Chapter 4 - THE MAN IN THE BLACK CAR
The police arrived twenty minutes later.
Richard hated how helpless he felt.
He could buy buildings.
He could hire security.
He could control entire companies.
But he couldn't control the fear in his children's eyes.
The police searched the property.
Nothing.
No fingerprints.
No camera footage.
Whoever had entered the property knew exactly where the blind spots were.
That frightened Richard more than anything.
At 10:00 p.m., he gathered the boys in his bedroom.
"You four stay here tonight."
Marcus frowned.
"Why?"
"Because I said so."
"Are we in trouble?"
"No."
"Is somebody going to take us?"
Richard hesitated.
"No."
But he knew he couldn't promise that.
Sarah sat beside the boys.
Thomas leaned against her.
Richard watched them.
Then he noticed something.
Daniel was holding the old Bible.
"Where did you get that?"
Sarah looked surprised.
"Daniel found it."
Richard opened it.
A folded piece of paper fell out.
Sarah went pale.
Richard unfolded it.
A name was written there.
JONATHAN REED.
Sarah whispered:
"No."
Richard looked at her.
"Who is Jonathan Reed?"
Sarah's hands began shaking.
"He was Eleanor's lawyer."
Richard immediately searched the name.
Jonathan Reed had died two years earlier.
Car accident.
Another coincidence.
Richard no longer believed in coincidences.
At midnight, security cameras captured a black sedan parked across the street.
Richard zoomed in.
A man sat inside.
Watching the house.
Richard called his security team.
The car disappeared before they reached the street.
The next morning, Richard received an anonymous text.
YOU SHOULD HAVE LET HER GO.
He stared at the screen.
Then another message arrived.
NOW YOU WILL LOSE WHAT SHE TRIED TO PROTECT.
Richard called the police.
But before anyone arrived, Sarah walked into his office.
She was holding a letter.
"I need to tell you everything."
Richard stood.
"Finally."
Sarah nodded.
"Rebecca was my older sister. She worked for your company."
Richard frowned.
"What position?"
"Financial auditor."
Richard stared.
"Rebecca discovered the missing money."
"Yes."
"She told Eleanor."
"Yes."
"And then she died."
Sarah nodded.
Richard's voice became cold.
"Was her accident really an accident?"
"No."
Silence.
"Who killed her?"
"We never proved it."
"But you know."
Sarah looked at him.
"I know who ordered it."
"Who?"
Sarah's lips trembled.
"David Mercer."
Richard stepped backward.
"No."
"He threatened Rebecca."
"Why didn't you go to the police?"
"We did."
"And?"
"The evidence disappeared."
Richard stared at her.
"What evidence?"
Sarah placed a flash drive on the desk.
"This."
Richard looked at it.
"What's on it?"
"Your wife's final recording."
His hands shook.
He connected it to his computer.
Eleanor appeared on the screen.
She looked exhausted.
Terrified.
Richard hadn't seen her face in three years.
"Richard," she said.
His heart broke.
"If you're watching this, I failed."
Richard covered his mouth.
Eleanor continued.
"Please don't hate me."
She paused.
"I left because I discovered David was moving money through companies connected to your children's trust."
Richard's eyes widened.
"My children's trust?"
"Yes."
Eleanor leaned closer to the camera.
"Someone created accounts using the boys' names."
Richard felt sick.
"Why?"
Eleanor's voice dropped.
"Because one of the boys isn't who you think he is."
The recording stopped.
Richard stared at the screen.
"What does that mean?"
Sarah looked horrified.
"I don't know."
Richard replayed the recording.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Then he noticed something.
In the background of the video was a clock.
Richard froze.
He knew that room.
It was Jonathan Reed's office.
The recording had been made three years ago.
But Jonathan had supposedly died two years ago.
Richard slowly turned toward Sarah.
"Your sister wasn't killed three years ago."
Sarah shook her head.
"No."
"She was."
Sarah looked confused.
Richard pointed to the timestamp.
"Look."
The recording was dated four days after Rebecca's reported death.
Sarah's face went white.
"That's impossible."
Richard stood.
"Unless Rebecca wasn't dead."
The door suddenly opened.
David Mercer walked in.
"Richard, we need to talk."
Richard looked at him.
For twenty years, David had been his friend.
His partner.
His brother in everything but blood.
And suddenly Richard remembered Eleanor's final warning.
Don't trust the man closest to you.
David smiled.
"What's wrong?"
Richard smiled back.
"Nothing."
David looked at Sarah.
His smile disappeared.
"Who is she?"
Sarah stepped backward.
Richard moved between them.
"This is Sarah Henderson."
David stared at her.
Then whispered:
"Rebecca's sister."
Sarah froze.
Richard noticed.
May you like
David knew exactly who she was.
And that meant he had known about Sarah long before she ever walked through Richard's door.
