Chapter 9: The Man Who Knew What Really Happened
My mother screamed.
Claire immediately stepped in front of me.
Victor raised the gun.
"I said nobody moves.""
Olivia dropped her hands.
"Victor, please. There are cameras everywhere.""
He laughed.
"Not in this kitchen.""
I looked at the ceiling.
He was right.
The security camera above the service entrance had been removed.
Victor knew exactly where he was standing.
He had planned this.
"Give me the card," he repeated.
I kept my hand closed around it.
"What happened to my father?""
"That's none of your business.""
"It became my business seven years ago.""
Victor's expression didn't change.
"Your father should have stayed out of the company's affairs.""
My mother stepped forward.
"Was he alive when you arrived?""
Victor looked at her.
"Mrs. Bennett, I suggest you sit down.""
"Was he alive?""
He sighed.
"Yes.""
The word hit me like a physical blow.
My father had been alive.
He had been breathing.
He could have been saved.
I felt my knees weaken.
"Why didn't you call an ambulance?""
Victor looked toward the kitchen entrance.
"Because we had instructions.""
"From whom?""
He didn't answer.
Claire spoke.
"Robert?""
Victor smiled.
"You're smarter than your brother gives you credit for.""
I tightened my grip on the memory card.
"Did Marcus know?""
Victor looked at me.
"Marcus was the one who called me.""
My mother began crying.
"Why?""
"Your father had documents that could put several people in prison. Marcus wanted those documents recovered.""
"And the accident?""
Victor shrugged.
"Your father refused to hand them over.""
"Did Marcus hit his car?""
Victor's silence was answer enough.
Then he spoke.
"He followed your father onto the service road. The road was wet. Your father lost control during the chase.""
I shook my head.
"That's not what happened.""
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"You're right. It's not.""
He looked at my mother.
"Your husband swerved because Marcus deliberately rammed his vehicle.""
My mother let out a strangled cry.
I felt the world disappear around me.
"Was Marcus driving the SUV?""
Victor nodded.
"He wanted to scare your father. He didn't expect the car to go over the embankment.""
Claire's face turned white.
"And when he realized what happened?""
Victor shrugged again.
"He panicked.""
"Then what?""
"Robert called me. I arrived before the ambulance. Your father was alive, but badly injured.""
I couldn't stop staring at him.
"What did you do?""
Victor looked almost bored.
"I removed the briefcase.""
"And left him?""
He looked at the gun in his hand.
"Your father was a problem. We had a bigger problem to deal with.""
My mother stepped toward him.
"He was my husband!""
Victor's expression hardened.
"Then you should have kept him away from the company.""
Claire lunged forward.
Victor pointed the gun at her.
"Don't.""
She froze.
I looked at the memory card in my hand.
"Why did you come after us today?""
"Because Robert wants everything finished.""
"Finished?""
"Those documents, the recordings, the photographs. All of it. Your family has caused enough trouble.""
I looked at Claire.
"How long have you been working for Robert?""
Victor laughed.
"Long enough to know that your uncle doesn't like loose ends.""
My phone vibrated inside my handbag.
I ignored it.
Victor noticed.
"Give me your phone too.""
"No.""
He stepped closer.
"Don't make me ask again.""
Then Olivia did something unexpected.
She grabbed a metal tray from the counter and slammed it against the fire alarm.
A piercing siren exploded through the kitchen.
Red lights flashed.
Victor turned instinctively.
Claire shoved a nearby trolley into him.
The gun dropped.
I grabbed my mother and pulled her behind the counter.
Olivia kicked the weapon beneath a heavy refrigerator.
Victor recovered quickly.
He grabbed Claire by the arm and slammed her against the wall.
"Stupid woman!""
I reached for the nearest object.
A metal serving tray.
I swung it as hard as I could.
It struck his shoulder.
He stumbled.
Claire pulled free.
"Run!""
We rushed through the kitchen doors.
Staff members were shouting.
A security alarm echoed through the corridors.
Thomas appeared at the far end.
"This way!""
He led us through a narrow passage toward the loading dock.
Behind us, Victor shouted.
"Stop them!""
We reached the parking garage.
A black sedan pulled up beside the exit.
Daniel Reeves stepped out.
"Get in!""
Claire stared at him.
"How did you know?""
"Olivia called me before Victor arrived. I contacted the police.""
My mother climbed into the car.
I followed.
Daniel got behind the wheel.
As we pulled away, I looked through the rear window.
Victor stood near the loading dock.
His phone was pressed to his ear.
He wasn't chasing us.
He was talking to someone.
My phone rang.
Marcus.
I answered.
"Hello?""
His voice was calm.
Almost gentle.
"Nia, where are you?""
I didn't respond.
"Your mother is with you?""
I looked at Evelyn.
She was staring out the window.
"Why?""
"Because I need you to understand something.""
"What?""
"Your father was going to destroy the entire family.""
I felt my blood boil.
"You hit his car.""
Silence.
Then Marcus sighed.
"Victor talks too much.""
I gripped the phone.
"You left him to die.""
"I didn't know he'd survive the crash.""
"That's not an answer.""
"He was still alive when I left.""
I closed my eyes.
My mother began sobbing beside me.
"Why didn't you get help?""
Marcus's voice sharpened.
"Because I had already made a decision. If your father exposed those accounts, my mother would lose everything. Robert would go to prison. The company would collapse.""
"So you sacrificed my father?""
"I was twenty-six!""
"And I'm supposed to forgive you?""
He didn't answer.
I heard a door close on his end.
Then Patricia's voice.
"Marcus, hang up.""
He ignored her.
"Nia, listen to me. I can explain everything.""
"There's nothing left to explain.""
"Your father wasn't innocent.""
I froze.
"What?""
"He was involved in the same financial arrangements. He knew about the money. He wanted more than his share.""
"You're lying.""
"Am I?""
Marcus lowered his voice.
"Ask your mother why she kept the original accident report.""
I turned toward Evelyn.
She was trembling.
"Mom?""
Marcus continued.
"Ask her why she signed a statement saying your father had been driving alone.""
I looked at my mother.
"Is that true?""
She closed her eyes.
"Yes.""
My heart broke all over again.
"Why?""
She whispered something I couldn't hear.
Marcus spoke again.
"Because she knows what really happened after the crash.""
I gripped the phone.
"What happened?""
He laughed softly.
"Ask her what she did with your father's briefcase.""
The call ended.
I stared at my mother.
"Mom, what briefcase?""
She began shaking her head.
"I was trying to protect you.""
"Please don't say that again.""
She reached into her handbag.
Then she pulled out a small photograph.
It showed my father standing beside his car on the night of the accident.
He was holding a black briefcase.
On the back, in his handwriting, were six words.
The evidence is inside the blue folder.
My mother looked at me.
"I took the briefcase before Robert could get it.""
I stared at her.
"Where is it?""
She swallowed.
"At home.""
"Where at home?""
Her eyes filled.
"Hidden inside the wall behind your father's old study.""
I leaned forward.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I opened it after he died.""
She looked directly into my eyes.
"And Nia, there was something inside that proved your father hadn't been the only person involved in the missing money.""
"What was it?""
My mother began crying.
"Your name.""
I felt cold.
"My name?""
She nodded.
"Your father had been using your inheritance account to trace the missing funds. Someone had opened a second account in your name.""
Claire leaned forward.
"Who?""
My mother looked at me.
Then she whispered:
"Your uncle Robert.""
Daniel suddenly slowed the car.
Ahead of us, a police vehicle blocked the road.
An officer approached.
Daniel lowered the window.
The officer looked inside.
"Mr. Reeves, we need Miss Bennett to come with us.""
Daniel frowned.
"Why?""
The officer held up a document.
"There's been a complaint alleging that she stole confidential financial records and assaulted a hotel employee.""
I stared at him.
"That's a lie.""
The officer's expression remained professional.
"There's another issue. Your uncle has provided a sworn statement.""
He handed me a copy.
At the bottom was Robert Bennett's signature.
And above it was a sentence that made my stomach collapse.
*Nia Bennett was present at the scene of her father's death and participated in the removal of evidence.*
I looked at my mother.
She was crying too hard to speak.
Then my phone buzzed.
An unknown number.
One final message appeared.
Your uncle isn't trying to silence you anymore.
He's trying to make you take the blame.
I looked up as the police officer opened the car door.
May you like
And for the first time, I realized the next person they might arrest wasn't Marcus.
It was me.
