Chapter 6: The Attorney Who Knew Too Much
For a moment, I thought William would deny it.
I expected him to look offended.
I expected him to remind me that he had been my father’s attorney for twenty years, that he had handled every contract, every legal document, every difficult moment our family had faced.
I expected anger.
Instead, I saw fear.
Real fear.
The kind that couldn’t be faked.
William slowly removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“Daniel…”
That was all he said.
Just my name.
And somehow, that was worse than an explanation.
Thomas immediately stepped between us.
“Mr. Carter, I need you to answer the question.””
William looked at him.
“I don’t have to answer anything.””
The room changed.
A few minutes earlier, William had been the calm professional guiding us through my father’s final wishes.
Now he sounded defensive.
Careful.
Like every word mattered.
Thomas noticed too.
“You’re right,” Thomas said.
“You don’t have to.””
He reached into his jacket and pulled out a small notebook.
“But your answer may explain why Robert Hayes created this file.””
William stared at the notebook.
“What file?””
I looked at the computer.
The letter.
The question.
The warning.
William followed my eyes.
And his face changed.
“You found it.””
The words came out quietly.
Not like a question.
Like a realization.
My heart sank.
“You knew about the message.””
William looked away.
“I knew your father was preparing something.””
“But you didn’t know what?””
“No.””
“Then why did you say ‘you found it’?””
He didn’t answer.
Thomas stepped closer.
“Mr. Carter.””
William sighed.
“I should have told Daniel.””
“Told me what?””
The attorney looked at me.
And for the first time in my life, I saw him as something other than my father’s trusted friend.
I saw a man carrying a secret.
“Your father didn’t trust everyone around him.””
I laughed softly.
“Apparently.””
The words hurt.
Because they were true.
Dad had spent his final months building a wall around himself.
And everyone on the outside thought they knew him.
We didn’t.
Not really.
William walked toward the desk.
He looked at the photograph of my father sitting beside his hospital bed.
“I visited him because he asked me to come.””
“When?””
“The night before he died.””
My jaw tightened.
“You didn’t tell me.””
“No.””
“Why?””
William looked down.
“Because your father asked me not to.””
I stared at him.
“Everyone keeps saying that.””
“What?””
“‘Your father asked me.’ ‘Your father wanted this.’ ‘Your father knew.’”
My voice cracked.
“Did anyone ever think maybe I deserved to know?””
Nobody answered.
Because nobody could.
William’s expression softened.
“Daniel, your father was trying to protect you.””
“From what?””
“From Marcus.””
I looked at the folders.
“Marcus already hurt him.””
“Yes.””
“Marcus already betrayed him.””
“Yes.””
“Then what was left to protect me from?””
William hesitated.
And that hesitation told me there was more.
“There was a possibility,” he said slowly.
“A possibility of what?””
“That Marcus wasn’t acting alone.””
The room went quiet.
I looked at Thomas.
Then at Rachel.
Then back at William.
“You knew.””
William nodded.
“I suspected.””
“How long?””
“Four months.””
My stomach dropped.
Four months.
Dad had been investigating for six months.
William had known for four.
And I had known nothing.
“What did you suspect?””
William sat down.
For the first time, he looked exhausted.
“Your father discovered that Marcus was moving money from company accounts.””
“We know that.””
“No.””
William shook his head.
“You know the beginning.””
He looked at the evidence.
“You don’t know the reason.””
Thomas crossed his arms.
“Explain.””
William took a deep breath.
“Marcus wasn’t just stealing.””
I frowned.
“Then what was he doing?””
“He was covering something.””
“What?””
William looked at me.
“Something your father found before anyone else did.””
I felt a chill.
“What did Dad find?””
William glanced toward Rachel.
She looked away.
Like she already knew.
“Your father discovered that money was disappearing from multiple accounts.””
“Marcus?””
“Not directly.””
Thomas narrowed his eyes.
“Someone else.””
William nodded.
“Yes.””
I looked at the names in the folder.
“Who?””
William didn’t answer.
“William.””
He looked at me.
“I don’t know for certain.””
“But you have an idea.””
Another silence.
Then:
“Yes.””
My hands clenched.
“Who?””
William looked toward the office door.
Like he was afraid someone might hear.
Then he said:
“Someone inside the company.””
I shook my head.
“Dad’s employees?””
“Someone higher.””
The room became colder.
“An executive?””
William nodded.
“A person your father trusted.””
I stared at him.
“Who?””
William looked down.
“I can’t say without proof.””
I stepped closer.
“Funny.””
“What?””
“You’re asking me to trust you while refusing to tell me anything.””
His face fell.
Because he knew I was right.
Then Rachel suddenly spoke.
“It was him.””
Everyone turned.
Rachel looked terrified.
But she continued.
“It was Adrian.””
William’s face changed.
“Rachel.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“You don’t get to protect him anymore.””
I looked between them.
“Who is Adrian?””
William didn’t answer.
Rachel did.
“Adrian Wells.””
The name meant nothing to me.
But it clearly meant something to William.
“Who is he?””
Thomas pulled out his phone.
He typed the name.
A few seconds later, his expression became serious.
“He’s the company’s chief financial officer.””
I looked at William.
“Dad trusted him?””
“Yes.””
“Then why would he steal from him?””
Nobody answered.
Because maybe that was the point.
The people closest to you were the ones who could hurt you the most.
I looked back at the computer.
At my father’s message.
*Why did you visit me the night before I died?*
Now it made sense.
Dad wasn’t only asking about William.
He was asking about everyone.
Who came.
Who knew.
Who had access.
Who had something to hide.
“Wait,” I said.
Everyone looked at me.
“Dad wrote this question for me.””
William nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“To find out who was lying.””
I stared.
“Meaning?””
William looked at the computer.
“Your father created different messages.””
My heart stopped.
“Different?””
“Yes.””
“Who else has one?””
William didn’t answer.
Thomas immediately looked at him.
“Mr. Carter.””
William sighed.
“Marcus.””
I felt my blood run cold.
“He made one for Marcus?””
“Yes.””
“What did it say?””
William looked at the folder.
“I don’t know.””
“You don’t know?””
“Your father gave it to me sealed.””
“And you never opened it?””
“No.””
I almost believed him.
Almost.
Then I noticed something.
A small movement.
A tiny reaction.
Thomas noticed too.
“What?””
William looked confused.
“What?””
“You hesitated.””
“No.””
“You did.””
William stood.
“This is ridiculous.””
But Thomas didn’t move.
“Where is Marcus’s envelope?””
William went silent.
And that silence answered the question.
I looked at him.
“You have it.””
William looked at me.
“Daniel.””
“You have it.””
“I was protecting your father’s wishes.””
“No.””
My voice was shaking.
“You were hiding something.””
William looked away.
And for the first time that night, I saw anger in him.
Not fear.
Not sadness.
Anger.
“You have no idea what your father was dealing with.””
“Then explain it.””
“I can’t.””
“Why?””
“Because if I tell you, Marcus wins.””
Nobody spoke.
The words hung in the air.
Thomas stepped forward.
“Explain.””
William closed his eyes.
Then quietly said:
“Because Marcus wasn’t trying to find the money.””
I froze.
“What?””
“He knew the money wasn’t the real prize.””
My heart started pounding.
“Then what was he looking for?””
William looked at the safe.
At the folders.
At the flash drive.
And finally at me.
“The same thing your father was protecting.””
A long silence followed.
Then William whispered:
“The identity of the person who ordered everything.””
The lights suddenly flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then went out.
The entire house disappeared into darkness.
A second later, we heard something from downstairs.
Glass breaking.
Someone had entered the house.
Thomas reached for his weapon.
Rachel screamed.
William froze.
And from the darkness below us came a voice.
A voice I recognized immediately.
Marcus.
“Daniel.””
A pause.
May you like
Then:
“You should have left the safe closed.””
