Chapter 4: The Phone Call From a Dead Woman
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Richard Carter stared at the phone in Margaret Ellis's hand.
The name on the screen was impossible.
*Eleanor Carter.*
His wife had been dead for three years.
He had stood beside her hospital bed. He had held her hand during her final hours. He had watched the funeral director close her coffin.
There was no reasonable explanation for what he was seeing.
“Where did you get that number?”” Richard asked.
Margaret swallowed.
“It came through the club's internal emergency line. I didn't enter it manually.””
“Answer it.””
Margaret hesitated.
“Richard, are you sure?””
“Put it on speaker.””
She pressed the green button.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice came through the phone.
“Margaret? Is Richard there?””
Richard went completely still.
He knew that voice.
He knew the slight rasp at the end of her sentences. He knew the gentle Southern warmth that used to fill their kitchen every morning.
“Eleanor?””
There was a pause.
Then the woman spoke again.
“Richard, please don't let Arthur leave that building.””
Richard grabbed the edge of the reception desk.
“Who is this?””
“It's me.””
“No. That's impossible.””
“Richard, listen to me. I don't have much time.””
His eyes filled.
“Eleanor, my wife is dead.””
“I know what they told you.””
Danielle stepped closer, holding Amara against her chest.
“Daddy?””
Richard raised one finger, asking her to wait.
“Tell me something only my wife would know.””
The woman exhaled.
“On our tenth anniversary, you bought me that ridiculous gold watch. You said it was elegant. I told you it looked like something a casino owner would wear.””
A broken laugh escaped Richard.
Nobody else in the foyer moved.
The woman continued.
“And the night Danielle was born, you cried so loudly that the nurse asked whether she needed to check on you.””
Danielle covered her mouth.
“Mom?””
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
“Mom, is that you?””
The woman on the phone began crying.
“Oh, sweetheart.””
Danielle's knees weakened.
She reached for the nearest chair.
“Mom?””
“I'm here, baby.””
Danielle stared at the phone.
“How?””
There was a long silence.
Then Eleanor answered.
“I couldn't tell you before. I wasn't safe.””
Richard's expression changed.
“Safe from whom?””
The woman lowered her voice.
“Arthur knows.””
Every head turned toward the club president.
Arthur Bell immediately stepped backward.
“This is absurd.””
Richard looked at him.
“Stay where you are.””
Arthur raised both hands.
“Richard, someone is playing a sick joke.””
The voice on the phone interrupted.
“Arthur, you have done enough.””
Arthur's face drained of color.
“Eleanor?””
Richard stared at him.
“You recognize the voice?””
Arthur looked toward the entrance.
“I need to speak to my attorney.””
Richard's security officers immediately moved to block his path.
“Sir, please remain here,” one said.
Arthur raised his voice.
“You cannot detain me!””
Richard ignored him.
“Eleanor, where are you?””
“I'm somewhere safe. I have been waiting for the right moment.””
“Three years? You let us believe you were dead for three years?””
“I had reasons.””
“You let your daughter bury you!””
The words echoed through the foyer.
Danielle began crying.
Amara stirred in her arms.
Eleanor's voice softened.
“I know, sweetheart. I know what I put you through.””
Danielle shook her head.
“No, Mom. You don't understand. I visited your grave every birthday. I took your granddaughter there last month.””
Eleanor broke down.
“I saw the photographs.””
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“What photographs?””
“The ones Danielle posted privately. The ones with the little pink flowers.””
Danielle gasped.
“How did you see those?””
“I'll explain everything. But first, you need to understand what happened at Ashford.””
Arthur stepped forward.
“End the call!””
One security officer moved in front of him.
Richard turned sharply.
“Don't touch that phone.””
Eleanor continued.
“Richard, do you remember the night I told you I wanted to withdraw my name from the Ashford charitable trust?””
Richard's expression tightened.
“Yes.””
“You thought I was worried about the financial arrangements.””
“I thought you wanted to simplify the foundation.””
“I wanted to stop the people using it.””
Margaret opened her document case again.
“Using it for what?””
Eleanor took a breath.
“Six months before my supposed death, I discovered that donations intended for the club's community program were being redirected.””
Richard looked toward Arthur.
“How much?””
“More than you know.””
Arthur shook his head.
“She's lying.””
Eleanor's voice sharpened.
“Then tell them why you transferred two hundred thousand dollars into a private consulting account.””
The guests began whispering.
Richard's security officer opened a notebook.
Arthur's voice rose.
“That payment was authorized!””
“By whom?”” Richard asked.
Arthur said nothing.
Margaret checked her file.
“Richard, there are several unexplained transfers recorded in the foundation's preliminary audit.””
Richard turned toward her.
“How many?””
“Twenty-seven.””
Danielle stared at the pages.
“Mom, why didn't you tell us?””
“Because I found out someone had been watching you.””
Richard's face hardened.
“Who?””
“I don't know exactly. But I received photographs of Danielle leaving her apartment. Someone photographed her at the hospital after Amara was born.””
Danielle instinctively pulled the baby closer.
Her eyes moved around the foyer.
“Someone was following me?””
Eleanor whispered.
“Yes.””
Richard turned toward his security team.
“I want Danielle and the baby protected. Immediately.””
“Understood, sir.””
Then Richard returned to the phone.
“Eleanor, tell me where you are.””
“I can't give you the address over this line.””
“Why?””
“Because someone inside Ashford has access to the call records.””
Margaret looked toward the reception desk.
“That's impossible. The internal system is encrypted.””
Eleanor answered immediately.
“Not anymore.””
A sudden crackling sound interrupted the call.
Then Eleanor's voice became faint.
“Richard, there's one more thing. The person who approved the payments wasn't Arthur.””
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“Who was it?””
A sharp electronic beep sounded.
The call disconnected.
Margaret stared at the screen.
“Hello? Eleanor?””
Nothing.
Richard took the phone.
“Call her back.””
Margaret tried.
The number went straight to voicemail.
Danielle wiped her face.
“Daddy, what is happening?””
Richard looked at his daughter.
“I don't know yet.””
He turned toward Arthur.
“But I intend to find out.””
Arthur straightened his jacket.
“This has gone far enough. I'm leaving.””
Richard's security officer stepped into his path.
“Sir, we need you to remain available for questioning.””
Arthur's face reddened.
“I am the president of this club!””
Richard glanced toward Margaret.
“Not anymore.””
Margaret opened a folder and removed a formal document.
“Under the club's emergency governance provisions, the ethics committee can suspend presidential authority pending an investigation into financial misconduct or serious abuse of office.””
Arthur stared at her.
“You can't do that without a vote.””
“We already have the signatures of three committee members.””
She placed the document on the reception desk.
“Your temporary suspension takes effect immediately.””
Arthur looked around the foyer.
Nobody came to his defense.
Then he turned toward Evelyn.
“You said the daughter wouldn't be allowed inside.””
Evelyn froze.
Richard heard every word.
He slowly turned.
“What did you just say?””
Arthur realized his mistake.
Evelyn's eyes widened.
“President Bell—”
“Shut up!”” Arthur snapped.
Richard approached him.
“You knew Danielle was coming?””
Arthur said nothing.
“You knew she was my daughter?””
Still nothing.
Richard leaned closer.
“Then why did you arrange to have her humiliated?””
Arthur finally looked up.
May you like
And the answer he gave made Danielle's blood run cold.
“Because she wasn't supposed to be the one who inherited Eleanor's shares.””