The footage resumed three minutes later.
The officer replayed the recording.
A shadow appeared near the side entrance.
A person wearing a dark jacket walked toward the house.
Their face was hidden.
They entered the property through a gate.
Then the camera went dark.
Daniel watched the footage twice.
"Can you identify the person?"
The officer shook his head.
"Not from this recording."
Emily looked toward the staircase.
"Noah was sleeping upstairs."
Daniel placed an arm around her.
"We're going to keep him safe."
The officer advised them to change the security system and preserve all evidence.
After the police left, Richard remained in the kitchen.
He looked exhausted.
"Margaret is becoming desperate."
Daniel leaned against the counter.
"Why did she do this?"
Richard sighed.
"Because she knows what is in that envelope."
Emily looked at him.
"What exactly did my father leave me?"
Richard was silent for several seconds.
Then he answered:
"Not just the trust agreement."
He opened his leather folder.
"There is another document. A handwritten statement from your father describing what happened after Robert died."
Emily frowned.
"I've never seen that."
"Because Thomas kept it separate."
Richard placed a copy on the table.
It contained a list of dates, payments, names, and transactions.
At the bottom was a note written in Thomas's handwriting.
IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME, THE ORIGINAL RECORDINGS ARE IN THE PLACE ROBERT TRUSTED MOST.
Daniel read the sentence.
"What recordings?"
Richard looked toward the old photograph of Robert and William.
"I don't know."
Emily slowly shook her head.
"My father never mentioned recordings."
Richard examined the handwriting.
"Then perhaps he intended someone to find them."
Daniel looked at the document.
"Where would my father have trusted most?"
Richard thought for a moment.
Then his expression changed.
"The old workshop."
Daniel looked confused.
"What workshop?"
"The first construction office your father and William ever owned."
Richard paused.
"It was demolished years ago. But the land is still part of the company's property portfolio."
Emily felt a strange chill.
"Then we need to find out whether anything survived."
CHAPTER 9 β A VISIT TO THE PAST
The next morning, Richard drove Daniel and Emily to the outskirts of Philadelphia.
The old office building was no longer standing.
In its place was a vacant property surrounded by a metal fence.
Weeds covered the ground.
A faded sign remained attached to the gate.
WHITMORE CARTER DEVELOPMENT β ESTABLISHED 1987.
Daniel stared at the sign.
He had never seen the name before.
"Why did they remove Carter from the company name?"
Richard looked away.
"Because Margaret wanted everyone to forget your father."
They contacted the property manager and explained that they were investigating historical company records.
After several phone calls, they received permission to inspect a small storage structure behind the former office site.
The building was dusty and nearly empty.
Old furniture had been abandoned inside.
Broken filing cabinets stood against the walls.
Richard examined the room.
"Robert used to keep his personal files here."
They began searching.
For nearly an hour, they found nothing.
Then Emily noticed a small metal panel beneath an old workbench.
"Daniel."
He approached.
"What is it?"
She pointed.
"Look."
A narrow compartment had been built into the floor.
Richard knelt and removed the panel.
Inside was a small wooden box.
Daniel opened it.
There were several photographs, a pocket watch, and a cassette recorder.
He picked up the recorder.
A label was attached to the front.
ROBERT β PRIVATE.
Richard stared at it.
"My God."
Daniel looked at him.
"Is this what we were looking for?"
"I think so."
They took the box to Elizabeth Morgan's office.
She arranged for the cassette to be transferred into a digital recording under proper evidence-handling procedures.
The first few seconds contained only static.
Then a man's voice emerged.
Robert Carter.
Daniel recognized it immediately.
"My name is Robert Carter. I am recording this because I have reason to believe that my business partner is attempting to alter our ownership agreement."
Richard covered his mouth.
The recording continued.
"William has recently become increasingly concerned about the future of the company. He believes I intend to sell my shares. I have made it clear that I have no such intention."
There was a pause.
Then another voice.
William Whitmore.
"Robert, you are making this more complicated than it needs to be."