Chapter 8: The Truth About James
When I left that meeting, I couldn’t breathe.
Not because Latoya scared me.
Because she had planted a question.
What else was there?
For days, I had believed this was about money.
About my house.
About greed.
But if Latoya was telling the truth, there was something deeper.
Something connected to James.
My husband.
Brian noticed my silence during the drive home.
“Mom.””
I looked out the window.
“What?””
“What did she mean?””
I knew he was asking about the secret.
“I don’t know.””
But I did.
Some part of me knew.
James had hidden something.
The night he died, he had tried to tell me something.
I remembered.
The hospital room.
The machines.
His hand holding mine.
“Evelyn, if anything happens…”
I had cried.
“Don’t talk like that.””
He squeezed my fingers.
“Promise me you’ll trust Brian.””
I thought he was talking about money.
I thought he was scared.
Now I wondered.
What did he know?
That evening, Brian and I searched through old boxes.
Letters.
Documents.
Photographs.
Then Brian found something.
A small envelope.
Hidden inside James’s old toolbox.
My heart stopped.
“That was Dad’s.””
Inside was a letter.
My hands trembled as I opened it.
My dearest Evelyn,
If you are reading this, something has happened that I hoped would never happen.
I had a brother.
You know that.
But you don’t know everything.
Richard was not only angry about the house.
He was angry because of something I discovered years ago.
I looked at Brian.
“What?””
I kept reading.
Richard was involved in financial fraud.
He used our father’s name.
He stole money from people.
I covered for him once.
I shouldn’t have.
But he was my brother.
My chest tightened.
James had carried this secret.
For years.
I continued.
When I confronted him, he threatened our family.
He said if I exposed him, he would destroy everything I loved.
The letter slipped slightly in my hands.
Brian whispered:
“Dad knew.””
“Yes.””
“He knew Uncle Rick was dangerous.””
I nodded.
Then I reached the final paragraph.
The reason I created the trust was not only to protect the house.
It was to protect you.
Because I believe Richard will come back one day.
And if he does, he won’t come alone.
I stopped reading.
Brian looked at me.
“Mom?””
I couldn’t speak.
Because the next line was written differently.
As if James had been afraid.
He will find someone young enough to manipulate.
Someone charming.
Someone people will believe.
The room became silent.
Latoya.
She wasn’t just a partner.
She was chosen.
Brian stood.
“I need to make a call.””
“Who?””
“The police.””
Before he could move, his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
A man’s voice.
Richard.
Brian’s face changed.
“What do you want?””
I could hear Richard laughing.
“You always were your father’s favorite.””
Brian gripped the phone.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere your mother knows.””
I stood.
“What?””
Richard continued.
“You should ask her about the night your father died.””
My blood turned cold.
Brian looked at me.
“What is he talking about?””
Richard said:
“She never told you the truth.””
The call ended.
Brian stared at me.
“Mom?””
I couldn’t answer.
Because suddenly, I remembered something.
Something I buried for years.
The night James died.
May you like
I wasn’t alone with him.
Richard was there.
