens to me, find out why he opened the account.
Dad turned the photograph over again.
His voice was barely audible.
“Who is this man?””
Vanessa looked at him.
Then she answered:
“Your business partner wasn't the only person helping Richard move the money.””
She pointed toward the photograph.
“That man was the one who opened the account.””
Dad stared at the image.
May you like
And then he recognized him.
It was the bank manager who had handled Claire's trust.
