Chapter 15 - The Father Behind the Son
The next morning, Daniel sat inside the Howard library for the first time in seven years.
Richard stood across from him.
Neither man knew how to begin.
Elena sat nearby.
Mrs. Howard remained at the window.
Four members of a family.
Seven years of lies between them.
Daniel finally looked at Elena.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For bringing Vanessa back into your life.”
Richard frowned.
“You brought her?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I needed someone Gerald would trust near the family.”
Richard laughed bitterly.
“So you chose the woman who cheated on me with you.”
Daniel flinched.
“I deserved that.”
“You deserve more than that.”
Elena raised a hand.
“Richard.”
He stopped.
This was not forgiveness.
It was triage.
They needed facts.
Elena looked at Daniel.
“Tell us about Derek Hale.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“You know he survived.”
“We have a photograph.”
Daniel slowly nodded.
“My father tried to have him killed.”
Mrs. Howard covered her mouth.
Daniel continued.
“Derek discovered Charles had been stealing from Howard Capital.”
“How much?”
Richard asked.
“Over eighty million dollars across twenty years.”
Richard stared at him.
Daniel continued.
“Some of it was hidden in trusts.”
“Some was moved through shell companies.”
“Derek threatened to expose him.”
“So Dad arranged the accident.”
“Yes.”
“But Derek survived.”
“Yes.”
“What happened afterward?”
“Gerald found him.”
Elena frowned.
“His son.”
Daniel nodded.
“Gerald was still Gerald Hale then.”
“He hid his father and helped him disappear.”
“Then why did Gerald later work for Charles?”
“Because Derek told him to.”
The room fell silent.
Richard stared at Daniel.
“Gerald infiltrated the family on his father’s orders?”
“Yes.”
“For revenge?”
“At first, for evidence.”
Daniel rubbed his face.
“But Gerald changed.”
“How?”
“He started enjoying control.”
“He convinced himself everyone connected to Charles was guilty.”
“Me.”
“Richard.”
“Mom.”
“Eventually Elena.”
Elena looked toward Mrs. Howard.
“And Derek?”
“Derek wanted the stolen money exposed.”
“He didn’t want anyone hurt.”
“Then why is he hiding Gerald?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Because Gerald is his son.”
The painful simplicity of it landed.
Parents could know exactly what their children had become and still try to protect them.
Richard asked, “Where are they?”
Daniel hesitated.
Ruiz, standing near the door, noticed.
“You know.”
Daniel looked at him.
“I know where Derek used to stay.”
“Where?”
“A farm outside Cold Spring.”
Richard grabbed his coat.
Ruiz stopped him.
“You’re not going.”
Richard stared at him.
“That stopped working last time.”
Daniel stood.
“I’m going.”
Ruiz almost objected.
Daniel continued.
“Derek trusts me.”
“Why?”
“Because I saved his life once.”
Richard looked at him.
“When?”
“The night of my accident.”
Daniel finally revealed what had happened seven years earlier.
He had discovered Charles meeting Derek secretly.
Gerald learned Daniel knew.
He arranged for Daniel’s car to disappear.
But Derek intervened.
Daniel survived.
Gerald then threatened Richard.
So Daniel vanished.
Everything had been connected from the beginning.
Ruiz received a message.
He read it twice.
Then looked toward Daniel.
“We don’t need your old address.”
“Why?”
“State police just found Derek Hale.”
Elena felt relief.
May you like
Until Ruiz finished.
“He’s been shot.”
