Chapter 6: What Dad Changed
The door opened.
A man stood in the rain.
He was older than he had been in the photographs, but I recognized him immediately.
Thomas Reed.
His hair was gray at the temples.
His face was thinner.
There was a scar above his left eyebrow.
But his eyes were unmistakable.
He looked at me as if he'd been waiting twelve years to see my face.
"Rachel.""
I stepped forward.
"You're alive.""
He gave a tired smile.
"Apparently.""
Arthur raised his hand.
"Why did Helen tell us you were dead?""
Thomas looked at him.
"Because she needed me to be.""
Daniel stepped closer.
"Where have you been?""
Thomas glanced through the broken window.
"Running.""
"From Helen?""
"From Helen and Victor Hale.""
My stomach tightened.
"Why?""
Thomas looked at me.
"Because your father found out what they had done.""
I held up Dad's notebook.
"What did they do?""
Thomas walked inside and closed the door.
"Before I answer that, you need to understand something.""
"What?""
"Your father never believed you abandoned him.""
I swallowed.
"I know.""
"No.""
Thomas shook his head.
"You don't.""
He pulled a folded photograph from inside his coat.
It showed Dad sitting at a kitchen table.
He looked exhausted.
In front of him was a stack of envelopes.
Thomas placed the photograph beside me.
"That was taken eleven years ago.""
"What are those?""
"Letters.""
"From me?""
"Yes.""
I stared at the photograph.
"How many?""
"Thirty-seven.""
My throat tightened.
"I sent dozens.""
"I know.""
"Why didn't Dad get them?""
Thomas looked at me.
"Because Helen intercepted them.""
I closed my eyes.
Of course.
I'd always known she had intercepted some.
But thirty-seven?
"She told him you didn't write," Thomas said.
I opened my eyes.
"Why?""
"Because she wanted him to believe you'd forgotten him.""
"Why would she want that?""
Thomas's face became grim.
"Because she wanted Robert to change his will.""
Arthur stiffened.
"To what?""
Thomas looked at him.
"To leave everything to Chloe.""
My sister's name hung in the air.
I stared.
"Why?""
"Because Helen knew Robert intended to leave the family property and most of his assets to Rachel.""
I shook my head.
"Why would Dad do that?""
Thomas answered softly.
"Because he believed you were the one person he could trust to protect the family.""
My eyes filled.
"But Mom was his wife.""
"That's why he hesitated.""
Thomas opened another folder.
Inside was a copy of Dad's original will.
I recognized his signature.
At the bottom was a handwritten clause.
*To my daughter Rachel, I leave the Lawson property, the veteran's foundation, and control of the family trust.*
I stared at the page.
"Mom knew?""
"Eventually.""
"What did she do?""
"She convinced Robert you had abandoned the family.""
"I didn't.""
"I know.""
"How did she convince him?""
Thomas looked down.
"She showed him evidence.""
"What evidence?""
"Forged letters.""
My stomach turned.
"Letters?""
"Letters supposedly written by you.""
I shook my head.
"I never wrote those.""
Thomas nodded.
"I know.""
Arthur stepped closer.
"Who forged them?""
Thomas didn't answer.
I already knew.
"Mom.""
He looked at me.
"Your mother wrote some. Victor Hale helped with others.""
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
"Why?""
"Because they needed Robert to believe you hated him.""
Daniel asked, "And the financial transfers?""
Thomas opened another folder.
"That came later.""
He placed bank records on the table.
"Victor created shell accounts.""
Arthur leaned over them.
"Lawson Family Holdings.""
Thomas nodded.
"One of several.""
I looked at the documents.
"How much?""
Thomas hesitated.
"Enough to destroy your father's estate if he discovered it.""
"How much?""
"Nearly six hundred thousand dollars.""
I stared.
"Six hundred thousand?""
"Over several years.""
Arthur's jaw tightened.
"Where did it go?""
"Real estate. Investments. Personal accounts.""
I looked toward the door.
"Mom stole from Dad.""
Thomas corrected me.
"She moved money from joint accounts before Robert could freeze them.""
"Why?""
"Because she knew he was changing the will.""
My hands trembled.
"Then why did Dad die without exposing her?""
Thomas looked at Arthur.
"That's the part I never understood.""
Arthur's face hardened.
"What?""
Thomas lowered his voice.
"Robert was planning to confront Helen.""
"When?""
"The night before he died.""
I stopped breathing.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"It happened at the house.""
"Who was there?""
"Robert. Helen. Victor Hale.""
I stared.
"Victor was there?""
"Yes.""
"Why?""
"Your father had discovered the forged letters.""
Arthur looked furious.
"Then why didn't Robert call the police?""
"Because he believed Helen could explain.""
Thomas sighed.
"He was still trying to protect her.""
I looked down at Dad's will.
Even after everything.
Even then.
He had still wanted to believe his wife.
"What happened that night?""
Thomas's expression changed.
"Robert called me.""
"From the house?""
"Yes.""
"What did he say?""
"He said, 'Thomas, if you don't hear from me by morning, take the evidence to Rachel.''"
My chest tightened.
"Then?""
"He hung up.""
"What happened?""
"I drove toward the house.""
"And?""
"I arrived twenty minutes later.""
"What did you see?""
Thomas looked directly at me.
"Victor's car.""
My blood went cold.
"Was Dad alive?""
"I don't know.""
"You don't know?""
"I saw Helen standing in the driveway.""
"Did you speak to her?""
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because someone was inside the house.""
"Who?""
Thomas shook his head.
"I never saw.""
I felt a chill.
"Then why did you disappear?""
Thomas looked away.
"Because the next morning, Victor found me.""
"Found you?""
"He told me Robert was dead.""
I waited.
"He also told me the police would blame me.""
"Why?""
"Because he had evidence I'd been investigating your family.""
Arthur frowned.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"It did to him.""
Thomas reached into his coat.
He pulled out a small key.
"Your father gave me this.""
I stared at it.
"What does it open?""
"The metal box.""
Daniel looked toward the boxes.
"We already opened it.""
Thomas shook his head.
"Not that one.""
He pointed beneath the floorboards.
"There is another compartment.""
Arthur moved toward the center of the room.
"How do you know?""
"Robert told me.""
Daniel crouched and searched the boards.
A few seconds later, he found a narrow seam.
He pried it open.
Beneath the floor was a steel box.
Small.
Black.
Locked.
Thomas handed me the key.
"Your father said you were the only person who should open it.""
My fingers closed around the key.
"Why me?""
"Because he said you'd understand what was inside.""
I inserted the key.
The lock clicked.
I lifted the lid.
Inside was a single envelope.
My name was written across it.
*RACHEL.*
Underneath, in smaller handwriting:
*Read this before you decide what to do with your mother.*
I looked at Arthur.
Then Chloe.
Then Thomas.
I unfolded the letter.
Dad's handwriting filled the page.
Rachel,
If you're reading this, then the truth has finally reached you.
My vision blurred.
I continued.
I need you to know that I did not die believing you abandoned me.
I pressed a hand over my mouth.
I knew your mother lied about the letters.
My heart cracked.
I knew about the money.
I knew about the forged documents.
And I knew she was afraid of what you would discover.
I looked toward Thomas.
He was staring at the floor.
Then I read the final paragraph.
But there is one thing I never told you because I was afraid the truth would destroy the only family you had left.
My hands began shaking.
Helen was not the person who started this.
I stopped.
Read it again.
Then again.
Thomas stepped closer.
"What does it say?""
I looked at the final lines.
And my blood ran cold.
The first person who asked Helen to keep you away from me was not Victor Hale.
It was someone inside the Navy.
A noise came from outside.
Headlights swept across the broken windows.
Thomas turned toward the door.
Arthur whispered, "She's here.""
A car stopped outside.
The engine died.
Then footsteps approached through the rain.
May you like
But Dad's final sentence was still burning in my mind.
*Someone inside the Navy had asked my mother to destroy my family.*
