Chapter 5 - Rachel’s Last Warning
Daniel could barely speak.
“What did you say?”
Rebecca’s eyes filled with tears.
“She knew someone was trying to hurt her.”
Daniel grabbed the back of a chair.
“You disappeared for three years.”
“I had to.”
“You let me bury my wife believing she died naturally.”
“I was trying to stay alive.”
Daniel stared at her.
Rebecca removed a silver necklace from beneath her coat.
A small key hung from it.
“Rachel gave me this four days before she died.”
Daniel recognized the key.
It belonged to a private deposit box Rachel had kept before their marriage.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because Rachel told me not to.”
“My wife was dying and she told you not to tell me?”
“She was terrified you would confront the wrong person.”
“Who?”
Rebecca looked toward Marcus.
Then back at Daniel.
“Your brother.”
Daniel felt as if the floor shifted beneath him.
“No.”
“Rachel believed Ethan was stealing from the company.”
“That doesn’t mean he killed her.”
“I didn’t say he did.”
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know.”
Rebecca sat down.
Three years earlier, Rachel had discovered unusual transfers involving a group of shell companies tied to Whitmore Medical Technologies.
Millions of dollars had disappeared over several years.
The transactions had been approved using Daniel’s digital authorization.
But Daniel had never approved them.
Rachel quietly began investigating.
She told Rebecca she suspected Ethan.
Then, two weeks later, Rachel became sick.
Not dramatically.
Headaches.
Weakness.
Nausea.
Episodes of dizziness.
Doctors initially blamed stress.
Rachel did not.
“She started keeping records.”
Rebecca’s voice shook.
“She documented everything she ate, everyone she met, every time she felt sick.”
“Where are those records?”
“In the deposit box.”
Daniel looked at the key.
“Then why wait three years?”
Rebecca lowered her eyes.
“Because someone found me before I could get to the bank.”
Daniel went still.
“Who?”
“A man broke into my apartment.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“He didn’t need to.”
Rebecca looked at him.
“He left a photograph of Lily sleeping in her bedroom.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“There was a message on the back.”
“What did it say?”
“Disappear, or the child disappears first.”
Daniel looked toward the stairs.
His daughter was one floor above them.
He suddenly understood why Rebecca had vanished.
“Why come back now?”
“Because three weeks ago, someone sent me another photograph.”
Rebecca took an envelope from her bag.
Inside was a picture of Daniel and Nora leaving a wedding venue.
On the back were six words.
THE SECOND WEDDING ENDS THE FIRST CASE.
Daniel read the sentence twice.
“What does that mean?”
Rebecca shook her head.
“I didn’t know.”
“And tonight?”
“I came here to warn you.”
“Why were you in my garage?”
“I saw Ethan’s car.”
“You entered the house.”
“Yes.”
“Did you see Nora?”
“Yes.”
“Did you see the bottle?”
Rebecca’s expression changed.
“I saw Ethan give it to her.”
Daniel felt rage rise through him.
Then Rebecca added something worse.
“But Ethan wasn’t the person giving orders.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Who was?”
“I couldn’t see his face.”
“His?”
“There was a man speaking to them through Nora’s phone.”
“What did he say?”
Rebecca swallowed.
“Make sure Daniel drinks it before the board meeting.”
Marcus looked sharply at Daniel.
“What board meeting?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
Daniel answered automatically.
Then he remembered what was on the agenda.
The board was supposed to approve the transfer of controlling voting rights into a new family trust.
If Daniel died before signing the final paperwork, his current shares would pass according to his old estate plan.
Forty percent to Lily.
Thirty percent to charitable foundations.
And thirty percent to his only surviving sibling.
Ethan.
Daniel looked at Rebecca.
“So Ethan gets hundreds of millions if I die.”
“Yes.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Too obvious.”
Rebecca agreed.
“That’s what Rachel thought too.”
Daniel looked between them.
“What are you saying?”
May you like
Rebecca’s voice dropped.
“Rachel believed someone wanted you to suspect Ethan.”
