Chapter 5: The Woman Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Dominic didn't move.
The guard repeated the announcement.
"Mr. Hale, the woman at the entrance claims to be Margaret Hale. She has identification and a letter addressed to you.""
Dominic stared at James.
"Bring her inside.""
I stepped closer.
"Dominic, wait.""
He looked at me.
"Your mother died.""
"I know.""
"Then who is standing at our front door?""
His expression was impossible to read.
I had met Margaret Hale only twice before she supposedly died.
She was an elegant woman with silver-blonde hair, pale blue eyes, and a quiet authority that made people straighten their backs when she entered a room.
She had never been particularly affectionate.
But she had loved Dominic.
At least, that was what I believed.
Seven years earlier, she had reportedly died in a private plane crash over the Atlantic.
There had been no open casket.
No body recovered.
Just a funeral, a death certificate, and an insurance settlement.
Dominic had never discussed it much.
He had spent months trying to obtain the flight investigation records, but the authorities had closed the case.
Now someone claiming to be his mother was standing outside our house.
"Could it be a trick?"" I asked.
"Possibly.""
James approached.
"Sir, should we bring her through the east entrance?""
Dominic shook his head.
"Bring her to the library. Keep two guards with her.""
Five minutes later, the library doors opened.
A woman walked inside.
She was older than I remembered, her face thinner, her silver-blonde hair cut just below her chin.
But her eyes were unmistakable.
Dominic stared at her.
The woman stopped several feet away.
"Hello, sweetheart.""
Dominic's jaw tightened.
"Don't call me that.""
Her expression crumpled.
"I know you're angry.""
"Angry?""
He let out a short, disbelieving laugh.
"You've been dead for seven years.""
"I was forced to disappear.""
"By whom?""
Margaret looked toward me.
"Can we speak privately?""
"No.""
Dominic stepped between us.
"Whatever you have to say, Eleanor hears it.""
Margaret studied him.
Then she noticed the small metallic device on the table.
Her face changed.
"Where did you get that?""
"From my ear.""
She closed her eyes.
"Oh, Richard.""
I moved forward.
"You know about this?""
Margaret looked at me.
"Yes.""
"Then tell us everything.""
She sat slowly in an armchair.
For a moment, she looked like an exhausted woman who had spent too many years running.
Then she opened her handbag and removed a thick envelope.
"Your father-in-law wasn't always this ambitious," she began.
"When Dominic's father was alive, Richard was simply one of several investors in the company.""
Dominic remained standing.
"Get to the point.""
"Richard wanted control of the Hale Group. Your father, Eleanor, helped him. They were partners.""
I shook my head.
"My father invested in Dominic's company. That's all.""
"No," Margaret replied.
"They established a private agreement to remove Dominic from the business if he refused to sell his controlling shares.""
Dominic's expression darkened.
"When?""
"Four years before your accident.""
She opened the envelope.
Inside were photographs, bank statements, and a collection of handwritten notes.
One photograph showed Richard and Victor standing outside a private laboratory.
Another showed a doctor I recognized from Dominic's treatment records.
"Dr. Samuel Voss," I whispered.
Margaret nodded.
"He developed the suppression technology.""
Dominic took the photograph.
"Why would a doctor build something like this?""
"Because he was paid to.""
She reached into the envelope and removed another document.
"The device behind your ear was never intended to cure anything. It was designed to suppress auditory signals while allowing the user to remain conscious and physically functional.""
Dominic stared at her.
"How did it work?""
"Your hearing wasn't destroyed in the accident. The accident gave them an opportunity to introduce the device during emergency surgery.""
My stomach twisted.
"So the accident was planned?""
Margaret nodded slowly.
"The helicopter's navigation system had been altered. The pilot was supposed to survive. You were supposed to be injured badly enough that nobody would question the emergency procedure.""
Dominic's hands curled into fists.
"Who arranged it?""
"Richard.""
"Who approved the surgery?""
"Victor.""
"And you?""
Margaret looked down.
"I found out two weeks afterward.""
Dominic stepped toward her.
"You knew?""
"I tried to stop them.""
"By disappearing?""
She flinched.
"Richard threatened to have me killed. He told me he would make your death look like another accident. I had no choice.""
Dominic laughed bitterly.
"You had seven years.""
"I was trying to gather evidence.""
"Seven years, Mother.""
Margaret's eyes filled.
"I know.""
She slid a small flash drive across the table.
"Everything I could recover is on here. The original laboratory reports, payment records, and the names of everyone involved.""
Dominic picked it up.
"Why come now?""
Margaret looked toward Marcus, who had wandered into the library holding a stuffed dinosaur.
Her expression softened.
"Because they have moved to the next phase.""
Dominic turned.
"What phase?""
"Your son.""
I immediately pulled Marcus closer.
Margaret continued.
"Richard believes that if Marcus is placed under his guardianship, he can control the trust. But there's something else he wants.""
Dominic stared at her.
"What?""
"The trust contains more than company shares.""
She opened another document.
It showed a list of properties, offshore accounts, and voting rights.
At the bottom was a clause I had never seen before.
*Upon the death or permanent incapacity of the primary beneficiary's parent, all undisclosed assets shall transfer to the appointed guardian pending verification of the beneficiary's identity.*
I read it twice.
"That doesn't make sense.""
"It does if someone intends to make Dominic disappear.""
Dominic looked at his mother.
"Who else knows about this clause?""
"Richard. Victor. Olivia Grant.""
"And the doctor?""
Margaret hesitated.
"Dr. Voss knows everything.""
Dominic turned toward James.
"Find him.""
James nodded.
Margaret stood.
"There is one more thing.""
Dominic looked at her.
"What?""
She reached into her handbag and removed a folded piece of paper.
It was a hospital photograph.
Dominic, unconscious, lying in a bed.
But this time, there was someone else in the background.
A young nurse holding a newborn baby.
I stared at the photograph.
"Who is that?""
Margaret looked at me.
"Your father ordered a second medical procedure that night.""
My heart began pounding.
"What procedure?""
She swallowed.
"The hospital records show that a blood sample from Marcus was collected and transferred to Dr. Voss's laboratory.""
I looked down at my son.
"Why?""
Margaret's voice dropped.
"Because Richard suspected Marcus wasn't Dominic's biological son.""
The room went silent.
Dominic turned toward me.
His eyes searched my face.
I stepped backward.
"No.""
Margaret's expression softened.
"Eleanor, I don't know what the results showed. But Richard has spent three years trying to keep those records hidden.""
Dominic looked at the photograph again.
Then he asked the question that destroyed whatever remained of our fragile peace.
"Did you know about this?""
I stared at him.
"Dominic, I swear—"
Before I could finish, the library doors flew open.
James rushed inside.
"Mr. Hale, we have a situation.""
Dominic turned sharply.
"What?""
"We found Dr. Voss.""
"Where?""
James swallowed.
"At the hospital.""
"Alive?""
"No, sir.""
He looked at Margaret.
"Someone murdered him less than an hour ago.""
Then he placed a second photograph on the table.
It showed Dr. Voss lying beside a shattered medical cabinet.
May you like
Written across the wall behind him were three words.
*ASK YOUR WIFE.*
