Chapter 7 - The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead
Natalie drove to the location written on the back of the photograph.
A small private office downtown.
She knocked.
No answer.
She knocked again.
The door opened.
An elderly man stood there.
Natalie recognized him immediately.
Richard Cole.
She couldn't speak.
Richard smiled sadly.
“You look exactly like her.”
“Like my grandmother?”
“Yes.”
“Everyone told me you were dead.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
Richard stepped aside.
“Come in.”
The office was filled with old documents.
Photographs.
Contracts.
Newspaper clippings.
Natalie saw her father's name everywhere.
Richard sat down.
“Your grandmother discovered that your father had been using family assets without permission.”
Natalie stared at him.
“For what?”
“To save the company.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does if the company was already collapsing.”
Natalie felt dizzy.
“My father told me the business was thriving.”
Richard nodded.
“That was the first lie.”
“And Cynthia?”
Richard looked toward the window.
“She came later.”
“What did she want?”
Richard's expression changed.
“Control.”
Natalie leaned forward.
“Control of what?”
Richard reached into a drawer.
He pulled out an old copy of a property agreement.
“This.”
Natalie read it.
Her grandmother had transferred ownership of several properties into a trust.
The largest asset was the Westlake Hills mansion.
Natalie's name appeared as beneficiary.
But there was another page.
A page Richard refused to hand over.
“What is that?”
“The reason your grandmother never trusted your father again.”
Natalie stood.
“Give it to me.”
“I can't.”
“Why?”
“Because if I give you that page, they will know I helped you.”
“Who?”
Richard looked at her.
“Not Cynthia.”
The room went silent.
“Then who?”
May you like
Richard answered softly.
“The person your grandmother was most afraid of.”
