Chapter 8: The Wife Who Had Two Masters
Marcus and Margaret reached the surveillance vehicle just as Detective Miller stepped out.
“Hands where I can see them!””
Margaret froze.
Marcus raised both hands.
“It's okay. She's my mother.””
Miller looked at her.
For a moment, his expression betrayed genuine shock.
“Margaret Williams?””
She nodded.
“Detective.””
Miller immediately turned toward the church.
“Where's Cole?””
Marcus looked back.
“Inside with Vanessa.””
Miller drew his weapon.
“Stay here.””
He ran toward the entrance with two officers.
Marcus tried to follow, but Margaret grabbed his sleeve.
“Don't.””
“Mom, they're getting away.””
“Listen to me. Richard wanted you to come here.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
“He needed to know whether I still had the account information.””
“But you didn't give him anything.””
“I gave him something more important.””
She reached into her coat.
There was another folded paper.
Marcus stared.
“You had a second copy?””
Margaret nodded.
“Your father made me promise never to carry the original information in one place.””
Marcus took the paper.
It contained a bank reference number and a handwritten address.
*18 WILLOW RIDGE ROAD.*
Marcus recognized it.
It was the house his father had purchased when Marcus was born.
The property had been sold years ago.
Or so he thought.
“What's there?””
“The original ledger.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Why would Dad hide it in a house that was supposedly sold?””
“Because the property was never transferred out of the trust. The paperwork was falsified.””
Marcus stared at the address.
“Then who lives there?””
Margaret looked toward the church.
“Richard.””
Inside the church, Detective Miller found only two men.
Richard's driver and a security contractor.
Vanessa was gone.
So was Richard.
The rear entrance stood open.
Miller ordered officers to secure the area.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
“Yes?””
A familiar voice spoke.
“Detective, you should stop looking for Richard Cole.””
Miller went rigid.
“Who is this?””
“You know exactly who this is.””
The call ended.
Miller stared at the screen.
A message appeared.
You should have stayed away from the Williams family.
He looked toward the church doors.
Then he quietly removed a small device from his jacket.
It was a recording transmitter.
Someone had been listening to his communications.
And whoever it was had access to his movements.
At Daniel's office, Marcus sat beside his mother.
Daniel entered carrying a folder.
“I've reviewed the property records. Willow Ridge Road is still technically owned by Williams Family Holdings.””
Marcus looked up.
“Can we go there?””
“Not without a warrant. If Richard is using the property to store evidence, we need to approach this carefully.””
Margaret shook her head.
“He'll destroy everything if he realizes we've found it.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Mrs. Williams, how long have you been in contact with anyone connected to Richard?””
“No one.””
“Not Vanessa?””
Margaret shook her head.
“I haven't spoken to her in years.””
Daniel opened the folder.
“Then how did she know where to find you?””
Margaret looked confused.
“What?””
“Your meeting with Marcus was arranged through an anonymous message. Someone knew where you were.””
Marcus stared at the photograph on his phone.
The message had come from an unknown number.
He opened the conversation.
“Can we trace it?””
Daniel shook his head.
“Not directly. It appears to have been routed through several temporary numbers.””
Margaret leaned forward.
“Marcus, there's something you should know about Vanessa.””
He looked at her.
“What now?””
“Your father discovered she had a second identity.””
Daniel raised his eyebrows.
“A second identity?””
Margaret nodded.
“She was born Vanessa Patricia Cole. But the name she used before meeting you was different.””
Marcus frowned.
“What name?””
“Emily Carter.””
Daniel immediately opened his laptop.
He typed the name into a search engine.
A property company registration appeared.
*Emily Carter — Executive Director, Willow Ridge Properties.*
Marcus leaned closer.
“That's her?””
Margaret nodded.
“She used that name when she first approached your father.””
Daniel clicked the company record.
A list of shareholders appeared.
One name stood out.
*Robert Williams — 51%.*
Marcus frowned.
“Why does my father own half of a company registered under Vanessa's old name?””
Margaret looked at him.
“Because he thought he could use the company to expose Richard.””
Daniel opened another file.
“There's a more recent filing.””
The ownership structure had changed.
Robert's shares had been transferred to an unknown beneficiary.
The transfer date was three days before his supposed death.
Marcus leaned forward.
“Who signed it?””
Daniel enlarged the signature.
Richard Cole.
And beneath it was a second signature.
Vanessa Williams.
Marcus stared.
“They forged his signature while he was alive?””
“Possibly,” Daniel said.
“We'll need handwriting analysis.””
Margaret looked at the document.
“That's not possible.””
Marcus turned toward her.
“Why?””
“Because Robert told me he had already transferred those shares.””
“To whom?””
Margaret hesitated.
Then she said:
“To you.””
Marcus went still.
Daniel looked at the documents again.
“That's interesting.””
“What?””
“If your father transferred his controlling shares directly to Marcus, then the later transfer to Richard may be invalid.””
Marcus stared.
“How much control are we talking about?””
Daniel calculated quickly.
“Approximately sixty-three percent of the combined voting rights across the development group.””
Marcus leaned back.
His father hadn't simply left him money.
He had left him control of an entire business empire.
And someone had spent six years trying to make sure he never found out.
At 1:20 a.m., Marcus received a call from an unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?””
Vanessa's voice came through.
“Marcus, we need to talk.””
He stood immediately.
“Where are you?””
“Somewhere safe.””
“Where's Richard?””
“Not with me.””
Marcus laughed.
“You expect me to believe that?””
“I don't expect you to believe anything.””
“Then why are you calling?””
Vanessa took a breath.
“Because I can give you the ledger.””
Marcus looked at Daniel.
He put the call on speaker.
“What do you want?””
“My freedom.””
“From what?””
“Richard.””
Marcus frowned.
“You've been working with him for six years.””
“I was working with him before that.””
“Exactly.””
Vanessa's voice cracked.
“You don't understand. Richard controls everything. He controls the trust, the company, the police contacts, even the people who were supposed to protect me.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You helped him steal from me.””
“I know.””
“You slept with Derek in our bedroom.””
“I know.””
“You lied about my father.””
Silence.
Then Vanessa whispered:
“I didn't know Richard was going to kill him.””
Marcus closed his eyes.
“But you knew he was stealing.””
“Yes.””
“And you helped him.””
“Yes.””
He waited.
Vanessa began crying.
“Marcus, I loved you.””
He laughed bitterly.
“You loved my inheritance.””
“No. That's not true.””
“Then tell me one thing. When did you first start planning to marry me?””
Vanessa was silent.
“Tell me.””
“Six months before our first date.””
Marcus looked at his mother.
Margaret closed her eyes.
Vanessa continued.
“Richard introduced us at a private event. He told me your father was sick and that you would eventually inherit the company. He said if I could get close enough to you, I could help him secure the assets.””
“And you agreed.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because I was broke. Because Richard promised me a life where I would never have to worry about money again.””
Marcus stared at the wall.
“And Derek?””
“He was supposed to be temporary.””
“Temporary?””
“He helped move the money. Then he became a liability.””
Marcus shook his head.
“You disgust me.””
“I know.””
“Where's the ledger?””
Vanessa took a breath.
“Willow Ridge Road. There's a hidden room beneath the old garage.””
Daniel immediately wrote down the address.
“Why should I trust you?”” Marcus asked.
“Because Richard knows I called you.””
Marcus frowned.
“What?””
“He has access to my phone records. He knows I betrayed him.””
“Then why are you still calling?””
“Because I'm tired of being afraid.””
A loud crash sounded on Vanessa's end.
She screamed.
Marcus stood.
“Vanessa?””
Someone shouted in the background.
Then the phone went silent.
Daniel immediately contacted Miller.
“Get officers to Willow Ridge Road. Now.””
Marcus looked at his mother.
“She's there.””
Margaret shook her head.
“No.””
“What?””
“Vanessa wouldn't go to that house unless Richard wanted her there.””
Daniel frowned.
“Why?””
Margaret reached into her bag and removed an old photograph.
It showed the garage at Willow Ridge Road.
Behind the building was a small stone monument.
Marcus recognized the inscription.
It was the memorial his father had built for his mother.
But there was something strange about the photograph.
The stone had been moved.
Beneath it was a dark opening.
Margaret looked at her son.
“Your father didn't hide the ledger in the garage.””
Marcus stared.
“Then where?””
May you like
She whispered:
“Under the grave he built for me.””
