He was charged with several crimes.
But before the case reached court, Sarah intervened.
She used her influence to arrange his release.
"Sarah knew I was innocent," Matthew said. "She also knew the entire investigation against me had been arranged."
Daniel looked at him.
"Why didn't she tell me?"
"She tried."
Matthew reached into a drawer and removed a folded letter.
"She wrote this the night before she died."
Daniel took it carefully.
The handwriting was unmistakable.
Daniel,
I am sorry for keeping so much from you. I know you trusted me, and I know that my silence has hurt you.
Matthew is alive. He is innocent. Emily is alive. Lily is your granddaughter.
I wanted to tell you everything, but I discovered that Michael had been watching our house.
There is something you must understand. Richard Carter is not the person who started this. He inherited the organization from someone else.
And the person who controls everything is someone we have known for years.
Daniel stopped reading.
He looked at Matthew.
"Who?"
Matthew's expression darkened.
"My father."
Daniel stared at him.
"Your father?"
Matthew nodded.
"Richard Carter was never the mastermind. His twin brother, Robert, was."
Daniel remembered the photographs.
The identical faces.
The false death certificate.
The medical records that had been altered.
Matthew continued.
"Robert had been using Richard's identity for years. When Richard tried to leave the organization, Robert killed him and took his place."
Daniel felt sick.
"So the man we've been looking for is Robert?"
"Yes."
"Where is he?"
Matthew looked toward the window.
"He's closer than you think."
Daniel frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Before Matthew could answer, the room's television switched on by itself.
A news broadcast appeared.
The screen showed a press conference at the county courthouse.
Standing behind the microphone was a familiar man.
Deputy Michael Bennett.
But beside him stood another person.
An older man wearing a dark suit.
Daniel recognized the face from the photograph.
Richard Carter.
Or rather, the man who had been pretending to be Richard.
The news anchor announced that the county had appointed a special security consultant to assist with a new investigation into corruption within the sheriff's department.
The consultant was introduced as Robert Carter.
Daniel looked at Matthew.
"He's coming here."
Matthew nodded.
"He knows I've been talking."
Daniel stood up.
"We're leaving."
But Matthew shook his head.
"No. It's too late."
The hospital lights flickered.
Then the emergency alarm sounded.
A nurse rushed past the open doorway.
"Everyone needs to evacuate! There's been a security breach!"
Daniel immediately reached for his weapon.
"Matthew, can you walk?"
"Not very well."
Daniel helped him stand.
They moved toward the rear staircase.
As they reached the corridor, a man appeared at the far end.
He was wearing a hospital security uniform.
But Daniel recognized his face.
Michael Bennett.
"Daniel," Michael called calmly. "Step away from the patient."
Daniel raised his weapon.
"Stay where you are."
Michael sighed.
"You're making this much harder than it needs to be."
"Where is Robert?"
Michael smiled.
"Waiting for you."
Daniel looked behind him.
Two more men were approaching from the opposite corridor.
They were trapped.
Matthew leaned toward Daniel.
"There's something I haven't told you."
"Now isn't the time."
"It is."
Matthew reached into his jacket and removed a small memory card.
"Sarah recorded everything. The original recording of her final conversation with Robert is on this."
Daniel took it.
"Why didn't you give this to me earlier?"
"Because there's something on it that you won't believe."
Michael began walking toward them.
"Give me the card, Daniel."
Daniel kept his weapon raised.
"Not a chance."
Michael shook his head.
"You really should have listened to Sarah."
Then he reached into his jacket.
A gunshot echoed through the corridor.
Daniel felt a sharp pain in his shoulder and fell against the wall.
Matthew shouted.
Michael advanced.
But before he could reach them, a second gunshot rang out.
Michael collapsed.
At the end of the hallway stood Rebecca Stone, holding her weapon.
"Federal agents! Drop your weapons!"
The two men behind Daniel immediately surrendered.
Rebecca rushed toward him.
"Daniel! Are you hurt?"
He pressed his hand against his shoulder.
"I'll live."
Rebecca looked at Matthew.
"Is this him?"
Daniel nodded.
"Matthew Hayes."
Rebecca helped them move toward the emergency exit.
But as they reached the ambulance entrance, Matthew grabbed Daniel's arm.
"Uncle Daniel, the memory card."
Daniel looked at him.
"I have it."
"No. You don't understand. There's another recording."
Matthew struggled to breathe.
"Sarah recorded Robert admitting that he ordered her death."
Daniel felt his blood run cold.
"Why?"
Matthew looked at him.
"Because she discovered the truth about Lily."
Daniel turned toward Emily, who had just arrived with Rebecca's team.
Emily looked terrified.
"What truth?" Daniel asked.
She began crying.
"Daniel, I was going to tell you."
"Tell me what?"
Emily looked at Matthew.
Then at Lily, who was standing beside the ambulance.
Finally, she spoke.
"Sarah discovered that Lily wasn't just connected to the Carter family."
Daniel stared at her.
"Then who is she connected to?"
Emily's voice broke.
"Robert Carter."
Daniel looked at Lily.
The little girl stood silently, holding the silver pendant around her neck.
And suddenly, he understood why Robert had been searching for her.
Lily was not simply a witness.
She was the heir to an empire built on lies.
But there was one final detail Emily had not yet revealed.
A detail that would change everything Daniel believed about the night Sarah died.
Because Sarah hadn't been killed merely to silence her.
She had been killed because she had discovered that the person who ordered the murder was someone she loved.
And that person had been inside her own home.
The ambulance doors slammed shut as Daniel Hayes was rushed into the emergency department.
Blood covered his shirt, and the pain in his shoulder was becoming unbearable. But none of that mattered to him.