Chapter 4: My Father’s Terrible Secret
For several seconds, I couldn't recognize the man standing in front of me.
My father.
The man who had taught me how to ride a bicycle, walked me down the aisle at my wedding, and spent every Christmas pretending he didn't like the terrible sweaters Grace bought him.
The man who had sat beside my mother throughout the funeral.
The man who had cried when the pastor mentioned Lucas.
Now he was standing in the aisle, accused of being inside my sister's house on the night she died.
"That's impossible," I whispered.
My father looked at me.
"Natalie, listen to me.""
My mother rose unsteadily.
"Robert?""
He took one step toward her.
"Eleanor, please.""
She backed away.
"Tell me they're lying.""
My father looked toward Gerald Finch.
"Where did you get that?""
Gerald held the document against his chest.
"From your daughter's personal files.""
"That's not what I asked.""
"Grace identified you in a recorded statement.""
My father shook his head.
"She misunderstood something.""
Travis suddenly laughed.
It was the first time I'd heard him sound comfortable all afternoon.
"Well, isn't that interesting?""
I turned toward him.
"Don't.""
He raised both hands.
"I'm not saying anything.""
"You've said enough.""
Travis looked at my father.
"Robert, perhaps you should explain why you were at our house that night.""
My father clenched his jaw.
"I was visiting my daughter.""
"At 8:43 p.m.?""
"Yes.""
"Interesting. You told the police you hadn't been there.""
My mother looked between them.
"Robert, is that true?""
He didn't answer.
My stomach tightened.
"Please," I whispered.
"Tell us what's happening.""
My father finally looked at me.
"I went to see Grace that evening. She called me.""
"Why didn't you tell the police?""
"Because I didn't want to make things worse.""
"What things?""
He glanced at Travis.
Then he looked toward Grace's casket.
"Your sister was frightened. She told me Travis had been threatening her.""
The church seemed to tilt.
My mother covered her mouth.
"Threatening her how?""
My father rubbed his forehead.
"She wouldn't give me all the details. She said she'd found financial documents and that Travis had been moving money without her permission.""
Gerald nodded slowly.
"That is consistent with the information Mrs. Calloway provided.""
My father continued.
"She wanted me to come over. She said she needed someone to help her collect some papers.""
"Then why lie about being there?"" I demanded.
He looked at me.
"Because Travis told me something.""
Travis's expression changed.
"Don't.""
My father ignored him.
"He said if I told the police I'd been there, he'd accuse me of stealing money from the house.""
My mother stared at him.
"What money?""
"An envelope. Cash. He claimed it was missing.""
Travis stepped forward.
"Because it was!""
"You're lying," my father snapped.
"You were in my office!""
"I was looking for Grace's documents!""
"You opened my desk!""
"Because my daughter asked me to!""
Their voices echoed against the church walls.
Gerald raised his hand.
"Both of you, please. This is a funeral, not an interrogation. The authorities will investigate the evidence.""
Travis turned toward him.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?""
"No, Mr. Calloway. I'm honoring a dying woman's instructions.""
I looked at my father.
"Did you see Grace that night?""
He nodded.
"Yes.""
"Was she alive when you left?""
His face crumpled.
"Yes.""
"Was she okay?""
He hesitated.
That hesitation frightened me more than anything he'd said.
"She was upset," he finally answered.
"But she was standing. She was talking. She was perfectly capable of walking.""
I gripped the back of the pew.
"Then what happened?""
My father lowered his voice.
"I left at approximately eight twenty.""
"Did you see Travis?""
"No.""
"Did Grace tell you he was coming home?""
"She said he was supposed to be at a business dinner.""
Travis laughed.
"She was wrong.""
My father turned.
"What does that mean?""
"I came home early.""
The words hung in the air.
My mother slowly looked at him.
"You were there?""
Travis adjusted his cuff.
"I came home early. I found Grace arguing with her father.""
My father stepped forward.
"That is not true.""
Travis's eyes hardened.
"I saw you leaving.""
"Then why did you tell the police you were downstairs when you heard the fall?""
Travis didn't answer.
Gerald quietly placed his briefcase on the table.
"Mr. Calloway, I believe you should stop speaking until you have legal representation.""
Travis looked at him.
"You don't get to tell me what to do.""
"No. But I can tell you that your wife's statements have been preserved, and that the authorities have already received the relevant documents.""
That made Travis go quiet.
My mother sat down.
She looked physically ill.
I wanted to comfort her, but I couldn't stop thinking about my father.
He had hidden his visit.
He had hidden the argument.
And somehow, Grace had known enough to record everything.
I opened the letter she had left me.
My fingers shook so badly that the paper crackled.
My dearest Nat,
If you're holding this, I'm sorry I didn't get to tell you everything myself.
I know you'll be angry with Dad. Please don't make a decision about him until you know the whole story.
I looked up.
My father was watching me.
I continued reading.
Dad came to see me because I asked him to. He wanted to help. But I made him promise not to tell Mom or you because I was afraid Travis would find out how much we knew.
My eyes filled.
There is something about Travis's business that nobody in our family understands. He has been using my name, my signature, and an old company account to move money. I believe he is trying to hide a much larger financial problem.
I swallowed.
Dad found some of the documents. He wanted to take them to the police immediately. I asked him to wait until Gerald could make copies.
The next paragraph made my blood run cold.
But when Dad left, I heard the front door open again.
I stopped breathing.
I looked at Gerald.
He was watching me.
I continued.
I thought it was Travis returning home.
It wasn't.
The paper trembled.
It was someone else.
I looked toward my father.
"Who came back?"" I whispered.
He shook his head.
"I don't know.""
I read the next line.
Nat, I know you are going to want to protect Mom and Dad. But the person who returned that night wasn't someone Dad expected to see.
My eyes moved down.
And I think that person was the reason Travis has been so desperate to keep everyone quiet.
A second sheet had been folded behind the letter.
I pulled it free.
There was a photograph attached.
It showed the entrance to Grace's house.
The date was visible in the corner.
October 14.
The photograph had been taken at 8:31 p.m.
And standing beside the front door was a woman wearing a red scarf.
I recognized her immediately.
My mother.
I looked up.
She was staring at the photograph.
Her lips parted.
"Oh, God.""
My father turned toward her.
"Eleanor?""
She shook her head.
"No.""
"What's wrong?""
She began crying.
"Robert, I didn't tell you because Grace asked me not to.""
My father stepped closer.
"What?""
My mother looked at me.
Then at the photograph.
"I went to see her too.""
The entire church seemed to disappear around me.
My mother pressed both hands against her chest.
"I was there that night.""
Travis's expression changed.
May you like
And Gerald slowly closed his briefcase.
"Mrs. Monroe," he said quietly, "I believe we need to speak about the second recording.""
