Chapter 7 - THE BETRAYAL
The next twelve hours destroyed every assumption I had.
Daniel Prescott was alive.
Margaret Prescott was alive.
My mother had been Charles Prescott's secret daughter.
And the two people responsible for the entire conspiracy might have been working together.
But there was one problem.
Ethan didn't believe it.
Neither did I.
“Why would Daniel betray my mother?”
I asked.
Henry shook his head.
“He wouldn't.”
“Then why say he did?”
“Because someone wants us to believe it.”
Caroline nodded.
“The documents were planted.”
Ethan looked at her.
“You're sure?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“Because I wrote that report.”
Everyone turned toward her.
“What?”
Caroline's face was pale.
“The DNA report.”
Ethan stepped closer.
“You forged it?”
“No.”
“I was ordered to create it.”
“By whom?”
Caroline looked at me.
“Your mother.”
My breath stopped.
“My mother was dead.”
“The order came years ago.”
“What does that mean?”
Caroline sat down.
“Your mother knew someone would eventually come looking for you.”
She reached into her bag.
“Before she died, she left instructions with me.”
A second envelope.
My mother's handwriting again.
If Margaret returns, trust Henry.
I looked at Henry.
“Why?”
Caroline continued reading.
But don't trust Daniel until he tells you what happened on the night Charles died.
Henry's face hardened.
“What night?”
Caroline looked at him.
“The night Charles Prescott died.”
“I know when he died.”
“No.”
She handed him another document.
“That's not the night he died.”
Henry stared at it.
“What?”
“The official death date was falsified.”
Ethan took the paper.
“Then when did he die?”
Caroline whispered:
“Three days later.”
I felt dizzy.
“Why fake his death?”
“To hide a meeting.”
“What meeting?”
Caroline looked at Henry.
“Charles met Daniel.”
Henry went pale.
“What did they discuss?”
“The original Prescott trust.”
Ethan's phone rang.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A man's voice spoke.
Ethan's expression changed.
He put the call on speaker.
Daniel Prescott.
“Ethan.”
Henry stood.
“Daniel.”
A pause.
Then:
“Brother.”
Henry's face twisted.
“Why are you doing this?”
“I've been trying to protect my daughter.”
I stopped breathing.
“Dad?”
The voice went silent.
Then Daniel said:
“Madison.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“Where are you?”
“Somewhere they can't reach me.”
“Who?”
“Everyone.”
“Are you working with Margaret?”
“No.”
“Did you steal the money?”
“No.”
“Did you kill Charles?”
“No.”
Silence.
Then I asked:
“Why did you leave my mother?”
His voice broke.
“I didn't.”
I closed my eyes.
“Then what happened?”
“She was taken from me.”
“By whom?”
Daniel whispered:
“Your mother was murdered.”
I froze.
Henry grabbed the table.
“What?”
Daniel continued.
“Margaret didn't kill her.”
“Then who?”
Daniel said a name.
A name none of us expected.
“Charles.”
Henry staggered backward.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
Then the call ended.
We stood frozen.
Ethan looked at Henry.
“Grandfather killed Madison's mother?”
Henry shook his head.
“No.”
But his voice lacked conviction.
Then a security alarm began screaming.
Caroline looked at the monitors.
Someone had entered the estate.
A man walked calmly through the front gate.
He didn't hide.
He didn't run.
He simply looked directly at the security camera.
Then smiled.
May you like
Daniel.
And beside him stood Margaret.
