Chapter 4: The First Husband
For several seconds, neither of us moved.
The photograph remained on my phone screen.
My father stood in the middle.
Daniel stood beside him.
And the dead man stood on the other side, one hand resting against my father's shoulder as though the three of them had been celebrating something.
I knew that face.
Everyone in our family did.
Edward Collins had been my father's closest business partner for nearly twenty years.
He had died in a boating accident when I was seventeen.
At least, that was what I'd been told.
I looked at Vanessa.
“You said he was my father's first husband.””
She nodded.
“How could that possibly be true?””
“I don't know everything.””
“Then start with what you do know.””
She walked into the kitchen and sat down.
I remained standing.
“Your father and Edward were married in secret,” she said.
I laughed.
It came out harsh.
“My father wasn't gay.””
Vanessa looked at me carefully.
“Michael, I didn't say anything about his sexuality.””
“You just told me he had a husband.””
“I said he was married to Edward.””
“That isn't the same thing?””
“No.””
She folded her hands.
“They were business partners publicly. Privately, they had a legal relationship that protected assets they didn't want exposed.””
I stared at her.
“What assets?””
“The ones Daniel stole.””
I felt the pieces moving around in my head.
My father's company.
Daniel.
Vanessa.
The trust.
Edward.
Four million dollars.
And now another marriage certificate.
“Why did my father hide this from me?””
“Because he believed he was protecting you.””
“From what?””
“From the people who wanted his money.””
I walked toward the kitchen island.
“My father died eighteen months ago.””
“Yes.””
“Why are you still protecting his secrets?””
“Because Daniel is still alive.””
The words landed heavily.
I looked at her.
“And Edward isn't.””
“No.””
“How did he die?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“Your father told everyone it was an accident.””
“That isn't what I asked.””
She looked down.
“Daniel killed him.””
My hand tightened around the phone.
“You're telling me my father's former business partner was murdered?””
“Yes.””
“And my father covered it up?””
“He tried.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel had evidence.””
“What evidence?””
Vanessa's eyes met mine.
“Bank transfers. Offshore accounts. Names.””
I stepped closer.
“Whose names?””
“Politicians. Developers. Bank executives.””
She lowered her voice.
“And your father.””
I stared at her.
“My father was involved?””
“He wasn't stealing.””
“Then what was he doing?””
“Moving money.””
“That sounds like stealing.””
“It wasn't his money.””
“Then whose was it?””
Vanessa didn't answer.
I slammed my palm against the counter.
“Stop protecting everyone!””
She flinched.
“I am trying to keep you alive.””
That shut me up.
For the first time, I noticed how exhausted she looked.
There were dark circles beneath her eyes.
Her hands were trembling.
She wasn't acting like someone caught cheating.
She looked like someone waiting for a bomb to go off.
I lowered my voice.
“Tell me about Daniel.””
Vanessa took a breath.
“Daniel worked for your father and Edward. He handled private accounts.””
“Three years?””
“Longer.””
“How long?””
“Six years.””
“And you?””
“I worked there after him.””
“What happened between you and Daniel?””
“He became obsessed with controlling everything.””
“Money?””
“Everything.””
She looked toward the window.
“When I tried to leave, he threatened me.””
“Then why marry him?””
“I didn't know what he was capable of.””
I waited.
She continued.
“He told me if I married him, he would stop threatening my family.””
“Did he?””
“No.””
“Then why stay?””
“Because he showed me what he had done to Edward.””
My stomach tightened.
“What did he do?””
Vanessa looked at me.
“He didn't push Edward off a boat.””
I swallowed.
“What?””
“He staged the accident after Edward was already dead.””
The room seemed to tilt.
“How did you find out?””
“Daniel told me.””
“Why would he tell you?””
“Because he wanted me to understand what would happen if I betrayed him.””
I stared at her.
“And then you married me.””
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“Because your father asked me to.””
I went completely still.
“My father asked you to marry me?””
“He knew Daniel would eventually come after the inheritance. He believed marrying you would put me close enough to protect you.””
I shook my head.
“That makes no sense.””
“It didn't to me either.””
“You expect me to believe my father deliberately put a woman with a criminal history into his son's life?””
“He didn't know everything.””
“But he knew enough.””
“Yes.””
I walked toward the window.
Outside, Ryan's mower was still sitting near the curb.
Its engine was cold now.
I remembered the first day Vanessa had introduced Ryan.
He's good with details.
She had said that.
At the time, I'd thought she meant landscaping.
Now the memory felt different.
I turned around.
“Ryan.””
Vanessa looked up.
“He isn't a lawn worker.””
“No.””
“What is he?””
“A private investigator.””
My jaw tightened.
“You hired a private investigator?””
“Your father did.””
“Before he died?””
“Yes.””
“Why was Ryan watching our house?””
“To make sure Daniel wasn't watching you.””
I looked toward the driveway.
“Then why did he come into our bedroom?””
“Because there was a camera.””
I froze.
“What?””
Vanessa pointed upstairs.
“Your father had a security system installed before he died.””
I stared at her.
“In our bedroom?””
“No.””
“Then where?””
She whispered:
“Inside the wall.””
A chill ran through me.
“What was Ryan doing?””
“Checking it.””
“Why didn't he tell me?””
“Because we didn't know who we could trust.””
I laughed bitterly.
“You could have trusted me.””
Vanessa looked at me.
“I wanted to.””
“But?””
“But every time I got close to telling you, something happened.””
“What?””
She stood.
“Three weeks ago, Ryan found this.””
She reached inside her purse and pulled out a small plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a key.
A brass key with a black tag.
*17B.*
I frowned.
“What is that?””
“Your father's old office.””
“My father sold that building.””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“He never sold it.””
I stared at the key.
“Then who owns it?””
“Daniel.””
My phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number.
*Come alone. 17B. Midnight.*
I looked at Vanessa.
She had seen the message.
“No,” she whispered.
“What?””
“You can't go.””
“Why?””
“Because Daniel knows about the key.””
“How?””
Her eyes filled with fear.
“Because he gave it to your father.””
I stared at her.
“Then why would he want me to have it?””
She didn't answer.
I looked again at the photograph on my phone.
My father.
Daniel.
Edward.
Three men connected by a secret that had survived more than a decade.
Then I noticed something I hadn't seen before.
Edward's hand was holding a document.
A marriage certificate.
And beneath the photograph, barely visible, was a handwritten date.
The date my father married Edward.
It was the same date my father had opened the trust.
The same trust that listed Vanessa.
My phone buzzed again.
Another message.
*Bring Vanessa. She knows what happened to the missing $2.8 million.*
I looked at my wife.
“Vanessa.””
She shook her head.
“I don't have it.””
“Then what do you know?””
She stared at the key.
“I know where your father hid it.””
Before I could ask where, the lights in the house went out.
Every room went black.
Then came three slow knocks on the front door.
Vanessa grabbed my arm.
And a man's voice called from outside.
“Michael.””
May you like
I knew that voice.
Daniel.
