Chapter 9: The Lawyer Who Betrayed My Father
I looked at Richard.
He was standing beside his car, holding his phone.
His face had lost its color.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then he said quietly, "Daniel, I need to see that document.""
I took the phone from my ear.
"Olivia, send the payment record to Richard immediately.""
"I already did.""
I looked at his screen.
An email had arrived.
The attachment contained a bank transfer confirmation.
The recipient was an account belonging to a legal consulting firm.
The company name was Hayes Legal Advisory.
Richard's company.
I felt something inside me collapse.
"Is this your account?""
Richard didn't answer immediately.
Then he nodded.
"Yes.""
I stepped backward.
"Did you receive one hundred and twenty thousand dollars from Edward Whitmore?""
He looked at me.
"I need to explain.""
"That's not an answer.""
Richard lowered his phone.
"Daniel, I have never accepted money to betray your father.""
"Then explain the payment.""
He closed his eyes.
"Six years ago, shortly before your father died, Edward Whitmore contacted me. He wanted information about Robert's patent application.""
"Did you give it to him?""
"No.""
"Then why did he pay you?""
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"Because I was investigating the company on your father's behalf.""
I stared at him.
"You're saying Edward paid you to investigate himself?""
"No. The payment was made through a consulting arrangement that I believed was legitimate. It was supposed to cover an independent technical review.""
"One hundred and twenty thousand dollars?""
"Yes.""
"Who authorized it?""
"Edward's company.""
I shook my head.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because the payment was never completed as a normal transaction. It was placed into an escrow account and later returned.""
I looked at the document again.
The payment record clearly showed money entering his firm's account.
"Where is the return record?""
Richard opened his briefcase.
He removed a folder and searched through several documents.
Then he found it.
A bank statement.
The same amount had been transferred back to Whitmore Industrial Holdings seventeen days later.
I studied the dates.
The original payment was made two weeks before my father's accident.
The return happened five days after his death.
I looked up.
"Why did you return it?""
"Because I realized Edward had misrepresented the purpose of the transaction.""
"How?""
Richard swallowed.
"He wanted me to provide him with your father's private legal correspondence. When I refused, he threatened to accuse me of accepting a bribe.""
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you report it?""
"Because I was afraid.""
The words hung between us.
Richard had been my father's lawyer.
He had handled the estate.
He had helped me through the sale of the repair shop.
He had been the person I trusted most throughout this entire investigation.
And now I was learning that he had hidden a major financial transaction connected to the man who might have been involved in my father's death.
"Did you tell my father?""
Richard shook his head.
"No.""
"Why?""
"Because he was already under enormous pressure. I thought I could resolve the situation without involving him.""
I laughed bitterly.
"That's what Olivia said.""
Richard flinched.
I turned away.
"Daniel, please.""
I looked back.
"Did you know Edward was involved in my father's accident?""
"No.""
"Did you ever suspect?""
Richard's silence lasted too long.
Then he said, "Your father called me the night before he died.""
My heart stopped.
"What?""
Richard looked down.
"He said he had found something concerning the truck. He wanted to meet me the following morning.""
I stepped closer.
"What exactly did he say?""
Richard swallowed.
"He told me that someone had tampered with his maintenance records.""
I felt my hands go cold.
"And you never told me?""
"I didn't know whether it was connected to the accident.""
"What happened the next morning?""
Richard closed his eyes.
"Your father was dead.""
I stared at him.
For six years, he had allowed me to believe my father died in an unfortunate mechanical accident.
He had never mentioned that final phone call.
Never mentioned the money.
Never mentioned the missing records.
"Why did you stay involved in my life?"" I asked.
Richard looked at me.
"Because I promised Robert I'd protect you.""
"By keeping secrets?""
He lowered his head.
"I made mistakes.""
I took a step backward.
"I need you to leave.""
"Daniel—"
"Now.""
Richard stood motionless.
Then he slowly picked up his briefcase.
"I understand.""
He walked toward his car.
Before getting inside, he turned around.
"There's something I need to tell you.""
I didn't answer.
"Your father left a sealed statement with me. He told me to deliver it to you only if the patent dispute ever became serious.""
My jaw tightened.
"Where is it?""
"In my office.""
"Why didn't you give it to me earlier?""
"Because I didn't believe it was necessary.""
I looked at him.
"Bring it to the investigators. Not me.""
Richard nodded.
Then he drove away.
I stood beside the road, feeling as though I had lost another piece of my father.
My phone rang.
Detective Mitchell.
"Mr. Carter, we need you to come to the station.""
"Why?""
"We've obtained additional financial records. There are some developments.""
I glanced toward Richard's departing car.
"Does this involve the payment?""
"Yes.""
I arrived at the station forty minutes later.
Detective Mitchell was waiting with another investigator.
She placed three documents on the table.
"The one hundred and twenty thousand dollars was not the only payment.""
I looked at the pages.
There were five transactions.
Two to Hayes Legal Advisory.
One to the former police officer.
And two to Parker Research Consulting.
The total amount exceeded $340,000.
I stared at the figures.
"Where did all this money come from?""
"Whitmore Industrial Holdings.""
"Who received it?""
"The companies and individuals listed here.""
I pointed to Olivia's company.
"Why did she receive so much?""
"That's what we're investigating.""
Detective Mitchell turned another page.
"We also found a connection between the consulting payments and the original accident investigation.""
She showed me a photograph of a document.
It was an invoice.
The description read:
Independent vehicle assessment and incident documentation.
The date was three days before my father's death.
The invoice was approved by Edward Whitmore.
I looked at the detective.
"Who performed the assessment?""
She pointed to a name.
A former police officer named Thomas Reed.
The same officer who had investigated the accident.
"Was he working for Whitmore before my father died?""
"Yes.""
"Then why was he assigned to investigate the crash?""
"That's one of the questions we're trying to answer.""
I felt sick.
Detective Mitchell continued.
"We also recovered an old voicemail from your father's phone backup.""
I looked up.
"What voicemail?""
"It was recorded the night before the accident.""
She pressed play.
My father's voice filled the room.
"Richard, it's Robert. I need you to call me as soon as you get this.""
There was a pause.
Then his voice continued.
"I found the missing maintenance records. Someone accessed the truck after I finished the repairs. I don't know who, but I know the brake system was changed.""
I gripped the edge of the table.
The recording continued.
"Edward knows I found out. I think he has someone watching the shop. If anything happens to me, don't let them take the machine. And don't let them get to Danny.""
A clicking sound followed.
Then the voicemail ended.
I stared at the phone.
My father had known.
He had known someone had tampered with his truck.
And he had been afraid for me.
I pressed my palms against my eyes.
Detective Mitchell waited.
When I finally looked up, she said:
"We're treating this as a potential criminal conspiracy. But we need to establish who had access to the vehicle and who altered the records.""
"Can you arrest Edward Whitmore?""
"Not based on what we have right now.""
"What about Alexander?""
"He is being questioned regarding the fraudulent patent documents and the destruction of potential evidence.""
I nodded.
Then she placed another photograph on the table.
It showed a security camera image of a man entering my father's old workshop.
The image was grainy, but the face was visible.
I leaned forward.
"That's Thomas Reed.""
The detective nodded.
"Yes.""
"What's he doing there?""
"According to the time stamp, he entered the workshop at 9:17 p.m. on the night before your father's accident.""
I felt my blood run cold.
"Did he leave?""
"Yes. At 10:03 p.m.""
"Was anyone else with him?""
She placed a second photograph beside the first.
A woman was standing near the workshop entrance.
Her face was partially hidden by a scarf.
But I recognized the coat.
It was the same beige coat Olivia had worn when she came to Richard's office.
I stared at the photograph.
"That's Olivia.""
Detective Mitchell nodded.
"She has confirmed she was present.""
I couldn't speak.
She continued.
"Dr. Parker says she was there to deliver documents. She claims she didn't know Thomas Reed would be accessing the workshop.""
I stared at the image.
"Did she see him near my father's truck?""
"She says she did.""
"What did she do?""
"She says she left.""
I looked at the detective.
"Why didn't she tell anyone?""
"She claims Edward Whitmore threatened her.""
I leaned back.
For a moment, I couldn't even feel angry.
Olivia had been there.
The night before my father died.
She had been at the workshop.
She had seen the officer.
And she had said nothing for six years.
"Can I speak with her?""
Detective Mitchell shook her head.
"Not yet. We need to finish her formal interview first.""
I stood.
"Then tell me something.""
"What?""
"Did my father die because he refused to give Edward Whitmore his invention?""
The detective looked at me.
"We don't know yet.""
I nodded.
But as I walked out of the room, my phone vibrated.
A message from Olivia.
Daniel, I know you saw the photograph. I need you to hear my side before you decide what happened.
A second message appeared.
I didn't just witness what happened that night. I helped create the situation that made it possible.
I stopped walking.
May you like
Then a third message arrived.
And I know where the original brake component is.
