Chapter 9: What His Mother Left Behind
The house on Hawthorne Street looked exactly as Marcus remembered it.
The porch light was on.
That was the first thing he noticed.
The second was the front door.
Open.
Marcus stood beside the SUV, staring at the house where he had spent his childhood.
Walter stayed close to Daniel.
Evelyn held the folder against her chest.
Darren remained near the vehicle.
Marcus looked at him.
“You stay here.””
Darren nodded.
“If I hear anything—”
“Call me.””
Marcus approached the porch.
Daniel grabbed his arm.
“Wait.””
Marcus turned.
“What?””
Daniel pointed toward the flower beds.
“Those flowers.””
Marcus looked.
Freshly watered.
“They're planted every spring.””
“No.””
Daniel shook his head.
“Your mother hated flowers.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
“She said they attracted too many bees.””
Marcus stared at the garden.
“These weren't here when I lived here.””
Daniel nodded.
“Exactly.””
Someone had changed the house.
Marcus slowly pushed the front door wider.
It opened without resistance.
The foyer smelled of dust and lavender.
A grandfather clock stood against the wall.
Still ticking.
Walter whispered, “Someone's been maintaining this place.””
Marcus nodded.
They entered.
Every room looked preserved.
The furniture.
The paintings.
The family photographs.
Even Marcus's childhood baseball glove sat on a shelf.
He picked it up.
There was fresh dust on the shelf around it.
But none on the glove.
Someone had touched it recently.
Marcus whispered, “She's been here.””
Daniel didn't answer.
Evelyn moved toward the hallway.
“There's something in the study.””
Marcus followed.
The study door was closed.
Daniel stopped him.
“Your mother used to lock this room.””
Marcus opened it.
The room was dark.
He found the light switch.
Nothing.
Walter checked the breaker.
“Power's on.””
Evelyn pointed toward the desk.
“There.””
A small lamp was glowing.
Marcus stared.
On the desk sat a single envelope.
His name was written across it.
*MARCUS.*
He picked it up.
His father's handwriting was not on it.
His mother's was.
He knew it instantly.
His hands shook.
Daniel stepped closer.
“Open it.””
Marcus tore the envelope.
Inside was one page.
Marcus,
If you're reading this, your father has finally told you the truth.
Marcus looked at Daniel.
He continued.
He will tell you he protected you.
He did.
But he will not tell you what he sacrificed to do it.
Marcus looked at his father.
Daniel closed his eyes.
Marcus read on.
The payroll money is not the real target.
The money is bait.
Marcus frowned.
They needed you to discover it.
They needed you angry enough to investigate.
They needed you to follow the trail.
Marcus's heart began pounding.
He looked at Evelyn.
“What does this mean?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Marcus continued.
Every account you find will lead you closer to the person controlling Reedstone.
But when you reach the final account, you will be asked to make a choice.
Do not trust the person who offers you the money back.
Marcus stopped.
A second page was attached.
Your father believes the company can be saved.
I don't.
Marcus stared.
Daniel stepped forward.
“What does it say?””
Marcus handed him the letter.
Daniel read it.
His face tightened.
Evelyn whispered, “What?””
Daniel looked up.
“She knew.””
“Knew what?””
“That the company was already compromised.””
Marcus turned toward the desk.
A small metal box sat beside the lamp.
He opened it.
Inside was a USB drive.
And a photograph.
Marcus picked up the photograph.
It showed his mother standing beside a man.
Victor Hale.
Marcus recognized him from the documents.
But there was another person in the photograph.
A woman.
Marcus stared.
He knew her.
Everyone at Reedstone knew her.
He slowly turned toward Evelyn.
Evelyn's face went blank.
“You know her,” Marcus said.
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
“You do.””
“No.””
Marcus held up the photograph.
The woman standing beside Victor was Evelyn's older sister, Claire.
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“She was involved.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“Where is she?””
“I don't know.””
“Evelyn.””
“I don't know!””
Her voice cracked.
“My sister disappeared twelve years ago.””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“She was one of them.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“She wasn't.””
“Your mother trusted her.””
Evelyn stared at Daniel.
“You knew?””
Daniel nodded.
“Your sister helped your mother.””
Marcus looked between them.
“Then why is Victor standing with her?””
Daniel answered.
“Because Victor was working both sides.””
Marcus inserted the USB drive into the laptop.
A video file appeared.
No title.
No date.
He clicked it.
The screen showed his mother sitting in the same study.
Older than Marcus remembered.
Tired.
Terrified.
She looked directly into the camera.
“Marcus.””
His breath caught.
“If you're watching this, I'm sorry.””
Marcus sat down.
His mother continued.
“I wanted to come home.””
She looked away.
“But coming home would have put you in danger.””
Marcus whispered, “Mom.””
Daniel stood behind him.
His eyes were wet.
She continued.
“Your father thinks he can expose them.””
A faint smile crossed her face.
“He always did believe he could fix everything.””
Daniel closed his eyes.
“But this isn't about money.””
The video flickered.
“It's about ownership.””
Marcus leaned closer.
“The people behind this don't want Reedstone's money.””
His mother paused.
“They want Reedstone's voting shares.””
Marcus froze.
Evelyn whispered, “Oh my God.””
His mother continued.
“Your father placed the controlling shares into a protected trust.””
Marcus stared.
“That trust is yours.””
Daniel whispered, “No.””
His mother looked directly into the camera.
“Marcus, you became the majority owner the day your father disappeared.””
Marcus slowly turned toward Daniel.
“You gave me the company?””
Daniel nodded.
“To protect it.””
His mother continued.
“But there was one condition.””
The screen flickered.
“Marcus must never sell.””
Marcus frowned.
“Why?””
His mother's expression became frightened.
“Because if you sell, the trust dissolves.””
The video cut to another recording.
His mother stood in the same room with Victor Hale.
Victor looked younger.
A document sat between them.
“Sign it,” Victor said.
His mother shook her head.
“No.””
“You know what happens if you refuse.””
“I know.””
“Your son loses everything.””
“He'll survive.””
Victor leaned toward her.
“He won't survive us.””
The video ended.
Marcus sat in silence.
Walter looked at him.
“What happens now?””
Marcus stared at the blank screen.
His mother had been alive.
His father had been alive.
The company had been under attack for years.
And every step he had taken that day had been anticipated.
Then the laptop chimed.
A new file appeared.
*FINAL_ACCOUNT.*
Marcus clicked it.
A bank statement opened.
The balance was $9,000.
Exactly the amount stolen from Walter.
Walter stepped forward.
“That’s my money.””
Marcus nodded.
But then he saw the account holder.
His mother's name.
*AMANDA REED.*
The transaction history showed hundreds of deposits.
Not just Walter's.
Every stolen paycheck.
Every diversion.
Every employee.
The money had been collected there.
Then Marcus saw the final transaction.
All $312,000 had been transferred out.
To another account.
The beneficiary name was hidden.
Marcus clicked the details.
A warning appeared.
*ACCOUNT REQUIRES BENEFICIARY VERIFICATION.*
He clicked.
A name appeared.
Marcus stared.
“No.””
Daniel came closer.
“What?””
Marcus turned the laptop toward him.
His father looked at the name.
His face collapsed.
Evelyn whispered, “Who is it?””
Marcus couldn't answer.
Walter stepped closer.
“Mr. Reed?””
Marcus finally spoke.
“The beneficiary isn't Victor Hale.””
Daniel shook his head.
“It's not your mother either.””
Marcus looked at the screen.
The name belonged to the one person none of them had suspected.
The person who had been beside Marcus all day.
The person who had brought the payroll records.
The person who had warned him about the hidden accounts.
The person who had claimed she was protecting him.
Evelyn.
Marcus slowly turned toward her.
She stared at the screen.
Then she began crying.
“No…”
Marcus stood.
“You knew.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I didn't.””
“You're the beneficiary.””
“I swear I didn't create it.””
Daniel stepped between them.
“Marcus, listen.””
Marcus's eyes remained fixed on Evelyn.
“Then why is your name on the account?””
Evelyn backed away.
“I don't know.””
Marcus's phone vibrated.
A message appeared.
*NOW YOU KNOW WHO TO TRUST.*
Then another.
*BUT YOU STILL DON'T KNOW WHO GAVE THE ORDER.*
Marcus looked up.
The front door slammed shut.
The lights went out.
And from the hallway came his mother's voice.
“Marcus?””
He froze.
“Mom?””
Her voice came again.
“Don't let your father leave the house.””
Daniel turned toward the hallway.
His face went white.
Because he recognized the voice.
May you like
And he whispered:
“That isn't your mother.””