Chapter 6: The Photograph
Mark ran.
He reached Daisy’s room in seconds.
The bed was empty.
Her blanket lay crumpled on the floor.
“Daisy!””
Panic ripped through him.
He tore through the house.
Kitchen.
Bathroom.
Library.
Nothing.
Then he heard a faint sound outside.
A child crying.
Mark raced through the back door.
Daisy stood near the old greenhouse.
Her hands were tied with a strip of cloth.
A man stood behind her.
Mark stopped.
Daniel came running behind him.
“Don’t!””
The man holding Daisy turned.
It was not Victoria.
It was a stranger.
Mark recognized him from the security footage.
He had been standing behind the garage.
“Let her go.””
The stranger smiled.
“Your family has kept enough secrets.””
Daisy saw Mark.
“Daddy!””
“I’m here.””
The stranger tightened his grip.
“Take one more step and she goes into the greenhouse.””
Mark raised his hands.
“Okay.””
Daniel whispered, “Who are you?””
The stranger laughed.
“You really don’t remember me?””
Mark stared.
The man’s face seemed familiar.
Then he said one name.
“Ethan.””
Mark’s breath caught.
Ethan had been his father’s private driver.
He had disappeared eighteen years ago.
“You died.””
“No.””
“You disappeared.””
“Your father paid me to disappear.””
“Why?””
“Because I knew about Evelyn.””
Mark moved slowly.
“What do you want?””
“The original trust documents.””
“I don’t have them.””
“You will.””
Ethan pointed toward the greenhouse.
“Inside.””
Mark looked at Daisy.
“Are you hurt?””
She shook her head.
“I’m scared.””
“I know.””
He glanced at Daniel.
Daniel nodded.
Mark stepped toward the greenhouse.
Inside, vines covered broken glass and rusted metal shelves.
At the center stood an old wooden chest.
Ethan kicked it.
“Open it.””
Mark lifted the lid.
Inside were hundreds of letters.
Photographs.
Bank records.
Hospital documents.
And one cassette tape.
Mark held it up.
“What is this?””
Ethan said, “The recording your father made before he died.””
Mark found an old player on a shelf.
His father’s voice filled the greenhouse.
“Mark, if you are hearing this, then my safeguards failed.””
Mark closed his eyes.
“I betrayed Evelyn,” the recording continued.
“Not because she was wrong, but because she discovered the truth.””
Mark looked at Daniel.
“What truth?””
The recording answered.
“There was never supposed to be a Hale Estate.””
Mark frowned.
His father continued.
“It was purchased with money taken from the Ross family.””
Daniel’s eyes widened.
“My family?””
“Yes.””
The recording continued.
“Daniel’s father was robbed. I was responsible.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“My whole life…”
The tape clicked.
Then Mark’s father said the sentence that left everyone speechless.
“I left the estate to Daisy because she is the only heir who has no connection to the theft.””
A floorboard creaked.
Victoria entered the greenhouse.
She looked at Mark.
Then at Daisy.
Then at Daniel.
“I know who really stole the money.””
Everyone turned.
May you like
Victoria held a small black ledger.
And on its first page was Mark’s name.
