Eleven Years of Marriage, One Night of Betrayal

: The Man Who Was Supposed to Be Dead

I played the recording seventeenI played the recording seventeen times before sunrise.

Se times before sunrise.

Seventeen times, I listened to the woman’s voice whisper, “Not if I get there first.””

venteen times, I listened to the woman’s voice whisper, “Not if I get there first.””

Seventeen times, I watched Damon place the brass key inside the black folder, lock the cabinet,Seventeen times, I watched Damon place the brass key inside the black folder, lock the cabinet, and smile directly at the security camera.

And seventeen times, I tried to convince myself that grief and smile directly at the security camera.

And seventeen times, I tried to convince myself that grief had distorted my memory.

But I knew that voice.

I had heard it at had distorted my memory.

But I knew that voice.

I had heard it at Christmas dinners, business meetings, and the last Christmas dinners, business meetings, and the last birthday party my father ever celebrated.

It belonged to Evelyn Cross birthday party my father ever celebrated.

It belonged to Evelyn Cross, my father’s former business partner.

Three years earlier, Evelyn had supposedly, my father’s former business partner.

Three years earlier, Evelyn had supposedly died in a car accident outside Santa Barbara. Her vehicle died in a car accident outside Santa Barbara. Her vehicle had plunged down a steep embankment during a storm.

The police had plunged down a steep embankment during a storm. The police had recovered her body, and my father had identified her had recovered her body, and my father had identified her at the morgue.

Six months later, my father died of at the morgue.

Six months later, my father died of a heart attack.

Before his death, he had spent weeks insisting a heart attack.

Before his death, he had spent weeks insisting that someone was stealing from his company. He had accused Damon of fals that someone was stealing from his company. He had accused Damon of falsifying financial records, then apologized when Damon showed him documentsifying financial records, then apologized when Damon showed him documents supposedly proving everything was legitimate.

I had believed Damon.

I had even defended him at supposedly proving everything was legitimate.

I had believed Damon.

I had even defended him at my father's funeral when an old colleague muttered that the timing of the two my father's funeral when an old colleague muttered that the timing of the two deaths was suspicious.

Now I sat alone in my bedroom, deaths was suspicious.

Now I sat alone in my bedroom, staring at a security recording that suggested a dead woman was alive.

My staring at a security recording that suggested a dead woman was alive.

My phone vibrated.

*Unknown Number:* Don't trust the footage phone vibrated.

*Unknown Number:* Don't trust the footage alone. Find the key.

I typed back.

*Me:* Who are you alone. Find the key.

I typed back.

*Me:* Who are you?

Three dots appeared.

Then disappeared.

A minute later, another message arrived.

**?

Three dots appeared.

Then disappeared.

A minute later, another message arrived.

*Unknown Number:* Someone your father tried to protect.

I called theUnknown Number:** Someone your father tried to protect.

I called the number.

It went straight to voicemail.

I tried again.

Nothing.

At 6:10 number.

It went straight to voicemail.

I tried again.

Nothing.

At 6:10 a.m., I showered, dressed in black trousers and a cream blouse, a.m., I showered, dressed in black trousers and a cream blouse, and walked downstairs.

Damon was asleep on the living-room and walked downstairs.

Damon was asleep on the living-room sofa. An empty whiskey glass sat on the coffee table. sofa.

An empty whiskey glass sat on the coffee table. His phone rested beside it, screen facing down.

I stood His phone rested beside it, screen facing down.

I stood over him for several seconds.

The man sleeping beneath that expensive blanket was the over him for several seconds.

The man sleeping beneath that expensive blanket was the same man who had held my hand during my father's final hours. He same man who had held my hand during my father's final hours. He was the same man who had promised to protect me when I inherited my was the same man who had promised to protect me when I inherited my father's remaining investments.

He was also the man who had moved father's remaining investments.

He was also the man who had moved nearly half a million dollars into a company owned by his mistress.

I wondered nearly half a million dollars into a company owned by his mistress.

I wondered how many versions of Damon existed.

Then his phone lit up.

** how many versions of Damon existed.

Then his phone lit up.

*Sierra: Richard took my passport. Call me. I need theSierra:* Richard took my passport.

Call me. I need the documents before he finds them.

I photographed the message with documents before he finds them.

I photographed the message with my own phone.

Before I could read anything else, Damon stirred.

“Victoria my own phone.

Before I could read anything else, Damon stirred.

“Victoria?””

I stepped away from the sofa.

“Morning.””

He pushed himself upright and?””

I stepped away from the sofa.

“Morning.””

He pushed himself upright and rubbed his eyes.

“What time is it?””

“Early.””

His gaze moved to my rubbed his eyes.

“What time is it?””

“Early.””

His gaze moved to my clothes.

“Where are you going?””

“To see clothes.

“Where are you going?””

“To see a lawyer.””

He stared at me.

“About what?””

I smiled faintly.

a lawyer.””

He stared at me.

“About what?””

I smiled faintly.

“Take a guess.””

He threw the blanket aside.

““Take a guess.””

He threw the blanket aside.

“Victoria, don't do this.””

“Do what?””

“Turn one mistakeVictoria, don't do this.””

“Do what?””

“Turn one mistake into a war.””

“One mistake?”” I repeated.

“How many times did you sleep into a war.””

“One mistake?”” I repeated.

“How many times did you sleep with Sierra?””

He looked away.

“That's not what matters now with Sierra?””

He looked away.

“That's not what matters now.””

“Then what matters?””

“Our future.””

I nearly.””

“Then what matters?””

“Our future.””

I nearly laughed.

“You transferred $480,000 out of our account. You were discussing laughed.

“You transferred $480,000 out of our account. You were discussing moving the remaining funds last night. You said I wouldn't own anything by moving the remaining funds last night.

You said I wouldn't own anything by morning. Which part of that is about morning. Which part of that is about our future?””

His face drained of color.

For a moment, he looked genuinely frightened.

Then his our future?””

His face drained of color.

For a moment, he looked genuinely frightened.

Then his expression hardened.

“You've been watching me.””

“You expression hardened.

“You've been watching me.””

“You left the security cameras running.””

“You had no right to spy left the security cameras running.””

“You had no right to spy on private conversations.””

I folded my arms.

“You had on private conversations.””

I folded my arms.

“You had no right to use our money to fund your affair.””

He stood and approached no right to use our money to fund your affair.””

He stood and approached me.

“Listen carefully. You don't understand the situation.””

me.

“Listen carefully. You don't understand the situation.””

“Then explain it.””

“I can't.””

“Won't?””

“Can't.””

I“Then explain it.””

“I can't.””

“Won't?””

“Can't.””

I held his gaze.

“Because the truth would send you to prison?””

His hand closed around my held his gaze.

“Because the truth would send you to prison?””

His hand closed around my upper arm.

Not hard enough to bruise.

Hard upper arm.

Not hard enough to bruise.

Hard enough to remind me that he was bigger than I was.

“Don't use words enough to remind me that he was bigger than I was.

“Don't use words you don't understand,” he said.

I looked you don't understand,” he said.

I looked down at his hand.

He released me.

For a moment, the down at his hand.

He released me.

For a moment, the room was silent.

Then he lowered his voice.

“I love you, Victoria. room was silent.

Then he lowered his voice.

“I love you, Victoria. Whatever you've seen, whatever you think you've discovered, I can Whatever you've seen, whatever you think you've discovered, I can fix it.””

“Can you bring my father back?””

He fl fix it.””

“Can you bring my father back?””

He flinched.

It was tiny, but I saw it.

“Whyinched.

It was tiny, but I saw it.

“Why would you say that?””

“Because you told me you were the last person to would you say that?””

“Because you told me you were the last person to speak to him before he died. You told me he was confused, that his speak to him before he died. You told me he was confused, that his medication had made him paranoid.

You told me he wanted you medication had made him paranoid. You told me he wanted you to manage my inheritance because he trusted you.””

“I to manage my inheritance because he trusted you.””

“I did manage your inheritance.””

“And now nearly half a million dollars is did manage your inheritance.””

“And now nearly half a million dollars is missing.””

“It was an investment.””

“Where's the investment agreement?””

He said missing.””

“It was an investment.””

“Where's the investment agreement?””

He said nothing.

I walked toward the staircase.

“I'm going to the bank. nothing.

I walked toward the staircase.

“I'm going to the bank. After that, I'm meeting an attorney. Don't touch anything in the house.””

He After that, I'm meeting an attorney. Don't touch anything in the house.””

He followed me.

“Victoria, if you go to the bank, you'll trigger followed me.

“Victoria, if you go to the bank, you'll trigger something you can't reverse.””

I stopped on the first step.

“What will I something you can't reverse.””

I stopped on the first step.

“What will I trigger?””

He stared at me.

For a moment, I thought he might finally tell me the trigger?””

He stared at me.

For a moment, I thought he might finally tell me the truth.

Instead, he said, “You'll destroy everything your truth.

Instead, he said, “You'll destroy everything your father built.””

I looked at him for a long time.

Then I continued father built.””

I looked at him for a long time.

Then I continued upstairs.

At 8:30 a.m., I met my attorney, Natalie upstairs.

At 8:30 a.m., I met my attorney, Natalie Brooks, in her downtown Los Angeles office.

Natalie had handled Brooks, in her downtown Los Angeles office.

Natalie had handled the estate paperwork after my father's death. She was in the estate paperwork after my father's death. She was in her early forties, with sharp eyes, silver her early forties, with sharp eyes, silver-framed glasses, and a habit of reading documents twice before speaking.

I-framed glasses, and a habit of reading documents twice before speaking.

I showed her the bank transfers, the screenshots from the showed her the bank transfers, the screenshots from the security cameras, and the messages from the unknown number.

She studied everything security cameras, and the messages from the unknown number.

She studied everything without interrupting.

When I finished, she placed her pen on without interrupting.

When I finished, she placed her pen on the desk.

“First, we need to protect your assets. Second, we need to establish exactly where the desk.

“First, we need to protect your assets. Second, we need to establish exactly where that money went. Third, we need to determine whether your husband has been that money went. Third, we need to determine whether your husband has been using your father's estate to conceal financial activity.””

“What about the woman in the recording?””

using your father's estate to conceal financial activity.””

“What about the woman in the recording?””

“Evelyn Cross?””

I nodded.

Natalie leaned back.

“Evelyn Cross?””

I nodded.

Natalie leaned back.

“Victoria, I handled the legal correspondence after“Victoria, I handled the legal correspondence after her reported death. The authorities notified the company, her reported death. The authorities notified the company, and the estate was apparently settled through her next of kin.””

“ and the estate was apparently settled through her next of kin.””

“Apparently?””

Natalie opened a drawer and removed an old folder.

“IApparently?””

Natalie opened a drawer and removed an old folder.

“I remember something unusual. The death certificate was issued, but the remember something unusual. The death certificate was issued, but the insurance claim was disputed.

The company handling the policy requested additional identification insurance claim was disputed. The company handling the policy requested additional identification. The paperwork was never completed to my satisfaction.””

“Why didn't you tell me?””

. The paperwork was never completed to my satisfaction.””

“Why didn't you tell me?””

“I wasn't representing you in Evelyn's estate. And“I wasn't representing you in Evelyn's estate. And at the time, your father was already ill.””

She turned at the time, your father was already ill.””

She turned several pages.

“Your father also instructed me to retain copies of certain corporate documents in several pages.

“Your father also instructed me to retain copies of certain corporate documents in a sealed file. He said they might become important a sealed file. He said they might become important if anyone challenged the ownership of his remaining assets.””

My pulse if anyone challenged the ownership of his remaining assets.””

My pulse quickened.

“Do you still have them?””

“I do.””

She quickened.

“Do you still have them?””

“I do.””

She rose and crossed to a locked filing cabinet.

When she returned, rose and crossed to a locked filing cabinet.

When she returned, she placed a thick envelope on the desk.

My father's handwriting covered the front.

** she placed a thick envelope on the desk.

My father's handwriting covered the front.

*For Victoria. Only if Damon begins moving the money.*

IFor Victoria. Only if Damon begins moving the money.**

I stopped breathing.

Natalie watched my face.

“Have stopped breathing.

Natalie watched my face.

“Have you seen this before?””

“No.””

She broke the seal carefully.

Inside were copies you seen this before?””

“No.””

She broke the seal carefully.

Inside were copies of bank statements, corporate agreements, and a handwritten letter.

The first page listed three of bank statements, corporate agreements, and a handwritten letter.

The first page listed three companies.

Hayes Urban Holdings.

SB Consulting Group.

Cross Meridian Capital.

The companies.

Hayes Urban Holdings.

SB Consulting Group.

Cross Meridian Capital.

The third name meant nothing to me.

Until I saw the signature third name meant nothing to me.

Until I saw the signature at the bottom.

Evelyn Cross.

Natalie turned another at the bottom.

Evelyn Cross.

Natalie turned another page.

“This appears to be an ownership agreement. Your father retained a controlling interest in a property page.

“This appears to be an ownership agreement. Your father retained a controlling interest in a property development trust. According to this document, that interest development trust. According to this document, that interest was never transferred to Damon.””

I frowned.

“But Damon said was never transferred to Damon.””

I frowned.

“But Damon said Dad sold his shares before he died.””

“There's no evidence of that here.””

I Dad sold his shares before he died.””

“There's no evidence of that here.””

I looked at the letter.

My father's handwriting grew shaky toward the bottom.

*Victoria, if you looked at the letter.

My father's handwriting grew shaky toward the bottom.

*Victoria, if you are reading this, Damon has likely begun transferring assets. Do not confront are reading this, Damon has likely begun transferring assets. Do not confront him without independent legal advice. The money he him without independent legal advice.

The money he calls an investment is not an investment. It is the key to the calls an investment is not an investment. It is the key to the original ownership records.*

My fingers trembled.

The next sentence was original ownership records.*

My fingers trembled.

The next sentence was underlined twice.

*If Evelyn is alive, trust no underlined twice.

If Evelyn is alive, trust no one who claims to be acting on her behalf.

I looked at one who claims to be acting on her behalf.*

I looked at Natalie.

“Why would Dad think she might be alive?””

“I don't know.””

She Natalie.

“Why would Dad think she might be alive?””

“I don't know.””

She removed a final document from the envelope.

It was a photocopy of a bank removed a final document from the envelope.

It was a photocopy of a bank transfer dated four days before my father's death.

The amount was $ transfer dated four days before my father's death.

The amount was $2.4 million.

The sender was Cross Meridian Capital.

The recipient was2.4 million.

The sender was Cross Meridian Capital.

The recipient was a trust established in my name.

But the account number a trust established in my name.

But the account number had been crossed out in red ink.

Beside it, my father had written had been crossed out in red ink.

Beside it, my father had written three words.

*The second ledger.*

Natalie three words.

*The second ledger.*

Natalie studied the page.

“This could be the beginning of a much studied the page.

“This could be the beginning of a much larger financial dispute.””

My phone rang.

Damon.

I declined the larger financial dispute.””

My phone rang.

Damon.

I declined the call.

It rang again.

Then a text appeared.

**Come home now. Someone call.

It rang again.

Then a text appeared.

*Come home now. Someone has been inside the house.*

A second message followed.

*The black folder is gone has been inside the house.*

A second message followed.

*The black folder is gone.*

I looked at my father’s letter.

Then at the photograph of the security footage.**

I looked at my father’s letter.

Then at the photograph of the security footage.

Damon had locked the folder beneath the staircase.

But someone had entered.

Damon had locked the folder beneath the staircase.

But someone had entered our home while he was there.

Someone had taken the documents our home while he was there.

Someone had taken the documents.

And whoever that person was had known exactly where to look.

My phone rang again.

This time, it was the unknown number.

IMy phone rang again.

This time, it was the unknown number.

I answered.

A woman's voice spoke quietly.

“Victoria Hayes?””

“Yes. answered.

A woman's voice spoke quietly.

“Victoria Hayes?””

“Yes. Who is this?””

“My name is Evelyn Cross.””

My knees nearly buckled.

“ Who is this?””

“My name is Evelyn Cross.””

My knees nearly buckled.

“That's impossible.””

“I know what Damon told you. I knowThat's impossible.””

“I know what Damon told you. I know what your father believed. And I know why you've spent what your father believed. And I know why you've spent the last three years thinking I was dead.””

I gripped the edge of the last three years thinking I was dead.””

I gripped the edge of Natalie's desk.

“Where are you?””

“Somewhere Damon can't find me.””

Natalie's desk.

“Where are you?””

“Somewhere Damon can't find me.””

“Why are you contacting me now?””

“Because he has the ledger“Why are you contacting me now?””

“Because he has the ledger, and he's going to destroy the only evidence that can prove your father was, and he's going to destroy the only evidence that can prove your father was murdered.””

The room seemed to stop moving.

“My father died of a heart attack murdered.””

The room seemed to stop moving.

“My father died of a heart attack.””

“No, Victoria. Your father discovered that Damon had stolen his company.””

“No, Victoria. Your father discovered that Damon had stolen his company. Two days later, he was dead.””

I struggled to speak.

“. Two days later, he was dead.””

I struggled to speak.

“Do you have proof?””

“Yes.””

“Then why haven't you goneDo you have proof?””

“Yes.””

“Then why haven't you gone to the police?””

“Because the man who helped bury the truth is sitting to the police?””

“Because the man who helped bury the truth is sitting in a police department's financial crimes in a police department's financial crimes unit.””

A chill ran down my spine.

Evelyn continued.

“You unit.””

A chill ran down my spine.

Evelyn continued.

“You have one advantage, Victoria. Damon thinks you still believe the story have one advantage, Victoria. Damon thinks you still believe the story he told you.””

“What advantage?””

“He hasn't found your he told you.””

“What advantage?””

“He hasn't found your father's original ledger.””

I glanced at the envelope on Natalie's desk.

“What father's original ledger.””

I glanced at the envelope on Natalie's desk.

“What does it look like?””

“A black leather book with does it look like?””

“A black leather book with a brass clasp. There should be a small red key inside the a brass clasp. There should be a small red key inside the cover.””

I remembered the security footage.

The brass key.

The red tag.

But before cover.””

I remembered the security footage.

The brass key.

The red tag.

But before I could speak, Evelyn said something that made my blood turn cold.

“Victoria I could speak, Evelyn said something that made my blood turn cold.

“Victoria, don't go home. Damon has already realized the folder was a dec, don't go home. Damon has already realized the folder was a decoy.””

I stared at the office door.

“What decoy?””