Chapter 2 - Aaron's Last Recording)
Daniel forgot that Vanessa was standing behind him.
He forgot the shattered vase.
He forgot the bat lying in the living room.
For several seconds, the only thing in the world was his brother's face.
Aaron appeared thinner than Daniel remembered.
His brown hair was longer.
His shirt sleeves were rolled to his elbows.
He kept looking toward the office door as though he expected someone to enter.
The recording had been made secretly.
The camera angle came from the bookshelf facing Daniel's desk.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
Aaron had given him a small security camera after a burglary at one of Daniel's construction sites.
Daniel had installed it for a few months, then removed it.
Or believed he had removed it.
In the recording, Vanessa placed a folder on the desk.
"You cannot tell Daniel yet," she said.
Aaron leaned back.
"You moved almost eighty thousand dollars."
Daniel's heart stopped.
Vanessa took a breath.
"It was temporary."
"From Noah's trust."
"I was putting it back."
"When?"
"When the property closes."
"What property?"
Vanessa did not answer.
Aaron opened the folder.
Daniel leaned closer to the laptop.
The papers looked familiar.
They belonged to the Carter family holding company.
Aaron's voice became colder.
"You forged his signature."
"I copied his signature."
"That is called forgery."
"You do not understand what I am dealing with."
"Then explain it."
Vanessa walked away from the desk.
Aaron continued.
"If Daniel finds out you used Lily's education account as collateral too, you are finished."
Daniel turned his head.
Vanessa had gone pale.
Lily's education account.
Daniel had created it weeks after Lily was born.
Only three people had ever been authorized to access it.
Daniel.
His attorney.
And after their marriage, Vanessa.
On the screen, Aaron leaned forward.
"I want every dollar back before tomorrow morning."
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"You think you can order me around?"
"I think I can tell my brother."
Vanessa's expression hardened.
"If you tell Daniel, you destroy his family."
"You are destroying it."
The video ended.
Daniel did not move.
Noah was crying silently beside him.
Daniel reached for the next file.
Vanessa grabbed the laptop.
Daniel caught her wrist.
"Do not."
"There are things on there you do not understand."
"Then explain them."
"I cannot."
"Try."
She looked toward Noah.
Daniel stepped between them.
"Do not look at him."
"Daniel, I made mistakes."
"You stole from my daughter."
"I borrowed money."
"You stole from Noah."
"I was going to put it back."
"My brother discovered it three days before he died."
Vanessa's voice dropped.
"That does not mean what you think."
Daniel stared at her.
"I still have not told you what I think."
The front door opened.
Daniel spun.
A woman's voice called his name.
"Daniel?"
It was Rachel Morgan, their next door neighbor and Lily's godmother.
Daniel had given Rachel a spare key after Lily's mother died.
Rachel entered the living room and froze.
She saw the shattered vase.
The bat.
The papers.
Then Noah.
"My God."
She ran to him.
Vanessa stepped backward.
Daniel noticed her hand moving toward her pocket.
"Phone."
Vanessa stared at him.
"What?"
"Put your phone on the desk."
"No."
"Now."
"You cannot take my phone."
"I am not touching it. You are putting it down."
Rachel looked between them.
"What happened?"
Lily ran to her.
"Vanessa hurt Noah."
Rachel's face changed.
She crouched and hugged Lily.
Daniel spoke.
"Take the kids to your house."
Vanessa immediately said, "They are not going anywhere."
Daniel turned on her.
"They are leaving this room."
"I am Lily's stepmother."
"You are not going near her."
Vanessa looked at Noah.
"And what about him?"
Daniel stepped closer.
"What about him?"
"He caused all of this."
Noah flinched.
Daniel felt his hands tighten.
Rachel placed herself between Noah and Vanessa.
"Come on, sweetheart."
Noah looked at Daniel.
"Do not delete it."
Daniel frowned.
"What?"
"The USB."
"I will not."
"Promise."
"I promise."
Noah hesitated.
"Make another copy."
Daniel looked at the ten year old boy.
"Why?"
"Because she already broke one."
Vanessa closed her eyes.
Daniel felt something turn cold inside him.
Rachel took both children next door.
Daniel waited until the door closed.
Then he copied the USB to an encrypted cloud folder.
He sent a second copy to his attorney, Evelyn Price.
Vanessa watched him.
"You are making this worse."
"For who?"
"For everyone."
Daniel clicked the next video.
The timestamp was two days before Aaron's death.
Aaron was alone.
He looked directly at the hidden camera.
"If Daniel sees this, something happened before I could talk to him."
Daniel stopped the recording.
His vision blurred.
He pressed both palms against the desk.
Vanessa whispered.
"Turn it off."
Daniel pressed play.
Aaron continued.
"I found withdrawals from Noah's trust, Lily's education account, and the Carter Development reserve fund. Vanessa is not doing this alone."
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
Aaron picked up a sheet of paper.
"The transfers go through a company called Northstar Holdings."
Daniel knew the name.
He had almost purchased a warehouse from Northstar the previous year.
The deal had collapsed at the last minute.
Aaron continued.
"I traced the registered agent."
He looked toward the door.
Then lowered his voice.
"It is Owen Pike."
Daniel knew Owen too.
Owen Pike had been the Carter family's accountant for eleven years.
He had attended Aaron's funeral.
He had carried Noah's suitcase from the church to Daniel's car.
Aaron continued.
"I think Owen and Vanessa have been moving money for at least eighteen months."
Vanessa whispered.
"That is not true."
Daniel did not look away from the screen.
Aaron's final sentence was quieter.
"And I think they know I found out."
The recording stopped.
Daniel remained completely still.
Then a notification appeared on his laptop.
The cloud upload had failed.
Connection lost.
Daniel looked toward the router.
The lights were off.
Vanessa smiled faintly.
"You should have listened to me."
Daniel stood.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing."
Then the lights in the house went out.
The entire living room fell into darkness.
May you like
Daniel heard the office door slam.
And from somewhere near the kitchen came the unmistakable sound of glass breaking.
