Chapter 7: The Night My Father Died
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
I stood in the hallway holding my father's letter, staring at my wife as if I were looking at a complete stranger.
"What happened the night my father died?""
Nia shook her head.
"Marcus, I can't explain everything right now.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That's exactly what you've been saying for four years.""
My mother sat down on the hallway bench.
Her hands were trembling.
"Marcus, please close the door.""
I looked at her.
"Why?""
She glanced toward the street.
"Because I don't want Daniel to know I'm here.""
My stomach tightened.
"Does Daniel know you found these documents?""
She nodded.
"He called me yesterday. He wanted to know whether I had finally signed the property papers.""
I stared at her.
"What did you tell him?""
"That I hadn't found them.""
I looked down at the envelope.
"Why didn't you tell me about this fifteen years ago?""
My mother began crying.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Daniel?""
She nodded.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
Daniel had always been the confident one.
The charming one.
The son who could convince anyone to do almost anything.
But I had never imagined he was capable of frightening our own mother.
I walked into the living room and placed the documents on the coffee table.
"Everybody sits down. Nobody leaves until I understand what's happening.""
Nia remained standing.
My mother sat beside the sofa.
I opened my father's letter again.
His handwriting was unmistakable.
He had always written slowly, with carefully formed letters.
I remembered him teaching me how to sign my name.
I remembered sitting on his shoulders at the park.
I remembered the last afternoon I saw him alive.
He had been sitting in his favorite armchair, coughing into a handkerchief.
He called Daniel and me over.
"Look after each other," he had said.
"Family is the only thing you can never replace.""
At the time, I thought he was simply giving us fatherly advice.
Now I wondered whether he had been trying to warn us.
I read the letter aloud.
To my sons, Marcus and Daniel.
I have arranged for the commercial property on Westbridge Avenue to belong equally to both of you. It is not simply an investment. It is something I worked for my entire life.
I know you have different personalities. Marcus is careful, while Daniel is ambitious. Neither quality is wrong, provided you never allow greed to destroy your relationship.
If anything happens to me, your mother has the original documents. Do not allow anyone to convince her otherwise.
I stopped reading.
My mother was crying quietly.
I looked at her.
"What happened?""
She wiped her cheeks.
"Your father discovered that Daniel had been borrowing money from people he shouldn't have been involved with.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"How much?""
"Your father never told me the exact amount.""
"Was Daniel gambling?""
She nodded.
"He had been gambling for months. Your father tried to help him, but Daniel kept going back.""
I looked at the letter.
"Then what?""
My mother took a shaky breath.
"The night your father died, Daniel came to the house. They argued.""
I stared at her.
"You never told me that.""
"I know.""
"What did they argue about?""
"The property.""
I slowly sat down.
My mother continued.
"Your father refused to give Daniel his share early. He said the property belonged to both of you and that he wouldn't allow Daniel to sell it to pay his debts.""
I looked at Nia.
She was staring at the floor.
"Did you know about this?""
She nodded.
I closed my eyes.
"How?""
"Daniel told me.""
"When?""
"Before Lily was born.""
I stood abruptly.
"Why was my wife involved in my father's property?""
Nia flinched.
"Because Daniel asked me to help him.""
"Help him do what?""
She swallowed.
"Get the documents.""
My mother covered her mouth.
I stared at Nia.
"Did you steal them?""
"No!""
"Then what did you do?""
She began crying.
"I went to your mother's house. Daniel told me where she kept the papers. I was supposed to take photographs of them.""
I looked at my mother.
"Did you know?""
"No," she whispered.
"I thought Nia was visiting me.""
I turned back.
"And the night my father died?""
Nia looked as though she might collapse.
"I wasn't there.""
"Then tell me what you know.""
She finally sat down.
"Daniel told me your father had threatened to report him for fraud. He said your father was going to change the inheritance arrangements.""
I frowned.
"Fraud?""
"He had discovered Daniel was using some company funds.""
I felt cold.
The pieces were becoming clearer.
My father had discovered Daniel's financial problems.
He had refused to hand over the property.
And shortly afterward, he had died.
"Was my father's death an accident?"" I asked.
My mother started sobbing.
"I don't know.""
I looked at her.
"Mom.""
She shook her head.
"The police said it was a heart attack. He had been having health problems.""
I remembered the funeral.
Daniel had cried harder than anyone.
He had stood beside me as we lowered our father into the ground.
Afterward, he had hugged me and said we needed to stay strong.
I had believed every word.
My mother reached into her handbag.
"There is something else.""
She pulled out a small, old key.
"Your father gave me this two days before he died.""
I took it.
"What does it open?""
"The storage room behind his old office.""
I frowned.
"I thought that office was sold.""
"The building was sold. But your father rented a storage unit separately.""
She handed me a small piece of paper.
An address was written on it.
I looked at Nia.
"Did Daniel know about this?""
She shook her head.
"I don't think so.""
My phone began vibrating.
Daniel.
I stared at the screen.
Then I answered.
"Daniel.""
His voice was unusually calm.
"Marcus. We need to stop this before it gets out of hand.""
I laughed.
"You're fifteen years too late.""
"Listen to me. Mom is confused. She doesn't understand the documents.""
"Then explain them.""
A pause.
"Come over tonight.""
"No.""
"Marcus, please. I want to explain what happened with Dad.""
I looked at my mother.
She had gone completely still.
I lowered my voice.
"What happened with Dad, Daniel?""
His breathing changed.
Then he said:
"You really don't want to open that storage unit.""
My heart slammed against my ribs.
"Why?""
"Because some things are better left buried.""
I tightened my grip on the phone.
"Are you threatening me?""
"No. I'm trying to protect you.""
I ended the call.
For a moment, the living room was silent.
Then my mother stood.
"He's going to come here.""
I looked toward the window.
A black SUV had just pulled into the driveway.
The driver's door opened.
Daniel stepped out.
He wasn't alone.
A woman in a dark coat got out from the passenger side.
She carried a leather briefcase.
Nia looked through the window.
Then she whispered:
"That's Robert Hayes.""
The same lawyer from the photographs.
I walked toward the front door.
My mother grabbed my arm.
"Marcus, don't let them take those papers.""
I looked at her.
"Nobody is taking anything.""
I opened the door.
Daniel stood on the porch.
He glanced at the envelope in my hand.
Then he smiled.
Not warmly.
Not nervously.
It was the smile of a man who believed he still had control.
"Little brother," he said.
"We need to talk.""
I stepped aside.
"Come in.""
Daniel entered with Robert behind him.
Robert placed his briefcase on the coffee table.
Then he opened it and removed a document.
"Mr. Reed," he said politely, "before this conversation goes any further, I believe you should understand something.""
I stared at him.
"What?""
He pushed the document toward me.
It was a court filing.
May you like
A petition to have my mother declared legally incapable of managing her financial affairs.
And the person who had requested it was my older brother.
