Chapter 8: My Mother Was Hiding the Truth
I couldn't move.
The woman on the screen was unmistakably my mother, Patricia Williams.
She wore the blue coat I had given her for Christmas.
Her silver bracelet caught the light as she opened the front door of Robert's house.
A small medical bag hung from her shoulder.
Jasmine stared at me.
“Nia…”
I shook my head.
“No.””
Marcus stepped closer.
“That's your mother?””
“Yes.””
“Why would she be there?””
“I don't know.””
Caleb replayed the video.
My mother entered the house at 9:12 p.m.
She left at 9:38 p.m.
Marcus arrived twelve minutes later.
The timeline made my stomach twist.
“Call her,” Jasmine whispered.
I immediately dialed.
She answered cheerfully.
“Hello, sweetheart. How was your night?””
I almost laughed.
“My wedding was yesterday, Mom.””
“Oh, honey. I know. I've been meaning to call.””
“You were at Robert Hayes's house the night he died.””
Silence.
Then a quiet breath.
“What?””
“I saw the security footage.””
Another pause.
“Nia, where are you?””
“Answer my question.””
Her voice became strained.
“I can explain.””
“Then explain.””
“Not over the phone.””
I closed my eyes.
“Mom, please don't make me beg you.””
She began crying.
“I never wanted you involved in this.””
My knees weakened.
“What does that mean?””
“Come home. Please.””
I ended the call.
Caleb looked at me.
“Do you want me to come with you?””
I nodded.
Marcus stood.
“I'm coming too.””
I turned toward him.
“No.””
“Nia—”
“I need to speak to my mother without your family involved.””
He looked hurt.
But he didn't argue.
For once, he understood that his presence wasn't automatically welcome.
My mother's house was quiet when we arrived.
A pot of tea sat on the kitchen counter.
Two cups were already waiting.
She had known we were coming.
She stood beside the dining table, twisting a tissue between her fingers.
When she saw me, her face crumpled.
“Oh, sweetheart.””
I remained near the doorway.
“Why were you at Robert's house?””
She looked at Caleb.
Then back at me.
“Sit down.””
“I'm not sitting until you tell me the truth.””
She closed her eyes.
“I went there because Robert called me.””
My stomach tightened.
“Why would he call you?””
“Because he was frightened.””
“Of Diane?””
My mother nodded.
“Among other people.””
I stared at her.
“What were you doing there?””
She wiped her cheeks.
“Robert asked me to bring him his medication. He said he couldn't trust anyone in the house.””
I frowned.
“Why didn't he call an ambulance?””
“He had already spoken to his doctor. He was having chest discomfort, but he insisted he was fine.””
“Mom, the footage shows you carrying a medical bag.””
“I brought his medication and some papers.””
“What papers?””
She hesitated.
“Documents about your father.””
I blinked.
“My father?””
My biological father had died when I was seventeen.
He had been a quiet man who worked as an accountant.
My mother rarely spoke about him.
“What does Dad have to do with this?””
She sat down slowly.
“Your father worked for Robert Hayes many years ago.””
I stared.
“What?””
“He handled some of the company's financial records before Marcus was old enough to work there.””
Caleb pulled out a chair.
“Why didn't we know that?””
“Because your father left the company after discovering financial irregularities.””
I felt dizzy.
My mother continued.
“He told Robert that someone was moving money through accounts that didn't belong to the company. Robert promised to investigate.””
“And Diane?””
“She was involved.””
I stared at her.
“Then why did Dad leave?””
“Because he was threatened.””
My mother's voice broke.
“He wanted to protect us. He thought leaving would be enough.””
I sat down.
For years, I had believed my father left his job because he wanted a quieter life.
I remembered him spending evenings checking numbers on a calculator.
I remembered the arguments between my parents when he received calls from work.
But I had never known why.
“What happened the night Robert died?””
My mother took a shaky breath.
“When I arrived, Robert was alive. He was sitting at his desk. He gave me an envelope and asked me to keep it safe.””
“What was inside?””
“Original financial records. Copies of transfers. And a letter from your father.””
I looked at her.
“Where is it?””
She stood and walked to a small cabinet.
From the bottom drawer, she removed a sealed plastic folder.
Inside were old documents and a handwritten letter.
The paper had yellowed around the edges.
I recognized my father's handwriting immediately.
My mother placed it in front of me.
“I should have told you years ago.””
I opened the letter.
Patricia,
If you're reading this, it means Robert has finally decided to expose what happened.
I discovered that company funds were being transferred through several private accounts. I believed Diane was responsible, but I later learned she wasn't acting alone.
My hands trembled.
Richard Bennett arranged the legal structures. Eleanor Price handled the transactions. Diane controlled access to the family accounts.
I stopped reading.
The three names.
All connected.
My father had known.
The letter continued.
There is one more person whose involvement I could never prove. Someone who had access to Robert's medical records.
I looked at my mother.
“Who?””
She shook her head.
“I don't know.””
I returned to the letter.
I begged Robert to report everything. But he was afraid of what would happen to his son. He believed Marcus was being manipulated.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
If anything happens to Robert, find the original account ledger. It will show where the money went and who ultimately received it.
I looked up.
“Where is the ledger?””
My mother swallowed.
“I don't have it.””
“Then who does?””
She stared at the floor.
“Diane.””
I felt anger rise inside me.
“You knew all this and let me marry into that family?””
“I didn't know Diane would go this far!””
“You knew she was involved in financial fraud!””
“I was trying to protect you!””
“By keeping me in the dark?””
My mother began crying harder.
“I thought Robert had handled everything. He told me he had made arrangements to protect you.””
I stood.
“And when did you find out he was dead?””
“Marcus called me the next morning.””
I frowned.
“Marcus called you?””
She nodded.
“He told me Robert had suffered a heart attack. He asked me to keep the envelope safe.””
I stared at her.
“Did you tell him about Dad's letter?””
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because I didn't know whether he was involved.””
The room fell silent.
I looked at the video again on Caleb's phone.
My mother had entered the house before Marcus.
She had left before the medical emergency.
She might have been the last person to speak to Robert while he was alive.
“Mom,” I whispered, “did you see anything unusual that night?””
She hesitated.
Then she looked directly at me.
“Yes.””
“What?””
“Someone had already been inside Robert's office.””
“Who?””
“I don't know. But I heard voices in the hallway.””
“Whose voices?””
She pressed a tissue against her mouth.
“One belonged to Diane.””
“And the other?””
My mother looked at Caleb.
Then at me.
“Your father's old business partner.””
I froze.
“My father had a business partner?””
She nodded.
“His name was Samuel Cross.””
I had never heard that name.
“Where is he now?””
My mother slowly reached into the folder and removed a photograph.
It showed my father standing beside Robert.
A third man stood between them.
Tall.
Dark-haired.
Wearing a familiar charcoal suit.
I stared at the picture.
It was Richard Bennett.
But my mother pointed to the man standing behind them.
“That's Samuel.””
I looked at his face.
Then my stomach dropped.
I recognized him.
He was the man who had called Caleb.
The man who had threatened us.
The man who had been demanding the flash drive.
Eleanor had never been the only person involved.
Before I could speak, my phone rang.
An unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice spoke calmly.
“Nia, I understand you've been asking about me.””
“Samuel?””
He laughed.
“Your father was a good man. Too good for the people he worked with.””
“Why are you calling?””
“Because I want to make you an offer.””
“What kind of offer?””
“The original account ledger in exchange for the flash drive.””
I glanced at my mother.
“Where is the ledger?””
“Your mother knows.””
I turned toward her.
She looked terrified.
Samuel continued.
“Bring the flash drive to the old Hayes warehouse tomorrow night. Come alone.””
“Why should I trust you?””
“You shouldn't.””
Then his voice became colder.
“But if you want to know what really happened to Robert, you'll come.””
The call ended.
My mother grabbed my wrist.
“Don't go, Nia.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
She was crying again.
“Because Samuel wasn't just your father's business partner.””
May you like
She swallowed.
“He was the person your father believed had murdered him.””
