Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT EMILY DIED
The hospital room was silent.
Sarah lay beneath a white blanket while Michael stood beside the window.
He couldn't stop thinking about Emily.
The accident.
The phone call.
The hospital.
The doctor telling him she was gone.
He had believed it was random.
A terrible accident.
Now he wasn't sure anymore.
Sarah slowly spoke.
“Emily came to see me the night before she died.”
Michael turned.
“What did she say?”
“She told me she had proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“Daniel had been stealing from Hartman Mining.”
Michael's expression hardened.
“How much?”
“Millions.”
That explained the pressure.
Daniel had been running the company while Michael grieved.
If Emily had discovered the theft, she could have exposed him.
Sarah continued.
“She told me she was going to tell you everything.”
Michael closed his eyes.
“Why didn't she?”
“She was afraid Daniel would hurt Lily.”
Michael's jaw tightened.
“Where was Lily?”
“With me.”
“Then what happened?”
Sarah looked away.
“Daniel found us.”
Michael stepped closer.
“He threatened you?”
“He said Lily would disappear forever.”
Sarah began crying.
“I believed him.”
Michael didn't blame her.
He understood fear.
But he needed answers.
“Who was driving Emily's car?”
Sarah shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“But Daniel was there?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Because Lily saw him.”
Michael froze.
“She was seven?”
“She was six then.”
“She saw him?”
Sarah nodded.
“She told me a man stood beside the road after the crash.”
Michael felt sick.
“What did he look like?”
Sarah whispered:
“She said he wore a black coat.”
Michael's mind raced.
Daniel always wore black.
Always.
That afternoon, Michael went to Hartman Mining.
The boardroom fell silent when he entered.
Executives stared at him.
Michael had not been seen there in months.
His chief financial officer stood.
“Michael.”
“Where is Daniel?”
No one answered.
Michael slammed a folder onto the table.
“Where is my brother?”
The CFO swallowed.
“He hasn't been in the office for two days.”
Michael looked around.
“Who knew about Lily?”
Silence.
“I'm asking once.”
A senior executive finally spoke.
“Daniel.”
Michael nodded.
“Anyone else?”
The CFO looked terrified.
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“Your legal counsel.”
Michael's eyes narrowed.
“Bring him here.”
Ten minutes later, attorney Richard Cole entered.
Michael placed the DNA report on the table.
“Did you know?”
Richard looked at it.
His face changed.
Michael understood immediately.
“You knew.”
Richard lowered his head.
“Emily asked me to investigate.”
“And?”
“She was preparing legal documents.”
“What documents?”
“Guardianship.”
Michael stared.
“She intended to make me Lily's legal father.”
Richard nodded.
“Why?”
“Because she knew something was going to happen.”
Michael's voice became dangerously quiet.
“What happened to those documents?”
Richard looked away.
“Daniel took them.”
Michael stood.
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
“You'd better start remembering.”
Richard trembled.
“I received one message from Daniel yesterday.”
Michael leaned forward.
“What did it say?”
Richard took out his phone.
The message contained only a photograph.
Michael looked.
Lily was sitting in a dark room.
Alive.
Terrified.
And standing behind her was Daniel.
Under the photograph were seven words:
“Bring me the key, or she dies.”
Michael looked at the brass key in his hand.
The key Emily had given Eleanor.
Michael finally understood.
The key wasn't to a door.
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It was to something Daniel desperately needed.
And Daniel had Lily.
