Chapter 8: Renee's Last Message
Darius sat motionless in the passenger seat.
The video attachment was dated two years earlier.
He looked at Marcus.
“Can you open it?””
Marcus connected his phone to the car's screen and downloaded the file.
The video began with a familiar bedroom.
Renee was sitting near the window, wearing a pale blue sweater.
Her hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders.
She looked tired.
But she was smiling.
“Hi, sweetheart,” she said.
Darius's breath caught.
It was Renee's voice.
He hadn't heard it in two years.
He leaned closer to the screen.
“I don't know when you'll watch this,” Renee continued.
“I hope I'm just being overly cautious. But something has happened, and I don't know who else to tell.””
She paused.
Then she looked directly into the camera.
“Margaret came to see me today.””
Darius's heart began pounding.
“She wants me to change Kayla's trust arrangements. She says the money should be managed by someone who understands the Mitchell family.””
Renee shook her head.
“I told her no. The money belongs to Kayla. It was created for her future.””
She glanced toward the bedroom door.
Then she lowered her voice.
“Your mother became very angry. She said I was turning Kayla against her family.””
Darius closed his eyes.
Renee continued.
“Then she said something I can't forget. She told me that if I ever tried to take Kayla away, she would make sure I regretted it.””
The video stopped.
Marcus looked at Darius.
“There's more.””
A second attachment appeared.
This one was only thirty seconds long.
Renee was standing in the kitchen.
Her voice sounded strained.
“Darius, if you're seeing this, please listen carefully. I don't want you to hate your mother. I know she's your mother, and I know how much you love her.””
She took a breath.
“But I need you to understand something. Margaret has been speaking with Richard Collins about Kayla's inheritance.””
Darius stared at the screen.
“Richard?””
Renee nodded as though she could hear him.
“I found documents in Margaret's handbag. They were discussing a way to gain control of the trust if something happened to me.””
Her eyes filled.
“I don't know what they're planning. Maybe it's nothing. Maybe I'm frightened because I'm sick and exhausted. But I don't trust them.””
She moved closer to the camera.
“Please, Darius. Protect our little girl.””
The video ended.
For a long time, neither man spoke.
Finally, Marcus said:
“We need to get this to Helen.””
Darius nodded.
But he couldn't stop looking at Renee's face.
She had known something was wrong.
She had tried to warn him.
And he had never seen the message.
“Why didn't she call me?”” he whispered.
Marcus placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You were traveling. Maybe she didn't want to frighten you.””
Darius shook his head.
“I should have been there.””
“You couldn't have known.””
Darius stared out the window.
For two years, he had carried the guilt of not being home when Renee died.
Now that guilt was mixed with something darker.
Suspicion.
They sent the video to Helen Brooks and arranged an urgent meeting.
Helen watched both recordings in silence.
When the second video ended, she removed her glasses.
“Darius, this is significant.””
“Can we prove what happened?””
“The recordings establish that Renee had concerns about your mother and Richard Collins. They do not establish that either person caused her death.””
“I understand.””
“But they justify a closer review of the circumstances and the trust documents.””
Helen opened a folder.
“I also found something in Renee's original estate file.””
She slid a document across the desk.
It was a letter dated one week before Renee died.
The letter instructed Helen to preserve all correspondence relating to the trust and to notify Darius if anyone attempted to change its terms.
There was a handwritten addition at the bottom.
If Margaret or Richard contacts you, do not discuss Kayla's inheritance without my husband present.
Darius rubbed his forehead.
“She knew.””
Helen nodded.
“She was clearly concerned.””
“Why didn't you tell me?””
“I never received any formal request from Margaret or Richard. Until yesterday, I had no reason to believe anyone was trying to interfere.””
Darius looked at the proposed agreement.
“Can they take Kayla's trust?””
“Not legally through this document. I am placing immediate protective measures in motion and requesting an independent review of any attempted changes.””
She paused.
“And I strongly recommend that you make a formal report regarding the suspected forged signature.””
Darius nodded.
“Do it.””
Helen closed the folder.
“There's another matter. Renee's original medical records indicate that she was admitted after a sudden collapse. Her medical history will need to be reviewed by the appropriate professionals. We shouldn't assume that the circumstances were suspicious simply because someone behaved badly afterward.””
Darius understood.
But he still needed answers.
That evening, he returned to Marcus's house.
Kayla was sitting at the dining table, drawing with colored pencils.
She had drawn three people.
One tall man.
One little girl.
And one woman with long brown hair.
Darius recognized Renee immediately.
He pulled out a chair.
“That's beautiful, sweetheart.””
Kayla smiled.
“That's Mommy.””
“I can tell.””
“And that's you.””
Darius pointed to the third figure.
“Who's this?””
Kayla hesitated.
“It's me before.””
He looked at her drawing.
She had drawn herself with long, bouncing curls.
Darius swallowed.
“Do you want to keep drawing your hair long?””
Kayla nodded.
“Can I?””
“Of course.””
She picked up a brown pencil and began adding curls.
After a few minutes, she asked:
“Daddy, did Mommy know Brittany was going to cut my hair?””
Darius put down his cup.
“No, sweetheart. Mommy couldn't have known that.””
“Then why did you look at her picture and cry?””
He gently took her hand.
“Because I miss her.””
Kayla leaned against him.
“I miss her too.””
He kissed the top of her head.
“I know.””
She returned to her drawing.
Then she said something unexpected.
“Daddy, I remember Grandma coming to our house when Mommy was sick.””
Darius looked at her.
“You do?””
Kayla nodded.
“She was angry.””
“Do you remember why?””
“She wanted Mommy to give her a paper.””
Darius felt his heart beat faster.
“What paper?””
“I don't know. Mommy said no.””
Kayla continued coloring.
“Then Grandma said Mommy was being selfish.””
Darius leaned closer.
“Did you hear anything else?””
Kayla looked toward the window.
“She said something about a box.””
“What box?””
“The little brown box in Mommy's room.””
Darius and Marcus exchanged a glance.
Renee had kept a small wooden box in her bedroom.
After her death, Darius remembered finding it empty.
He had assumed it contained jewelry that Margaret had already collected.
But now he wondered whether something had been removed.
“Kayla,” he asked gently, “do you remember where the box was?””
“Inside Mommy's closet. Behind the blue dresses.””
Darius stood immediately.
“Marcus, we need to go home.””
But before they could leave, Helen called.
Her voice sounded unusually tense.
“Darius, I reviewed the video metadata and the original email.””
“What did you find?””
“The first recording was created two days before Renee died.””
“And?””
Helen paused.
“There's a second, longer recording stored in the same email account. It was never attached to the message.””
Darius felt his pulse quicken.
“Can you send it?””
“I already have.””
His phone buzzed.
A new video appeared.
Darius opened it.
Renee was sitting in her bedroom, holding a small brown box.
Her eyes were red.
“Darius,” she whispered, “I found out what Margaret and Richard really want.””
She opened the box.
Inside were several documents.
Then she looked straight into the camera.
“And it has nothing to do with money alone.””
The recording continued.
“Richard believes Kayla's birth certificate contains something that could destroy his family.””
Darius frowned.
What could a birth certificate possibly have to do with Richard Collins?
Renee took a shaky breath.
“Because the man everyone believes is Kayla's biological father isn't—”
The video abruptly ended.
Darius stared at the screen.
Marcus whispered:
“What the hell does that mean?””
Darius looked toward the staircase.
Kayla was still drawing.
He glanced at her picture of Renee.
Then he called Helen.
“I need you to find the original birth records. Everything. Immediately.””
Helen's answer came quickly.
“Darius, there's something else you should know.””
“What?””
“The original birth certificate in Renee's estate file has a handwritten correction that doesn't appear on the copy you gave me.””
Darius went cold.
“What correction?””
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Helen paused.
“Your name isn't listed in the original father's information.””
