Chapter 4: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
For several seconds, Daniel couldn't move.
The words kept repeating inside his head.
Your mother was murdered.
He looked at the phone in his hand, then at Marcus, whose face had turned almost gray.
"Tell me that man is lying," Daniel demanded.
Marcus didn't answer.
"Marcus! Look at me!""
The chauffeur slowly raised his eyes.
"I wish I could tell you that, sir.""
Daniel grabbed the front of Marcus's jacket.
"Are you saying someone murdered my mother?""
"Please, Daniel. Not here.""
"Not here? My wife is crying, my newborn son is in that bed, and someone just threatened my family! You think this is the time to worry about where we have this conversation?""
Laura began crying again.
"Daniel, please. You're frightening Ethan.""
Daniel immediately released Marcus.
He looked at his son.
The little boy was awake now, moving his tiny hands beneath the hospital blanket.
Daniel approached the bed and gently touched his son's fingers.
For the first time since entering the hospital, he felt ashamed.
He had spent the morning questioning whether Ethan belonged to him.
Yet someone outside that hospital was threatening the child.
Whatever the truth was, Ethan hadn't done anything wrong.
Daniel looked at Laura.
"I'm sorry.""
She nodded silently.
Then he turned toward Marcus.
"Start talking. No more secrets.""
Marcus checked the hallway before closing the door.
"Your mother didn't die peacefully, Daniel. At least, that's what I've suspected for years.""
"What happened?""
"October fourteenth. Twenty-seven years ago. The night your mother disappeared from the family estate.""
Daniel frowned.
"She disappeared?""
"Your father told everyone she had gone abroad for treatment. Three weeks later, the family announced that she had suffered a medical emergency overseas.""
Daniel remembered the story.
He had been fifteen when his mother supposedly died.
He remembered receiving a phone call from Robert.
He remembered crying in the library while his father stood beside him.
But he also remembered something else.
His mother had promised to attend his school presentation that Friday.
She never came.
"Why didn't anyone tell me she disappeared?""
"Because Robert said she had died in a private clinic.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Did you see her body?""
Marcus looked down.
"No.""
The silence that followed was unbearable.
Daniel sat beside Laura.
"Then how do you know she was murdered?""
Marcus removed a folded piece of paper from his wallet.
It was an old hospital document.
"The night your mother disappeared, I received a telephone call from her.""
Daniel leaned forward.
"What did she say?""
"She told me to take Amelia and leave the estate immediately.""
"Why?""
"She said your grandfather had discovered something. Something he was willing to kill to protect.""
Daniel looked at the paper.
It contained a handwritten message.
Marcus, protect both my children. Do not let Robert separate them again. If anything happens to me, the truth is beneath the old greenhouse.
Daniel read it twice.
"Why didn't you investigate?""
"I tried.""
"And?""
"Your father found out. He threatened to have Amelia taken away permanently if I continued asking questions.""
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"Robert threatened you?""
"He was desperate. He told me that your mother's disappearance was an accident and that digging into it would destroy everyone.""
"Did you believe him?""
Marcus shook his head.
"Not for a single day.""
A knock interrupted them.
A nurse entered with a clipboard.
"Mr. Whitmore, I'm sorry to interrupt. Your wife needs some rest. We also need to complete the baby's paperwork.""
Daniel nodded.
"Of course.""
The nurse checked the newborn's identification bracelet.
Then she frowned.
"That's strange.""
Laura looked up.
"What is it?""
"The baby's identification record has been accessed twice this morning by someone outside the maternity department.""
Daniel stood.
"What does that mean?""
"Someone requested information about his registration.""
"Who?""
The nurse checked the screen.
"It appears to have been an administrative inquiry.""
Daniel's expression hardened.
"Who made it?""
"I'll have to speak with hospital security.""
"Please do that now.""
The nurse nodded and left.
Marcus immediately walked toward the window.
"We have to go.""
Daniel shook his head.
"Laura has just given birth. She's not going anywhere until her doctor clears her.""
"Then we need security here.""
Daniel took out his phone.
"Already calling them.""
He contacted his private security director and instructed him to send two trusted officers to the hospital.
But before he could finish the call, Laura grabbed his wrist.
"Daniel.""
He turned.
"What?""
She looked terrified.
"I need to tell you something about that night.""
Marcus slowly turned away from the window.
"What night?""
Laura looked at him.
"The night Amelia visited our house.""
Daniel frowned.
"You already told me about that.""
"No. I didn't tell you everything.""
She took a shaky breath.
"When Amelia came to the mansion, she gave me something.""
"What?""
Laura reached beneath her pillow and removed a small silver pendant.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
His mother had worn the same pendant in almost every family photograph.
"Where did you get that?""
"Amelia gave it to me. She said it belonged to your mother.""
Daniel took the pendant.
Its back had a tiny engraved inscription.
For my children. Always together.
He stared at the words.
"Why would Amelia give this to you?""
"She said your mother had asked her to keep it safe. But before she disappeared, she told Amelia that one day the pendant would lead her to the truth.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"Did she tell you where the truth was?""
Laura shook her head.
"She said it was beneath the old greenhouse.""
Marcus looked as though he had been struck.
"Then the message was real.""
Daniel looked between them.
"What greenhouse?""
Marcus answered quietly.
"The greenhouse behind the old Whitmore mansion. Your mother spent most of her time there. She loved flowers.""
Daniel closed his hand around the pendant.
"Then that's where we're going.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Not without knowing who is waiting for us.""
Daniel's phone rang.
His security director was calling.
"Mr. Whitmore," the man said urgently, "we've got a problem.""
"What?""
"The black SUV outside the hospital has disappeared.""
Daniel looked through the window.
The parking space was empty.
"Did you identify the driver?""
"Yes, sir. We ran the registration.""
"And?""
The security director hesitated.
"The vehicle is registered to Whitmore Holdings.""
Daniel froze.
"That's impossible. I own Whitmore Holdings.""
"There's another issue, sir.""
"What?""
"The vehicle was signed out using your father's old executive authorization.""
Daniel slowly lowered the phone.
Marcus whispered something.
"What?""
"The person threatening us isn't working from outside the family.""
Daniel stared at him.
Marcus swallowed.
"Someone still has access to your father's private accounts.""
Then Daniel's phone received a message.
It contained a photograph.
The photograph showed Amelia standing outside the hospital.
She was holding a small envelope.
Beneath the image were seven words:
*SHE KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR MOTHER.*
May you like
And below that was an address.
The Whitmore estate.
