Daniel sighed.
“Your mother was sick, Marcus. She was confused about a lot of things toward the end.”
Marcus felt his jaw tighten.
“Don't.”
“Don't what?”
“Don't talk about her like that.”
Daniel held up his hands.
“I'm just saying what happened.”
“She was not confused.”
Daniel stared.
“Okay.”
“Why did you need a second witness?”
“Because that's how the paperwork was done.”
“Who was the second witness?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don't remember.”
“You don't remember?”
“It was three years ago.”
“You signed the document.”
“Marcus, we have a business to run. I don't have time for this.”
He turned toward the door.
Marcus stepped in front of him.
“Who was the second witness?”
Daniel's smile disappeared.
“Move.”
“No.”
For a moment, the two men stood facing each other.
Then Daniel leaned closer.
“Listen to me. Whatever you think you found, you need to stop looking.”
Marcus stared at him.
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“Why?”
Daniel's voice dropped.
“Because some things are better left alone.”
Marcus felt his heart pounding.
He had heard those words before.
Not from Daniel.
From his mother.
She had written almost the same thing in one of her notes.
He took a step backward.
Daniel walked past him.
At the door, he stopped.
“And Marcus?”
Marcus looked up.
“Don't involve Danielle in this.”
The door closed.
Marcus stood alone in the archive room.
He slowly took out his phone and called Andre.
“He knows,” he whispered.
Andre answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
“The office.”
“Are you alone?”
“For now.”
“Get out of there. Don't touch anything else.”
Marcus looked at the open filing cabinet.
Then at the envelope in his hand.
“There's another witness.”
Andre went silent.
“What?”
“Two signatures. Daniel and someone else.”
“Did you get the name?”
Marcus looked at the document.
He read it.
Then he felt his blood run cold.
The second witness was not an employee.
It was a woman.
A woman whose name he recognized.
A woman he had not spoken to in almost four years.
Vanessa Cole.
Vanessa had been Marcus's personal assistant before he started dating Danielle.
She was intelligent, organized, and exceptionally good at her job.
She knew the company's accounts, schedules, contracts, and property records.
She also knew Daniel.
In fact, Daniel had recommended her for the position.
Marcus had trusted her completely.
Then, without warning, Vanessa resigned.
She said she had received an offer from another company.
Marcus remembered wishing her well.
He had even attended her farewell dinner.
But now her name appeared beside Daniel's on a document involving his mother's estate.
He called Andre again.
“Do you know Vanessa Cole?”
“Yes.”
Marcus frowned.
“You know her?”
“Her name appeared in the original investigation.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because we didn't have enough evidence to establish her involvement.”
Marcus looked at the document.
“What does she have to do with this?”
Andre paused.
“Your mother believed she had access to the accounts.”
“Because she was my assistant.”
“More than that. Vanessa was listed as an authorized representative for one of the holding companies.”
Marcus shook his head.
“That makes no sense.”
“Did you authorize it?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
Marcus hesitated.
There had been dozens of documents during the company's early years.
He had signed contracts without reading every page.
Daniel often placed paperwork on his desk and explained what needed approval.
Sometimes Marcus signed five or six documents in a single meeting.
He had trusted him.
“I'm not sure,” he admitted.
Andre sighed.
“That's exactly what makes this difficult.”
Marcus looked through the office window.
Daniel was standing near the conference room, talking on his phone.
Then he looked up.
Their eyes met.
Daniel ended the call.
He smiled.
Marcus didn't smile back.
That afternoon, Danielle received a call from Patricia Coleman.
The attorney sounded unusually tense.
“Danielle, I need you to come to my office.”
“What happened?”
“I found the original recording.”
“Which recording?”
“The one Evelyn made the week before she died.”
Danielle sat down.
“Isn't that the recording we listened to last night?”
“No. That was an earlier recording.”
Danielle felt her stomach tighten.
“What did she say?”
Patricia hesitated.
“It's about Vanessa.”
Danielle looked toward the window.
“Vanessa Cole?”
“Yes.”
“What about her?”
“Evelyn believed Vanessa had been working with Daniel for months. But there's something else.”
“What?”
“Evelyn believed Marcus didn't know the full extent of what they were doing.”
Danielle closed her eyes.
That changed everything.
If Marcus had been manipulated by his closest friend, then he might not have been the person Evelyn feared.
But if he had known, then the truth would be much worse.
Patricia continued.
“There's a second part to the recording. Evelyn specifically asked that it only be played if Marcus was present.”
Danielle looked at her phone.
“Can you send it to us?”
“No. I want you both here.”
“Why?”
“Because I think Marcus needs to hear it from the beginning.”
At 4:15 p.m., Marcus and Danielle entered Patricia's office.
Andre was already there.
Patricia greeted them and closed the door.
She placed a small digital recorder on the table.
“I want you to listen carefully,” she said.
Marcus sat down.
Danielle took the chair beside him.
Patricia pressed play.
Evelyn's voice filled the room.
“Marcus, if you're listening to this, then I hope you have someone beside you who loves you enough to tell you the truth.”
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“I have been afraid for a long time. Not of losing my money. Not of losing my house. I've been afraid of losing my son.”