Chapter 8: The Woman Who Knew the Truth
Nia couldn't stop staring at the photograph.
Jasmine.
Her best friend.
The woman who had stood beside her at the baby shower.
The woman who had cried when Nia announced her pregnancy.
The woman who had promised to love her son as if he were family.
Why would Evelyn have written her name?
“Dad,” Nia whispered, “Jasmine was a child when Mom died.””
Malcolm nodded.
“I know.””
“She was only seventeen.””
Robert carefully placed the photograph on the table.
“That's what makes this interesting.””
Nia looked at him.
“What do you mean?””
Robert opened the blue folder again.
“Your mother had a younger sister.””
Malcolm froze.
Nia turned toward him.
“She did?””
Malcolm nodded slowly.
“Her name was Denise.””
“Why have I never heard about her?””
“Because Evelyn and Denise became estranged before you were born.””
Robert added, “Denise had a daughter.””
Nia looked at the photograph.
“Jasmine?””
Robert nodded.
The room seemed to tilt.
Nia sat down.
“Jasmine is my cousin?””
“Yes.””
Malcolm rubbed his forehead.
“I knew Evelyn had a sister, but I never knew they had reconciled.””
Robert looked through the documents.
“They hadn't.””
“Then why was Jasmine involved?””
Robert removed another paper.
“Your mother had been trying to locate Denise shortly before she died.””
Nia stared.
“Why?””
“According to her notes, Denise had information about the original investment arrangement.””
Malcolm looked at the attorney.
“Why didn't you tell me this?””
“I never saw these records.””
Robert placed the paper on the table.
“Your wife appears to have been investigating Richard's company independently.””
Nia shook her head.
“So Jasmine wasn't just helping Vanessa?””
Angela answered.
“Those two things can both be true. She may have been involved in the financial fraud and still have information about what happened to your mother's records.””
Nia took a breath.
“I need to speak with her again.””
Malcolm looked concerned.
“Not until we understand what she's hiding.””
“She might be the only person who can explain that photograph.””
Angela nodded.
“I can arrange another secure call.””
Jasmine appeared on the screen twenty minutes later.
She looked even more exhausted than before.
When she saw Nia, she immediately began speaking.
“I know you're angry.””
Nia didn't respond.
“I know I betrayed you.””
“You lied about being my friend.””
Jasmine lowered her eyes.
“I never lied about caring about you.””
“Then why did you use my name?””
“Because I was scared.””
“You were scared of Vanessa?””
Jasmine nodded.
“And Richard.””
Nia leaned forward.
“Why is your name on a photograph my mother left behind?””
Jasmine went completely still.
“Where did you get that?””
“From Mom's safe deposit box.””
Jasmine covered her mouth.
Nia's voice sharpened.
“Tell me the truth.””
Jasmine looked toward someone outside the camera.
Then she leaned closer.
“My mother told me not to talk about Evelyn.””
Malcolm stepped into view.
“Your mother knew Evelyn was investigating Richard?””
Jasmine nodded.
“She knew.””
“Why didn't she come forward?””
Jasmine swallowed.
“Because Richard threatened her.””
“What did he threaten?””
“To take me away from her.””
Nia looked confused.
“You were seventeen.””
“He had influence over my mother's employer. He said he could make sure she lost her job, her apartment, everything.””
Malcolm's expression hardened.
“That's not an answer. What did Denise know?””
Jasmine looked down.
“My mother worked in the accounting department of Richard's father's company.””
Robert leaned closer to the screen.
“Denise worked there?””
“Yes. She found payments that didn't match the contracts.””
Angela asked, “Did she preserve copies?””
Jasmine nodded.
“She kept everything.””
“Where?””
Jasmine hesitated.
“In a storage unit.””
Malcolm immediately asked, “Do you know the location?””
Jasmine nodded again.
“I have the key.””
Nia's eyes filled.
“Why didn't you tell me?””
Jasmine began crying.
“Because Vanessa found out I had it. She said if I gave it to anyone, she'd make sure my brother went to prison.””
Malcolm studied her.
“Did your brother participate in the transfers?””
Jasmine nodded.
“He was hired to move money between accounts. He didn't understand the entire arrangement.””
Angela looked at her.
“Did he receive payment?””
“Yes.””
“How much?””
“About forty thousand dollars.””
Malcolm looked at Angela.
“Document that.””
Jasmine hurriedly added, “He wants to cooperate. He told me he would.””
Nia shook her head.
“Jasmine, why did you send me that message about Mom?””
“Because I found something in the storage unit.””
“What?””
“A second letter.””
“From Mom?””
“Yes.””
Nia's heart began pounding.
“What does it say?””
Jasmine looked directly into the camera.
“Your mother wrote that Richard wasn't the only person involved.””
Malcolm stepped closer.
“Who else?””
Jasmine whispered:
“Someone inside your father's company.””
Malcolm's expression went cold.
“Name them.””
“I don't know. Mom used initials.””
“Which initials?””
Jasmine hesitated.
Then she answered.
“M.B.””
Silence.
Nia looked at her father.
Malcolm didn't move.
M.B.
His own initials.
But there were other people in the company with the same initials.
He immediately thought of his former chief financial officer, Marcus Bennett.
Marcus had worked with him for fifteen years.
He had handled the company's early acquisitions.
He had attended Evelyn's funeral.
He had even helped Malcolm manage the estate after her death.
“Jasmine,” Malcolm said carefully, “where is the letter now?””
“In the storage unit.””
“Can you send me a photograph?””
“I can try.””
“Don't go there alone.””
Jasmine nodded.
Then she looked at Nia.
“There's something else.””
Nia closed her eyes briefly.
“What now?””
“Vanessa knows about the storage unit.””
Malcolm stood.
“How?””
“She sent someone to my apartment yesterday.””
Angela immediately began typing.
“Did they take anything?””
Jasmine nodded.
“My laptop.””
Nia's face tightened.
“Did they hurt you?””
“No.””
“Are you safe?””
Jasmine looked toward the door.
“I don't know.””
Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from somewhere near Jasmine's apartment.
She jumped.
“What was that?”” Nia asked.
Jasmine turned toward the door.
A man's voice shouted from outside.
“Open up!””
Jasmine went pale.
“It's them.””
Malcolm stood immediately.
“Jasmine, move away from the door.””
The camera shook.
A second voice shouted.
“We know you're in there!””
Jasmine began crying.
“Please don't let them take me.””
Nia looked at her father.
“Dad, do something!””
Malcolm turned toward Angela.
“Get local authorities involved. Give them her location.””
Angela nodded.
Malcolm looked back at the screen.
“Jasmine, find a room with another exit if possible. Stay on the line.””
A loud bang shook the door.
Jasmine screamed.
The screen suddenly went black.
At the same moment, Vanessa Whitmore was sitting in a parked black sedan outside a private office building.
Her phone was pressed against her ear.
“Did you get the key?””
A man's voice answered.
“No.””
“Then what did you get?””
“Nothing. She had already moved it.””
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Where is she?””
“Inside.””
“Then get inside.””
“There's a security camera.””
Vanessa gripped the steering wheel.
“I don't care.””
The man hesitated.
“Mrs. Whitmore, I think we should stop.””
Vanessa's voice became icy.
“You think?””
“Yes.””
“Let me remind you who pays you.””
She ended the call.
Then she looked at the passenger seat.
A folder lay open.
Inside were photographs of Malcolm, Nia, and the resort.
There was also a photograph of Evelyn.
Vanessa picked it up.
“You should have stayed quiet,” she whispered.
Her phone rang.
Richard.
She answered.
“What?””
“Where are you?””
“Handling a problem.””
“What problem?””
“Jasmine.””
Richard's voice rose.
“You were told not to touch her.””
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“Now you care about rules?””
“Listen to me. Malcolm has the original recording.””
Vanessa stopped.
“What?””
“He has Evelyn's voice.””
She looked down at the photograph.
Richard continued.
“We need to leave the country.””
Vanessa shook her head.
“I'm not running.””
“You don't understand. The original trust document is real. Nia is the beneficiary.””
Vanessa's lips tightened.
“Then we take the money before she can claim it.””
Richard went silent.
Then he said:
“That's not possible.””
Vanessa looked at him through the phone.
“Everything is possible if you know where to look.””
Back at the resort, Malcolm was receiving another call.
This time, it was Marcus Bennett.
His former chief financial officer.
“Malcolm, I heard there's been a problem at the hotel.””
Malcolm stared at the phone.
“Who told you?””
“People are talking.””
“What do you want, Marcus?””
“I want to help.””
Malcolm said nothing.
Marcus continued.
“I've reviewed the old trust records. There may be some misunderstandings about Evelyn's estate.””
Malcolm's expression changed.
“How do you know about those records?””
A pause.
Then Marcus answered.
“I was involved in the original administration.””
Malcolm's grip tightened around the phone.
“You told me the trust had been settled.””
“It had.””
“No. Apparently, it hadn't.””
Marcus sighed.
“Malcolm, we need to speak privately.””
“Why?””
“Because Richard Whitmore is going to destroy everything if you continue.””
Malcolm stared at the window.
“Are you threatening me?””
“No. I'm trying to save you.””
“Then tell me who M.B. is.””
The line went silent.
Malcolm's voice dropped.
“Marcus?””
Finally, the man spoke.
“Where did you hear that?””
Malcolm closed his eyes.
He had his answer.
“Meet me tomorrow morning,” Marcus said.
“I'll explain everything.””
Malcolm ended the call.
Angela approached.
“Was that Marcus Bennett?””
“Yes.””
“Did he admit anything?””
“No.””
Malcolm looked toward Nia.
She was rocking her baby beside the window.
“Arrange the meeting,” he told Angela.
She nodded.
“Do you trust him?””
Malcolm looked down at his phone.
“Not anymore.””
At midnight, Nia woke to the sound of a notification.
Her phone displayed an incoming email.
The sender was an address she didn't recognize.
The subject line read:
*YOUR MOTHER'S FINAL VIDEO.*
She opened it.
A single video file was attached.
The date was eleven years old.
Nia pressed play.
Her mother's face appeared on the screen.
Evelyn was sitting in what looked like a hotel room.
She looked tired.
Frightened.
But determined.
“Nia,” she said softly, “if you're watching this, something happened to me before I could explain everything.””
Nia covered her mouth.
Evelyn continued.
“Your father believes the danger is coming from outside the family. But there is someone he trusts who has been helping Richard for years.””
Nia's eyes filled.
Her mother looked directly into the camera.
“Malcolm, if you're watching this too, I'm sorry.””
Then Evelyn said the words that made Nia drop the phone.
*“The person who betrayed us was standing beside you when I died.””*
The video ended.
Nia sat frozen in the darkness.
Then the bedroom door opened.
Malcolm stepped inside.
“Baby? Are you okay?””
Nia slowly turned the screen toward him.
“Dad.””
He watched the video.
His face went pale.
Because he recognized the room.
It was the hospital room where Evelyn had spent her final night.
May you like
And he remembered exactly who had been standing beside his bed when the doctors told him she was gone.
Marcus Bennett.
