Chapter 7: The Man Who Was Using My Name
“Someone is using my identity?””
I stared at Daniel's phone.
Detective Collins answered immediately.
“That's correct, Mr. Hale. We found a passport bearing your name and photograph inside the aircraft hangar. The passport appears authentic, but the photograph has been altered.””
Daniel stepped closer.
“Where did the passport come from?””
“We're still investigating. We also found several financial documents, two prepaid phones, and a laptop containing records of overseas transfers.””
I looked at Ethan.
“Did you know about this?””
He shook his head.
“No. I swear.””
“Your sworn promises don't mean much anymore.””
He lowered his eyes.
Detective Collins continued.
“There's another issue. The aircraft's flight plan lists Marcus Hale as the owner of a private investment company registered overseas.””
I frowned.
“I don't own any overseas investment company.””
“We suspected that. The company was established four months ago using your personal information.””
Daniel took out his notebook.
“What is the company called?””
“Northstar Global Ventures.””
I had never heard of it.
But when Daniel searched the name on his phone, his expression changed.
“What is it?”” I asked.
He turned the screen toward me.
Northstar Global Ventures had received multiple transfers from accounts associated with my insurance settlement.
The total amount was $1.58 million.
I felt sick.
“Where did that money go?””
“Several accounts in different countries,” Daniel answered.
I looked at Ethan.
“You helped them move my money.””
He shook his head.
“Marcus, I only handled company restructuring. I never touched your insurance settlement.””
“But you knew they were stealing.””
He didn't answer.
Detective Collins spoke again.
“Mr. Hale, I need you and your brother to come to the station. We have some questions about the financial transactions.””
Daniel agreed.
Before we left, I asked to speak to Ethan privately.
He followed me into the study.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then I asked, “How long have you hated me?””
He looked up.
“I don't hate you.””
“Then explain what happened.””
He sank into the chair opposite mine.
“I was tired of being your little brother.””
I stared at him.
“You were thirty-four years old.””
“You were still treating me like I was fifteen.””
“I gave you a job.””
“You gave me a position beneath you.””
“I gave you shares in my company.””
“Not enough to make decisions.””
I shook my head.
“You wanted control. You could have asked for it.””
“And you would have said no.””
He wasn't entirely wrong.
I had always been protective of the company.
But that didn't justify what he had done.
Ethan rubbed his eyes.
“When you got married, Vanessa started complaining about you. She said you worked too much, that you never listened, that she felt trapped in your house.””
I said nothing.
“She and I started talking. At first, it was innocent. She asked questions about the business.
About your investments. About what would happen if you couldn't work anymore.””
My stomach tightened.
“And then?””
“Then Adrian appeared.””
“Who introduced him?””
“I did.””
“Why?””
Ethan looked at his hands.
“Adrian said he could help us restructure the company. He had connections with investors. He promised that if we could remove you from the business temporarily, he could make everyone wealthy.””
“By killing me?””
Ethan's face crumpled.
“I never thought it would go that far.””
“You knew about the brakes.””
He nodded.
“Adrian told me someone would make the car fail. I thought you'd survive with injuries that would keep you away from the company.””
I stared at him.
“You thought I deserved to lose my eyesight?””
He started crying.
“I thought you'd eventually recover.””
“And when you found out I couldn't see?””
He didn't answer.
“Did you visit me because you loved me or because you wanted to check whether I was still alive?””
His shoulders began shaking.
“I don't know anymore.””
That was the saddest answer he could have given.
I looked away.
“Why did you bring the original report?””
“Because Adrian told me he was going to disappear. He said Vanessa would take the blame, and I'd be left holding everything.””
“So you decided to save yourself.””
“Yes.””
I nodded slowly.
“At least that's honest.””
Daniel appeared at the doorway.
“Marcus, we need to go.””
At the police station, Detective Collins led us into a small interview room.
A large monitor displayed photographs from the hangar.
The fake passport.
The financial records.
The laptop.
Then the detective opened a photograph that made my stomach turn.
It showed Adrian standing beside a woman at an airport.
She wasn't Vanessa.
She appeared to be in her late thirties, with dark hair and a black coat.
“Who is she?”” I asked.
“We believe her name is Claire Donovan. She's been associated with several companies involved in suspicious financial transfers.””
Daniel leaned forward.
“Is she connected to Northstar Global Ventures?””
“Very much so.””
The detective displayed another document.
It was an email sent from Adrian to Claire.
The subject line read:
*THE MARCUS HALE PROBLEM.*
I felt my throat tighten.
Detective Collins opened the message.
The first paragraph contained a sentence that made my blood run cold.
The original plan failed because Marcus survived. We need to finish the identity transfer before he becomes a problem again.
I stared at the screen.
“Finish the identity transfer?””
Detective Collins nodded.
“Adrian intended to assume your identity, access your remaining accounts, and leave the country. We believe he had help from someone with access to your personal records.””
“Vanessa?””
“Possibly. We're investigating.””
Then the detective opened another email.
This one had been sent two days earlier.
It contained a photograph of my house.
My bedroom window.
And a message.
If Marcus starts remembering details about the accident, we cannot leave him alive.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
Daniel immediately stood.
“Detective, we need protection for my client.””
“We've already arranged additional patrols at his residence.””
I looked at the photograph again.
“Who sent that message?””
Detective Collins enlarged the sender information.
The email account was registered under Claire Donovan.
But the recipient was not Adrian.
It was Vanessa.
I looked up.
“She's still involved.””
The detective nodded.
“We believe she may have been coordinating with them even after she separated from Adrian.””
I felt a deep ache in my chest.
The woman who had slept beside me for years might have been helping someone arrange my death.
Then Detective Collins placed one final photograph on the table.
It showed Claire Donovan entering a private medical clinic.
Standing beside her was a doctor.
Dr. Philip Warren.
The same doctor whose name appeared on the false medical assessment.
I leaned closer.
“Why are they together?””
Detective Collins folded his arms.
“Because we found evidence that Dr. Warren had been paid to falsify your medical records.””
“By whom?””
He turned the photograph over.
A handwritten note appeared on the back.
Payment authorized by V. Hale.
I closed my eyes.
For eight months, I had thought I was fighting to regain my sight.
I had no idea I was also fighting people who had already decided I was dead.
And the next person I needed to confront was the woman who had once promised to grow old beside me.
Vanessa.
May you like
Because I had just discovered that she might know exactly where Adrian was hiding.
And she might be the only person who could lead the police to him.
