"I told Emily what I remembered."
"Was there anything else?"
She hesitated.
Then she walked toward the bedroom.
"I kept something."
She returned carrying a small wooden box.
Inside were several photographs, a wristwatch, and a folded letter.
"This belonged to Thomas."
Emily picked up the letter.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Her father's.
She unfolded it carefully.
"My dearest Emily,
If you are reading this, something may have happened that I could not prevent.
I want you to know that I have never stolen anything from anyone. I have never betrayed the people who trusted me.
There are things happening at Whitmore International that I cannot ignore. I have discovered that money is being transferred through accounts that do not exist for any legitimate business purpose.
I have also discovered that someone is using the company's charitable foundation to hide payments.
I do not know who can be trusted.
But I know one thing.
The truth must come out.
If I am no longer here, please remember that you are stronger than the lies people tell about you.
Do not let anger become your entire life.
Fight for the truth, but never become the kind of person you are fighting against.
I love you.
Dad."
Emily began crying.
She pressed the letter against her chest.
For several minutes, nobody spoke.
Then Susan reached into the box.
"There is something else."
She removed an old photograph.
It showed Thomas standing beside a young man in a blue suit.
Emily stared at it.
The man was Alexander.
Alexander moved closer.
His expression changed.
"Where did you get this?"
Susan looked at him.
"Thomas said you had helped him once."
Alexander examined the photograph.
He remembered the day.
It had been years earlier, during a charity event.
He had met Thomas briefly and discussed the possibility of reviewing a financial dispute.
He had not known how serious the matter was.
"I didn't realize he kept this," Alexander said.
Susan nodded.
"He told me you were a good man."
Alexander looked at Emily.
"Then I suppose I have another reason to make sure we do this properly."
CHAPTER 11: THE RECORDING IN THE OLD WATCH
The old wristwatch in the wooden box had belonged to Thomas.
It was a simple silver watch with a scratched face.
Emily remembered that he had worn it almost every day.
Alexander noticed something unusual about the back.
There was a tiny opening near the edge.
"May I look at this?"
Emily handed it to him.
He examined it carefully.
"This isn't a standard watch mechanism."
Ethan leaned forward.
"What do you mean?"
Alexander turned the watch over.
"There may be a storage component inside."
Susan frowned.
"Thomas never mentioned anything."
Alexander carefully removed the back cover.
Inside was a tiny electronic recording module.
Emily gasped.
"What is that?"
Alexander looked at it.
"A voice recorder."
The room became silent.
They carefully removed the device and connected it to a secure computer.
A single audio file appeared.
The date was three years earlier.
The night Thomas died.
Alexander pressed play.
At first, there was only background noise.
Then Thomas's voice.
"Richard, this is the last time I'm asking you. I want the original records."
Richard replied:
"You don't understand what you're risking."
"I understand perfectly."
"Then you understand that this company employs thousands of people."
"And none of them deserve to have their money stolen."
Victor's voice appeared.
"Daniel, stop making this difficult."
Thomas answered:
"You falsified the accounts. You used my credentials. You created transactions under my name."
Richard interrupted.
"Those transactions were necessary."
"For what?"
"To protect the company."
Thomas laughed bitterly.
"You're not protecting the company. You're protecting yourself."
There was a loud noise.
Then someone shouted.
"Give me the files!"
Thomas replied:
"No."
The recording became chaotic.
A chair moved.
A door slammed.
Then came a sound that made Emily cover her mouth.
A heavy impact.
Thomas groaned.
Richard's voice was heard.
"Get up."
Victor said something indistinct.
Then Richard spoke again.
"Get the documents."
The recording ended abruptly.
Emily was crying uncontrollably.
Susan held her daughter.
Alexander stopped the audio.
Nobody moved.
After several seconds, Ethan spoke.
"That was my father."
His voice was barely audible.
"Yes," Alexander replied.
Ethan looked at the screen.
"My father was there."
Emily turned toward him.
"Your father was there when mine died."
Ethan closed his eyes.
"I know."
She stepped closer.
"Do you understand what that means?"
"Yes."
"Then how can you stand here?"
Ethan looked at her.
"Because running away won't change anything."
Emily's expression hardened.
"Your father may have killed mine."
Ethan did not argue.
"If that's what the evidence proves, he needs to face the consequences."
Alexander saved the recording.
"This changes everything."
He looked at the others.
"We need to preserve the original device and have the recording examined by independent experts. We also need to report this immediately."
Emily wiped her face.
"Will it be enough?"
Alexander answered honestly.
"It may not be enough on its own. But combined with the financial records, the visitor log, and the altered medical report, it could become a powerful body of evidence."
Emily looked down at the watch.
Her father had carried the truth with him.
He had hidden it in the one object he never left behind.
And now, three years later, his voice was finally being heard.
CHAPTER 12: THE LAST WARNING
That night, Richard received a call from Victor.
"Have you found the recording?"
Richard sat in his study.
"No."
"Then we have a serious problem."
"I know."
"Your son has the documents."
"I know that too."
Victor lowered his voice.
"Richard, we cannot allow the recording to reach the investigators."
Richard rubbed his forehead.
"What do you suggest?"
"Find out where they are keeping it."
Richard hesitated.
"How?"
Victor paused.
"Your wife knows more than she should."
Richard looked toward the empty hallway.
"Margaret left."
"Then find her."
"She's with the police?"
"I don't know."
Victor's voice became colder.