Chapter 6: The Brother Who Knew Too Much
Richard sat down slowly.
For three years, he had believed Daniel Carter had simply walked away from the family.
His younger brother had attended Eleanor's funeral.
He had stood beside Richard during the burial.
He had hugged Danielle and promised to stay close.
Then, two weeks later, he disappeared.
He changed his phone number.
Sold his house.
Stopped answering letters.
Richard had assumed grief had broken something inside him.
Now he wasn't so sure.
“Daniel,” Richard whispered.
Danielle looked at him.
“Uncle Daniel?””
Richard nodded.
“Your mother's brother-in-law.””
She frowned.
“I haven't heard his name in years.””
“Neither have I.””
Natalie picked up the photograph.
“Do you know where he lives?””
Richard shook his head.
“Not exactly. He used to have a property outside Charleston.””
Margaret opened her laptop.
“I can check the club's records. He was listed as an emergency contact for Mrs. Carter.””
Richard looked at her.
“Do it.””
Margaret typed for several seconds.
Then she stopped.
“That's strange.””
“What?””
“His contact information was updated three years ago.””
Richard frowned.
“By whom?””
Margaret examined the screen.
“Arthur Bell.””
Richard closed his eyes briefly.
“Of course.””
Danielle looked at the photograph.
“Dad, what happened the night Mom died?””
Richard remained silent for several seconds.
Then he sat beside her.
“It was raining. Your mother had attended a charity dinner here at Ashford. Daniel drove her home because I was out of state.””
“Why didn't you drive her?””
“I was meeting investors in Chicago. She told me not to change my plans.””
He paused.
“Daniel called me at two in the morning. He said there had been an accident.””
Danielle swallowed.
“What kind of accident?””
“He said their car had left the road on a wet bend. He claimed Eleanor had been taken to the hospital.””
“Was she?””
“That was what I was told.””
Richard looked down at his hands.
“When I arrived, your mother was already gone.””
Danielle's eyes filled.
“Did you see her?””
Richard nodded.
“I did.””
He paused.
“But I was never allowed to see the accident report. Daniel said the authorities had already completed everything.””
Natalie looked up sharply.
“Who handled the legal paperwork?””
Richard thought.
“Arthur introduced us to a private attorney. He said the club's insurance team would help coordinate the arrangements.””
Margaret's expression changed.
“Arthur?””
Richard nodded.
“Yes.””
Natalie opened her briefcase.
“Mr. Carter, I need to ask you something important. Did you personally receive the official death certificate?””
Richard frowned.
“I received a sealed envelope.””
“From whom?””
“Arthur.””
Natalie exchanged a glance with Margaret.
“Do you still have it?””
Richard shook his head.
“I gave it to our family attorney.””
“Who?””
“Daniel Price.””
Natalie stopped writing.
“Daniel Price?””
Richard nodded.
“Why?””
Natalie looked uncomfortable.
“Because Daniel Price was also the attorney who certified the amendment to Eleanor's trust.””
Silence.
Richard stared at her.
“You're telling me the same attorney handled my wife's death documents and the transfer of her inheritance?””
“According to the records I have seen, yes.””
Danielle looked between them.
“This can't be a coincidence.””
Natalie closed the folder.
“I don't want to speculate. But the connection needs to be investigated.””
Richard stood.
“Find him.””
Natalie nodded.
“I'll contact his office.””
“No. I want his location.””
Margaret looked at the screen.
“There's a recent address associated with his professional registration.””
She read it aloud.
A private office in downtown Charleston.
Richard took out his phone.
“Have security verify whether he's there.””
One of the officers stepped forward.
“Yes, sir.””
Danielle looked at her father.
“Are you going to see Uncle Daniel?””
“I need to speak with him.””
“Then I'm coming.””
Richard shook his head.
“No.””
“Dad.””
“You have a newborn. Your cheek is injured. You've had enough for one day.””
Danielle looked down at Amara.
Then back at him.
“Mom was alive for eight months after everyone told us she was dead. Someone has been following me. And now we find out my inheritance may have been stolen.””
She paused.
“I'm not sitting in a hotel room while everyone else decides what happened to my family.””
Richard looked at her for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
“Fine. But you stay with security.””
Danielle gave him a small smile.
“Deal.””
Before they could leave, Margaret's phone rang.
She checked the screen.
“It's the technical department.””
She answered.
“Hello?””
Her expression changed almost immediately.
“What do you mean the files were accessed?””
Richard turned.
Margaret listened.
Then she covered the microphone.
“Someone just attempted to remotely delete the archive containing Eleanor's records.””
Richard's face hardened.
“Did they succeed?””
Margaret returned to the call.
“Have you preserved the backup?””
A pause.
“Good. Lock the system down. Nobody accesses it without written authorization.””
She ended the call.
Natalie stood.
“This is now a matter of potential evidence tampering.””
Richard looked at Brandon.
“Did Evelyn know where the archive was stored?””
Brandon nodded.
“She had administrator access.””
“Who else?””
Brandon hesitated.
“Arthur. And someone from the president's office.””
“Who?””
Brandon looked toward the door.
“His personal assistant. A woman named Cynthia.””
Margaret frowned.
“Cynthia Reed?””
Brandon nodded.
“She was here this morning.””
Richard turned to the security officer.
“Find Cynthia Reed.””
The officer checked his radio.
“Already checking, sir.””
A moment later, another security guard entered the room.
“Mr. Carter, we have a problem.””
Richard looked at him.
“What now?””
“The president's office is empty.””
“Where is Arthur?””
“He's still in the private meeting room.””
“And Cynthia?””
The guard hesitated.
“She left the property about fifteen minutes ago.””
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“Did she leave alone?””
“No, sir.””
“Who was with her?””
The guard looked at his notes.
“An unidentified woman.””
Danielle felt a chill run down her back.
“Did anyone get a photograph?””
The guard nodded.
He handed over his tablet.
A security image appeared.
The woman was wearing a long gray coat, a baseball cap, and dark sunglasses.
Her face was partly hidden.
But Danielle recognized the posture.
The way she held her left shoulder slightly higher than her right.
The way she tilted her head.
Danielle stared at the image.
“Dad…”
Richard looked at her.
“What?””
Danielle slowly raised her hand and pointed at the screen.
“That woman.””
“What about her?””
Danielle's lips trembled.
“I think that's my mother.””
Richard looked again.
He zoomed in.
The woman had turned slightly toward the camera.
A small scar was visible beneath her left ear.
Richard's breath caught.
He knew that scar.
Eleanor had gotten it when she fell against a broken mirror as a teenager.
He had kissed it countless times.
“That's her,” he whispered.
Danielle's eyes filled.
“She's alive.””
Richard stared at the photograph.
Then his phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
He answered immediately.
“Richard Carter.””
A woman's voice spoke.
“Richard, it's me.””
He closed his eyes.
“Eleanor?””
“Yes.””
“Where are you?””
“I'm outside the club.””
Richard moved toward the window.
He looked down at the circular driveway.
Several vehicles were parked near the entrance.
A woman stood beside a black SUV.
She slowly removed her sunglasses.
Richard's knees nearly gave way.
It was Eleanor.
Alive.
Older, thinner, but unmistakably his wife.
Danielle rushed to the window.
“Mom!””
The woman looked up.
For one heartbreaking moment, mother and daughter stared at each other through the glass.
Then Eleanor lifted one hand.
But before Richard could move toward the door, she spoke urgently through the phone.
“Don't come outside.””
Richard froze.
“Why?””
“Because I'm not alone.””
He looked around the driveway.
A second vehicle pulled up behind the black SUV.
Its rear door opened.
A man stepped out.
Richard recognized him instantly.
His younger brother.
Daniel Carter.
Eleanor's voice trembled.
“Richard, there's something you need to know about the accident.””
Richard stared at his brother.
“What about it?””
Eleanor whispered five words that made the room spin.
“Daniel was driving the car.””
Richard frowned.
“I know that.””
“No, Richard.””
Her voice broke.
“He wasn't alone.””
She looked toward the second vehicle.
Then she whispered:
“Your daughter was in the back seat.””
Danielle dropped her phone.
Because three years earlier, she had been told she was attending a family dinner at her mother's house that night.
But the woman on the phone had just revealed something nobody had ever told her.
She had been in the car too.
And the next thing Eleanor said changed everything.
“Sweetheart, you need to remember what happened before the crash.””
Danielle stared at her mother through the window.
“I don't remember.””
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Eleanor began crying.
“That's because someone made sure you wouldn't.””