Chapter 7 - THE MESSAGE FROM THE DEAD
Dad stared at Nathan’s phone.
I stared at him.
The message remained on the screen.
DON’T TRUST YOUR FATHER.
My father did not reach for the phone.
He did not defend himself.
That frightened me more than anger would have.
“Dad.”
“I see it.”
“Why would someone send that?”
“I don’t know.”
Robert laughed weakly from the floor.
“Yes, you do.”
Dad turned.
“What does that mean?”
Robert’s breathing became rougher.
“You never told her about the meeting.”
“What meeting?”
I looked between them.
Dad said nothing.
“Dad.”
His shoulders dropped.
“The night Nathan died, he asked me to meet him.”
My chest tightened.
“You told me you were in London.”
“I was supposed to be.”
“But you weren’t.”
“No.”
“Where were you?”
“Denver.”
My brother died outside Denver.
I felt suddenly cold.
“Why?”
“Nathan asked me to come.”
Robert closed his eyes.
“He begged you.”
Dad looked at him with fury.
“You don’t get to speak for my son.”
I stepped between them.
“What happened?”
Dad stared at the floor.
“I met Nathan at a hotel.”
“When?”
“Three hours before the crash.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That Harrington money was moving through Arden companies.”
“Did he mention Robert?”
“Yes.”
My uncle flinched.
“And North?”
Dad nodded.
“He believed North was helping him.”
“Then why didn’t you go to the police?”
“Because Nathan asked me not to.”
“Why?”
“He said there was someone inside law enforcement feeding information back to Harrington.”
Detective Bennett had entered the room.
She heard every word.
Dad looked toward her.
“I’m not accusing your department.”
She nodded.
“Continue.”
“Nathan gave me a list of accounts.”
“What did you do?”
“I confronted Malcolm Harrington.”
I stared at him.
“You what?”
Dad’s voice carried shame.
“I believed I could force him to stop.”
“You warned him?”
“Yes.”
“Before Nathan drove away?”
Dad closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
My anger exploded.
“You told the man Nathan was investigating that Nathan had evidence?”
“I didn’t give him details.”
“You told him enough.”
“I know.”
The room disappeared around me.
For six years, I had believed my brother died because of mechanical failure.
Now I knew Robert had provided access to his vehicle.
Malcolm Harrington may have ordered the sabotage.
And my father had warned Harrington only hours before the crash.
“Emily.”
I stepped away.
“Don’t.”
“I made the worst mistake of my life.”
“Nathan paid for it.”
“I know.”
The phone chimed again.
Another message.
HE NEVER TOLD YOU WHY I LEFT THE HOTEL ANGRY.
Dad froze.
I picked up the phone.
“What happened?”
He did not answer.
The phone chimed.
ASK HIM WHO HE CHOSE.
My father sat down slowly.
I stared at him.
“Who did you choose?”
His eyes filled with pain.
“The company.”
I felt sick.
“What?”
“Nathan wanted me to expose everything immediately.”
“And you refused.”
“I wanted twenty-four hours.”
“Why?”
“Because a public disclosure would have collapsed Arden Global.”
I laughed once.
It sounded broken.
“You chose the stock price over Nathan.”
“No.”
“That is exactly what you just said.”
“I thought I could protect both.”
“You protected neither.”
Dad looked away.
The phone chimed again.
This message contained a video attachment.
I pressed play.
Nathan appeared on the screen.
Alive.
Thirty-two years old.
Dark hair.
Tired eyes.
My knees almost gave out.
He was sitting inside a car.
The timestamp showed forty-one minutes before his death.
Nathan looked directly into the camera.
“If you’re watching this, I probably didn’t make it.”
My father covered his mouth.
Nathan continued.
“Dad thinks he can negotiate with Malcolm.”
He shook his head.
“He can’t.”
My eyes filled with tears.
Then Nathan said something that changed everything.
“North was right.”
He looked over his shoulder.
“They’re already following me.”
The video shook.
Nathan whispered.
“If they get me, Emily needs to know the truth.”
May you like
He leaned closer to the camera.
“North isn’t one person.”
