Chapter 6 - The Name Grandpa Never Wanted Me to Hear"Who?"
I could barely get the word out.
My father stared at me.
"Victor Hale."
I frowned.
"Who is that?"
Evelyn's expression changed instantly.
"You know him."
"No, I don't."
"You do."
She walked to the bookshelf.
"Look."
She pulled out an old photograph.
It showed Grandpa at a charity event.
Beside him stood a younger man.
Tall.
Dark suit.
Silver hair.
A familiar smile.
I recognized him.
"That's Victor?"
Evelyn nodded.
"He was Bernard's financial adviser for almost twenty years."
My father said, "And one of his closest friends."
"Was?"
My father didn't answer.
Evelyn did.
"Victor resigned eighteen months before Bernard died."
"Why?"
"After Bernard discovered discrepancies."
I stared at the photograph.
"How much?"
"We don't know yet."
My father looked down.
"Millions."
The word landed like a stone.
"Millions?"
"Across several accounts."
I turned toward him.
"And you knew?"
"No."
"Then how did you know his name?"
He looked at me.
"Because Bernard confronted Victor."
"When?"
"Two weeks before his death."
I felt sick.
"What happened?"
"They fought."
"About money?"
"About everything."
Evelyn sat down.
"Bernard told Victor he was going to report the discrepancies."
"And Victor?"
"He threatened him."
My skin prickled.
"Threatened him how?"
My father stared at the floor.
"He told Bernard that families were messy things."
I waited.
"He said if Bernard went to the authorities, the scandal wouldn't stop with him."
"Meaning?"
"My father."
I looked at him.
"Victor knew your father had financial problems."
"Yes."
"He knew about Cole."
"Yes."
"He knew about the property."
"Yes."
"Then he could have manipulated everything."
Evelyn nodded.
"Possibly."
My father stood.
"That's not the worst part."
I turned.
"What could be worse?"
"He wasn't working alone."
The room became silent.
I looked at Evelyn.
"Who?"
She didn't answer.
My father did.
"Your mother."
I stared at her.
My mother.
The woman who had stood silently while chili poured over my head.
The woman who had said nothing when Cole told me to leave.
The woman who had signed as a witness.
"No."
My father shook his head.
"Not in the way you think."
"What way is there?"
"She gave Victor access."
My mother's face flashed through my mind.
Her nervous hands.
Her refusal to look at me.
Her words.
I thought I was protecting the family.
I looked back at my father.
"Why?"
"Because Victor told her your grandfather was about to disinherit all of us."
I laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
"So she helped him?"
"She gave him documents."
"What documents?"
"Financial statements."
"How?"
"She was listed on some household and business accounts."
My hands curled into fists.
"Did Cole know?"
"I don't know."
"Evelyn?"
She looked at me.
"We found communications."
"Between who?"
"Victor and someone using an encrypted number."
"Who?"
"We haven't identified the owner."
My phone vibrated again.
A text.
Ask your mother what happened the night Bernard collapsed.
I stared at the screen.
Then I looked at my father.
"The night Grandpa died."
He closed his eyes.
"What happened?"
He didn't answer.
"Tell me."
"He had chest pain."
"I know."
"He called someone."
"Who?"
"I don't know."
"Then why are you sure?"
"Because Victor told us."
I froze.
"Victor was there?"
My father looked up.
"That night, yes."
Everything inside me seemed to click into place.
"Why was he at the house?"
"Bernard invited him."
"At midnight?"
"Bernard believed he was going to get the truth."
"Did he?"
My father swallowed.
"No."
Evelyn stood.
"We need to leave."
"Why?"
"Because this house may no longer be secure."
I turned toward her.
"What about Grandpa's death?"
"Your grandfather's official cause of death was cardiac arrest."
"I know."
"There was no evidence of poisoning."
"Then what are you saying?"
"Nothing."
She paused.
"Not yet."
I stared at her.
"You know something."
"I know there are unanswered questions."
"Then tell me."
She shook her head.
"Not here."
We moved toward the door.
Then my father stopped.
"There was one thing."
I turned.
"What?"
He looked at me with something close to shame.
"The night Bernard died, he called you."
I froze.
"I never got a call."
"He did."
"When?"
"Eleven twenty-six."
I pulled out my phone.
My call history.
Nothing.
"No."
"He left a voicemail."
"Where is it?"
My father reached into his jacket.
He pulled out an old phone.
Grandpa's.
I stared.
"You had that?"
"Victor gave it to me."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
I took it.
The screen was cracked.
There was one saved message.
One voicemail.
I pressed play.
Static.
Then Grandpa's voice.
Weak.
Breathing hard.
"Megan..."
My knees nearly gave way.
"If they tell you it was an accident..."
A pause.
A cough.
"...don't believe them."
I gripped the phone.
Grandpa continued.
"Look beneath the..."
The message cut off.
I froze.
"Beneath the what?"
The recording ended.
I replayed it.
Same ending.
Then the phone buzzed.
An incoming call.
No number.
Just PRIVATE.
I answered.
Silence.
Then the same voice from before.
"You really should stop digging."
I whispered, "Victor?"
A soft laugh.
"No."
The caller hung up.
Evelyn grabbed my arm.
"Megan."
"What?"
She looked at the phone.
"That wasn't Victor."
"How do you know?"
May you like
She stared at me.
"Because Victor Hale has been dead for eight months."
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