Chapter 3: The Secret Their Father Took to His Grave
Marcus stared at his brother.
The hospital corridor seemed to become strangely quiet.
Even the distant sound of medical equipment faded beneath the words Daniel had just spoken.
"Say that again.""
Daniel looked exhausted.
"Not here.""
"You just told me Dad didn't die the way we were told.""
"I know what I said.""
"Then explain it.""
Daniel glanced at Ava.
She was sitting in a plastic chair, holding the stuffed rabbit Claire had brought that morning.
"Can we get her somewhere safe first?""
Marcus looked down.
"She's staying with me.""
"Marcus—"
"She's not going anywhere with you until I know what's happening.""
Daniel flinched.
"That's fair.""
Detective Brooks appeared at the end of the corridor.
She was carrying a tablet and speaking quietly to another officer.
When she saw the brothers, she approached.
"Mr. Reed. We need to ask you both a few questions.""
Marcus pointed at Daniel.
"Start with him.""
Brooks looked between them.
"What happened?""
"She found his car at the wedding. The same car registered to him. Apparently, it was outside the conservatory before Claire was attacked.""
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
"That doesn't mean I was driving it.""
"Then who was?""
Daniel looked at Marcus.
"Someone who shouldn't have had access to it.""
"Who?""
"My father's housekeeper.""
Marcus stared.
"Mrs. Ellis?""
Daniel nodded.
"She still has the spare keys to the garage.""
Brooks made a note.
"Why would she take your car?""
Daniel hesitated.
"Because she believes Dad left something behind.""
Marcus felt a familiar knot forming in his stomach.
"What?""
Daniel looked toward the waiting room.
"Documents.""
"What documents?""
"The original financial records from the year he died.""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"This is insane.""
Daniel didn't answer.
Detective Brooks stepped closer.
"Mr. Reed, are you saying your deceased father had financial records connected to the attempted murder of Claire Reed?""
"I don't know," Daniel said.
"But I think that's what this is about.""
Brooks studied him.
"Then I suggest you both come to the station and tell me everything.""
Marcus shook his head.
"I'm not leaving my daughter or my ex-wife.""
"Then we'll speak here.""
She motioned to the nearby consultation room.
Daniel followed.
Marcus carried Ava with him.
Inside, the detective closed the door.
"Let's start at the beginning," she said.
"Who was Richard Reed?""
"Our father," Marcus answered.
"I understand that. Tell me about his business.""
Richard Reed had built a successful commercial property company in Charleston.
He had been strict, ambitious, and difficult to please.
Marcus had spent most of his childhood trying to earn his approval.
Daniel, four years older, had been the favorite.
When Richard died, the brothers inherited the business and several properties.
Marcus had inherited a portion of the investments.
Daniel had taken over daily operations.
"What was the cause of death?"" Brooks asked.
"Heart attack," Marcus said.
"Who discovered him?""
Daniel answered.
"I did.""
"Where?""
"His office.""
"Was an autopsy performed?""
Daniel shook his head.
"He had a history of heart problems. The doctor signed the certificate.""
Brooks looked at Marcus.
"Did you suspect anything?""
"No.""
"Did your ex-wife?""
Marcus hesitated.
"Claire and my father were close.""
Daniel looked at him sharply.
"Closer than you know.""
Marcus turned.
"What does that mean?""
Daniel exhaled.
"Three months before Dad died, Claire came to me. She said she had found irregularities in the company accounts.""
Marcus frowned.
"What irregularities?""
"Payments to shell companies. Transfers that didn't match the property records.""
"Why didn't she tell me?""
"She did.""
Marcus looked confused.
Daniel continued.
"You told her she was imagining things.""
Marcus remembered the argument.
Claire had shown him several bank statements. He had been angry because Vanessa had recently warned him that Claire was becoming obsessed with money.
He had accused Claire of trying to damage his father's reputation.
He had told her to stop interfering.
"She never mentioned it again," Marcus said quietly.
Daniel nodded.
"Because she stopped trusting you.""
Marcus stared at the table.
Brooks opened her tablet.
"Did Claire have access to company records?""
"She handled some bookkeeping when she and Marcus were married," Daniel said.
"She understood the accounts better than either of us.""
"And Vanessa?""
Marcus looked up.
"What about her?""
"Was she involved in the business?""
"No. She worked in event planning.""
Daniel shook his head.
"She wasn't always an event planner.""
Marcus turned toward him.
"What?""
Daniel leaned forward.
"Vanessa worked for Dad.""
The words landed like a slap.
Marcus stared.
"That's not true.""
"It is.""
"She told me she met him at a charity fundraiser.""
"She did. But she had already been working with him for six months.""
Marcus felt his pulse quicken.
"Doing what?""
"Managing private accounts.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I didn't know you were dating her until after she had left the company.""
Marcus remembered their first date.
Vanessa had been charming, funny, and familiar with his family's business.
She had known which restaurants his father liked.
She had known stories about his childhood.
He had assumed she was simply good at remembering details.
Now those memories felt contaminated.
Detective Brooks interrupted.
"Mr. Reed, did your father leave any private documents?""
Daniel nodded.
"Yes. A locked cabinet in his home office.""
"Where is it now?""
"At the old family house.""
"Who has access?""
"Me, Mrs. Ellis, and Marcus.""
Marcus frowned.
"I haven't been there in months.""
"Neither have I," Daniel admitted.
Brooks stood.
"We'll need to search the property.""
Daniel nodded.
"That's fine.""
Marcus looked at him.
"Why did you keep this from me?""
Daniel's face tightened.
"Because Dad made me promise.""
"Promise what?""
"To protect you.""
Marcus laughed without humor.
"From what?""
Daniel didn't answer.
The detective looked at him.
"Mr. Reed?""
Daniel finally spoke.
"From Vanessa.""
Marcus felt his hands go cold.
"What?""
Daniel stared directly at him.
"Before Dad died, he told me Vanessa was dangerous. He said she had been stealing money from the company.""
"Then why did you let me marry her?""
"Because I didn't know you were planning to.""
"You knew I was dating her!""
"I tried to warn you.""
Marcus remembered a phone call from Daniel nearly a year earlier.
His brother had asked whether he was serious about Vanessa.
Marcus had said yes.
Daniel had gone quiet.
Then he had told him to be careful.
Marcus had accused him of being jealous.
"You should have told me everything," Marcus said.
"I wanted to. But Dad made me swear not to reveal what he knew until I had proof.""
"He's dead, Daniel!""
"I know!""
Daniel's voice cracked.
"I know he's dead, Marcus. I was the one who found him.""
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Ava lifted her head.
"Uncle Daniel?""
Daniel immediately softened.
"Hey, princess.""
"Did Aunt Vanessa hurt Mommy?""
He looked at her.
Then at Marcus.
"I don't know, sweetheart.""
Ava frowned.
"But she pushed her.""
Daniel's eyes filled with something Marcus couldn't identify.
Fear, perhaps.
Or guilt.
Detective Brooks ended the interview.
"We're going to secure the old house. Neither of you should return there alone.""
Marcus stood.
"I want to see the documents.""
"Not until we process the property.""
"Detective, someone tried to kill Claire. My father may have known something. My brother has been keeping secrets. And my fiancée has disappeared.""
Brooks held his gaze.
"I understand your frustration. But if you interfere with the investigation, you could destroy evidence.""
Marcus nodded reluctantly.
"Fine.""
His phone vibrated.
An incoming call.
Unknown number.
He almost ignored it.
Then a text appeared.
YOUR FATHER LEFT YOU SOMETHING. CHECK THE BACK OF HIS OFFICE CLOCK.
Marcus stared at the message.
He showed it to Detective Brooks.
She read it twice.
"Do not respond.""
Daniel had gone completely still.
Marcus noticed.
"You know something.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Marcus, don't.""
"What is behind the clock?""
Daniel looked at the detective, then back at his brother.
"There's a key.""
"To what?""
"To a safe.""
"Where?""
Daniel swallowed.
"In Dad's office.""
Brooks immediately radioed the officers securing the house.
"Nobody touches anything in that room until we arrive.""
Marcus looked at his brother.
"What's inside the safe?""
Daniel's answer came slowly.
"I don't know.""
"You're lying.""
"I'm not.""
"Then why are you so afraid?""
Daniel looked toward Ava.
"Because Dad told me that if anyone ever opened that safe, the person who killed him would know we had found it.""
Marcus felt the room grow cold.
"Who killed him?""
Daniel lowered his voice.
"That's what I've been trying to find out for four years.""
At 8:17 that evening, Marcus finally returned to the ICU.
Claire was awake.
Her eyes followed him as he entered.
Ava hurried to her bedside.
"Mommy!""
Claire smiled weakly.
"There's my girl.""
Ava carefully climbed into the chair and held her mother's hand.
Marcus stood a few feet away.
For a moment, he couldn't find the words.
Then Claire looked at him.
"You found the messages?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
"Did you read them?""
"Some of them.""
Claire closed her eyes.
"Then you know.""
"Know what?""
She looked toward Ava.
"Can we talk alone?""
Marcus nodded.
He asked Daniel to take Ava to the waiting room.
When the door closed, Claire turned toward him.
"Vanessa wasn't working alone.""
Marcus sat beside the bed.
"I know about my father.""
Claire's eyes widened.
"Daniel told you?""
"Enough.""
She looked down at her hands.
"Marcus, your father discovered the missing money wasn't simply stolen.""
"What was it?""
"Insurance fraud. Property transfers. False ownership records. Your father's signature was used to approve transactions he never authorized.""
Marcus leaned forward.
"Who did it?""
Claire hesitated.
"Vanessa.""
"Why?""
"Because she was working with someone inside the company.""
"Gregory Shaw?""
Claire nodded.
"And someone else.""
Marcus waited.
"Who?""
Claire looked toward the door.
Then she whispered a name.
Marcus felt his heart stop.
"No.""
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
"Yes.""
"That's impossible.""
"Your father knew. That's why he died.""
Marcus stood so abruptly that the chair scraped across the floor.
"Who?""
Claire reached for his hand.
"Marcus, listen to me. The person who ordered me into that pool wasn't Vanessa.""
He stared at her.
"Then who was it?""
Claire's voice broke.
"Your brother.""
Marcus stepped backward.
Outside the room, someone knocked.
Three slow knocks.
Then Daniel's voice came through the door.
"Marcus? We need to talk.""
Claire grabbed Marcus's wrist.
"Don't open it.""
He looked at her.
"Why?""
Her eyes were filled with terror.
"Because Daniel isn't the man who came to this hospital to save us.""
The door handle began to turn.
May you like
And from the other side, Daniel said quietly:
"Claire, I know you're awake. We need to finish what Dad started.""
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