Chapter 3: The Secret Robert Took to His Grave
The study clock chimed eleven.
Nobody spoke.
Marcus stood beside his father's desk, holding the photograph so tightly that its edges bent beneath his fingers.
Vanessa was near the doorway.
For once, she wasn't crying.
"Marcus," she said, "you need to listen to me.""
He looked at her.
"Who is David?""
"He's nobody.""
"Then why did Dad photograph you with him?""
"I don't know.""
"Why was the picture in his safe?""
"I don't know!""
Marcus slammed the photograph onto the desk.
"Stop saying that!""
Evelyn flinched.
She had seen her son angry before.
But never like this.
He looked at the letter again.
"Mom, read the rest.""
Evelyn unfolded the second page.
Her husband's handwriting was slightly uneven, as if he had written it while struggling with his health.
Evelyn, I discovered something several months before my illness became serious. Vanessa was meeting a man named David regularly. At first, I believed he was a business associate. Then I discovered that she had been using Marcus's company accounts to finance expenses he knew nothing about.
Evelyn paused.
Marcus leaned against the desk.
"What expenses?""
She continued.
I confronted her. She denied everything. She told me she was protecting Marcus from financial trouble. I wanted to believe her.
Vanessa shook her head.
"That is a lie.""
Evelyn kept reading.
I hired an investigator. What he found frightened me. The transfers were not ordinary business expenses. Money was moving through several companies, and the final recipient was an account controlled by someone close to our family.
Marcus whispered.
"Who?""
Evelyn turned the page.
But the next sheet was missing.
There was a torn edge where another page had once been attached.
"Someone removed it," Marcus said.
Vanessa immediately looked at the floor.
Daniel, who had followed them into the study, noticed.
"Vanessa?""
She raised her eyes.
"What?""
"Have you been inside this safe before?""
"No.""
Evelyn looked at her.
"Are you certain?""
"Yes.""
"Then why did you tell Marcus there was nothing in it?""
Vanessa folded her arms.
"Because I knew Robert's papers were old and irrelevant.""
Marcus stared at her.
"How did you know what was in the safe?""
"I told you. I've seen the study.""
Daniel moved toward the desk.
"Marcus, there's another document here.""
He picked up a small sheet of paper that had slipped beneath the folder.
It contained a bank account number and a date.
Marcus recognized the account.
It belonged to Williams Development.
His company.
He reached for his phone.
"I need to call our finance director.""
Vanessa stepped forward.
"Don't.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Why?""
"Because it's Christmas Eve. You can deal with this tomorrow.""
"It's almost midnight.""
"Exactly. Nobody is going to help you now.""
Daniel frowned.
"Our finance director lives twenty minutes away.""
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"Why are you so determined to destroy my marriage?""
Daniel looked genuinely confused.
"Because someone appears to have stolen nearly half a million dollars from my business partner?""
"Your business partner can speak for himself!""
Marcus lifted his phone.
"Call the finance office.""
Daniel dialed the number.
It rang four times.
Then a woman answered.
"Hello?""
"Rachel, it's Daniel. I need you to check the transfers from the company account.""
A pause.
"Which transfers?""
"The ones to an offshore investment company. Approximately $480,000.""
The silence lasted several seconds.
Then Rachel spoke.
"Daniel, I was hoping you wouldn't call tonight.""
Marcus grabbed the phone.
"Rachel, it's Marcus. What happened?""
Her voice became cautious.
"Mr. Williams, I need to speak with you privately.""
"Speak.""
"I found several unauthorized payments last month.""
"How many?""
"Seventeen.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
"How much?""
"Approximately $1.8 million.""
Evelyn slowly sat in Robert's leather chair.
Vanessa's face turned rigid.
Marcus gripped the phone.
"Who authorized them?""
Rachel hesitated.
"The electronic approvals came through your executive credentials.""
"I didn't authorize anything.""
"I know, sir.""
Marcus opened his eyes.
"What do you mean, you know?""
Rachel lowered her voice.
"Because the approvals came from your office computer while you were overseas.""
Daniel looked at Marcus.
Marcus was in London during the dates Rachel had mentioned.
His phone had been in his possession.
But his office computer had remained at the mansion.
"Who had access to my office?"" he asked.
Rachel paused.
"Your wife.""
The room became silent again.
Vanessa shook her head.
"That's absurd.""
Marcus stared at her.
"Did you use my computer?""
"I use it all the time.""
"Did you authorize those transfers?""
"No!""
Rachel continued.
"There's something else, Mr. Williams.""
Marcus pressed the phone closer.
"What?""
"The money wasn't transferred to just one company. Most of it went through a holding company called Northbridge Holdings.""
Daniel immediately looked up.
"Northbridge?""
Rachel confirmed.
"Yes.""
Daniel's expression changed.
"Marcus, that's the company we investigated last year.""
Marcus frowned.
"What company?""
"The one that tried to purchase our commercial development portfolio through a shell corporation.""
Evelyn watched the two men.
"Why would someone want to buy your company?""
Daniel answered.
"Because our land holdings are worth considerably more than our current valuation. If someone could force the company into a financial crisis, they could acquire its assets cheaply.""
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
"Is that what you've been doing?""
Vanessa laughed nervously.
"You're all insane.""
But her eyes had moved toward the desk.
Toward the folder.
Evelyn noticed.
She looked down at the documents again.
Then something caught her attention.
The letter contained a reference to a second envelope.
If you discover that Northbridge is involved, look inside the blue envelope. It contains the name of the person who arranged the original agreement.
Evelyn searched the safe.
There was no blue envelope.
Instead, she found a small brass key taped beneath the bottom shelf.
She held it up.
"Robert left something else.""
Marcus approached.
"What's that?""
"I don't know.""
Daniel examined the key.
It was small, old-fashioned, and marked with a tiny number.
"Looks like a storage key.""
Vanessa suddenly moved.
"Give it to me.""
Evelyn stepped back.
"Why?""
"Because it's probably for an old cabinet. There's no reason to make another scene.""
Marcus blocked her path.
"Stay where you are.""
Vanessa stared at him.
For a moment, neither moved.
Then Evelyn remembered something.
Robert had once rented a private storage unit outside the city. He used to tell her that it contained old business records and architectural plans.
After his death, she had forgotten about it.
She had never received a notice asking her to renew the rental.
"Marcus," she whispered, "your father had a storage unit.""
He turned.
"Where?""
"At the old warehouse district near the river.""
Daniel looked at the key.
"Then this might be the answer.""
Vanessa's breathing became uneven.
Marcus noticed.
"You know something about that unit.""
"No.""
"Look at me.""
She did.
He stepped closer.
"Have you been there?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Never.""
But the answer came too quickly.
Evelyn looked at the photograph again.
The man standing beside Vanessa had a distinctive silver watch.
She had seen that watch before.
Not in a photograph.
Not in a magazine.
In person.
Three weeks earlier, a man had visited the mansion while Marcus was away on a business trip. Vanessa had introduced him as a financial consultant.
His name had been David.
He had shaken Evelyn's hand and complimented the Christmas decorations.
And he had worn that exact watch.
Evelyn's stomach tightened.
"Vanessa," she said quietly, "I remember him.""
Vanessa went pale.
"Remember who?""
"The man in the photograph.""
Marcus turned.
"What?""
"He came here three weeks ago. You introduced him as your financial consultant.""
Vanessa shook her head violently.
"That never happened.""
"It did," Evelyn replied.
"I remember because he asked me whether Robert had kept any old business documents.""
Marcus stared at his wife.
"Why would a financial consultant ask my mother about Dad's papers?""
Vanessa said nothing.
Daniel picked up the photograph.
"There's a name written on the back.""
Marcus turned it over again.
Below the words about David was a small line of handwriting.
December 23 — final meeting.
That was yesterday.
Evelyn felt the room tilt.
Robert had died almost two years earlier.
Yet someone had continued following his instructions, searching for whatever he had hidden.
Marcus took the photograph from Daniel.
"Where is this man now?""
Vanessa backed toward the doorway.
"I don't know.""
"You're going to tell me everything.""
"I haven't done anything wrong!""
"Then you won't mind answering a few questions.""
She looked at Evelyn.
For the first time, her expression wasn't angry.
It was pleading.
"Please," she whispered.
"You don't understand what you're doing.""
Evelyn stood.
"Then help us understand.""
Vanessa's eyes filled.
"Your husband wasn't the man you thought he was.""
Evelyn froze.
"Be careful.""
"No. You need to hear this. Robert made a deal with David long before he died.
He promised him something. Something that Marcus doesn't know about.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"What deal?""
Vanessa looked at him.
Then at Evelyn.
And finally, she whispered the words that made the entire room go cold.
"Your father didn't leave you this company, Marcus.""
She swallowed.
"He left you a debt.""
Before anyone could respond, Evelyn's phone vibrated.
An unknown number.
One message.
Mrs. Williams, if you want to know why your husband hid the truth, come to the old warehouse alone. Bring the brass key. Do not tell Marcus.
A second message arrived.
This one contained a photograph.
It showed the entrance to Robert's storage unit.
And standing beside the metal door was the man from the photograph.
David.
Beneath his picture were six words.
Your husband wasn't the first victim.
Evelyn looked up.
Outside the study window, a black car had just pulled into the driveway.
May you like
Its headlights illuminated the snow.
And someone inside was watching the mansion.
