Chapter 8: The Father Who Sold His Daughter's Future
Ethan looked as though he hadn't slept in days.
His shirt was wrinkled.
His hair was uncombed.
There was a dark bruise beneath one eye.
Detective Morgan immediately stepped between him and the piano.
"Mr. Whitmore, don't move.""
Ethan raised both hands.
"I'm not here to cause trouble.""
"Then explain why you disappeared after being asked to attend an interview.""
He looked at me.
"I came because Hannah has the wrong idea about what happened.""
I laughed bitterly.
"Which part?""
He flinched.
"The pool. Emily. The trust. All of it.""
Detective Morgan held up the USB drive.
"Is this yours?""
"No.""
"Do you know what's on it?""
Ethan looked toward the piano.
"Yes.""
"Then tell us.""
He lowered his hands.
"Emily recorded something before she died. I knew about it. I never wanted anyone to find it.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Why?""
He looked at me.
"Because it would destroy my family.""
I stared at him.
"Your family is already destroyed.""
He closed his eyes.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then he sat on the piano bench.
"I made a terrible mistake.""
Detective Morgan remained standing.
"Start at the beginning.""
Ethan rubbed his face.
"After Grace was born, my father created a trust for her. He wanted to make sure she would always be protected.""
"And?"" the detective asked.
"I thought it was unnecessary. I had my own businesses. I believed I could manage the money better.""
"Did you transfer money out of the trust?""
He hesitated.
"Yes.""
"How much?""
"Not everything.""
"How much, Mr. Whitmore?""
He looked down.
"Four hundred thousand dollars.""
Detective Morgan's expression hardened.
"Did you have authorization?""
"No.""
"Why did you do it?""
Ethan swallowed.
"My company was struggling. I thought I could replace it before anyone noticed.""
"And Savannah?""
He nodded.
"She knew.""
I stepped forward.
"So Emily was right.""
"Yes.""
"Did you know Savannah was planning to take control of Grace's inheritance?""
Ethan's face crumpled.
"Eventually.""
"Eventually?""
He looked at me.
"She told me she could help me fix the financial problems. She said if she became Grace's legal guardian, she could arrange the trust documents properly.""
"That wasn't true.""
"I know that now.""
I stared at him.
"You knew enough to sign the papers.""
He didn't answer.
Detective Morgan opened the letter again.
"What did Emily discover?""
Ethan's hands began trembling.
"She found the transfers. She confronted me. I told her I'd made a mistake and promised to return the money.""
"Did you?""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because Savannah convinced me that Emily would destroy my business and take Grace away.""
I felt sick.
"So you let your wife believe the person protecting your daughter was the enemy.""
He looked down.
"Yes.""
Then I asked the question I had been holding inside since the pool incident.
"Did you know Savannah was going to hurt Grace?""
Ethan immediately shook his head.
"No.""
"Did you know she was planning to push her?""
"No!""
"Then why did you slap me before asking what happened?""
His eyes filled.
"I saw my daughter soaking wet. I saw you holding her. Savannah was screaming. I reacted.""
"You reacted by hitting the person who saved her.""
"I know.""
"No, Ethan. You don't know.""
My voice shook.
"Grace was terrified. She was cold. She was asking for help. And you made everything about your wife's accusation.""
He covered his face.
"I'm sorry.""
I looked away.
An apology didn't erase a frightened child's memory.
Detective Morgan interrupted.
"Mr. Whitmore, we need to discuss the accident.""
Ethan looked up.
"What accident?""
"Emily's death.""
His expression changed.
Detective Morgan placed the photograph of the blue car on the piano.
"Emily suspected someone had tampered with her vehicle.""
Ethan stared at it.
Then he whispered, "Lucas.""
I looked at him sharply.
"What?""
Ethan stood.
"Lucas worked on the car.""
The room went silent.
"He told me he was helping Emily. He said he had checked the brakes because she was having problems.""
Detective Morgan took a step closer.
"Did you witness him doing that?""
"No.""
"Did Emily tell you Lucas was involved?""
Ethan hesitated.
"She said she trusted him.""
"That isn't what I asked.""
He looked toward the floor.
"She told me Lucas had been acting strangely.""
I felt the room shift.
"Why didn't you mention this before?""
"Because I didn't want anyone investigating my brother.""
Detective Morgan looked at him for a long moment.
Then she said, "Mr. Whitmore, I need you to come with us.""
Ethan stared at her.
"Am I being arrested?""
"Not at this moment. But we have serious questions.""
As the officers escorted him toward the door, he suddenly turned.
"Hannah!""
I looked at him.
"Please find Grace.""
I didn't answer.
"Please," he repeated.
"I know I failed her. But don't let Savannah take her.""
The door closed behind him.
Detective Morgan asked me to remain at the house.
The USB drive was taken for examination.
The letter was photographed.
The piano compartment was searched.
Inside were several old photographs and a small audio recorder.
The detective examined it.
"Emily may have left multiple recordings.""
I nodded.
"She wanted someone to find the truth.""
Detective Morgan looked at the photographs.
"She was trying to protect her daughter.""
I stared at the picture of Emily and Grace.
"Then we need to finish what she started.""
My phone vibrated.
A message from Margaret.
*Hannah, please call me immediately.*
I stepped into the hallway.
"What's wrong?""
Margaret sounded breathless.
"The agency received a call from a woman claiming to be Grace's maternal grandmother.""
I stopped.
"Emily's mother?""
"Yes. Her name is Eleanor Bennett. She says she's been trying to reach Ethan for weeks.""
"Where is she?""
"At the agency.""
I looked toward the living room.
"Did she say why?""
Margaret lowered her voice.
"She has legal documents proving that Ethan never had sole custody of Grace after Emily died.""
I closed my eyes.
"How is that possible?""
"Because Emily's will named Eleanor as Grace's permanent guardian if anything happened to her.""
I stared at the wall.
Savannah had been trying to control Grace.
Ethan had been signing documents.
Lucas had been hiding evidence.
And the grandmother had apparently been kept away from the child for years.
I asked Margaret to keep Eleanor at the agency until I could speak with her.
Then I returned to Detective Morgan.
"There may be another person who can help.""
She listened carefully.
When I mentioned Eleanor's name, her expression changed.
"We've been looking for her.""
"Why?""
"Because she was the last person Emily contacted before her death.""
I swallowed.
"What did Emily tell her?""
Detective Morgan opened her notebook.
"According to the original police file, Eleanor claimed Emily had called her that night and said she was afraid to go home.""
I felt a chill.
"Why wasn't that investigated?""
"Because Ethan told investigators the call never happened.""
I stared at her.
Then my phone rang again.
An unknown number.
I answered.
A woman's voice spoke immediately.
"Hannah Miller?""
"Yes.""
"My name is Eleanor Bennett.""
I looked at Detective Morgan.
"Are you safe?""
The woman began crying.
"No. I don't think I am.""
"Where are you?""
"At the agency. Margaret is with me.""
"Stay there.""
Eleanor inhaled shakily.
Then she said something that made my heart pound.
"Hannah, I know why Savannah pushed Grace into that pool.""
I gripped the phone.
"Why?""
"Because Grace had finally remembered something.""
"What?""
Eleanor's voice broke.
"She remembered the night her mother died.""
I couldn't speak.
Then Eleanor whispered:
"And she told Savannah she wanted to go home to Mommy Emily.""
The call ended.
I turned toward Detective Morgan.
"Grace remembers the accident.""
The detective immediately reached for her phone.
"We need to locate Savannah.""
But before she could make the call, another officer entered the room.
"Detective, we have a problem.""
"What?""
He handed her a printed report.
"Lucas Bennett just checked into a private clinic under a false name.""
Detective Morgan scanned the page.
"Why?""
The officer looked at me.
"Because he was admitted with a head injury.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"Who injured him?""
The officer shook his head.
"He's claiming he was attacked.""
"By whom?""
He looked down at the report.
May you like
Then answered.
"Savannah Whitmore.""
