Chapter 8: The Man Behind the Voice
Daniel stopped breathing.
His father's voice came through the basement door again.
“Open the door, son.””
Daniel stared at Michael.
Michael's expression had gone cold.
“You hear it too?””
Daniel nodded.
“How?””
Michael looked at the speaker mounted near the ceiling.
“Recordings.””
Daniel swallowed.
“My father?””
“Probably.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“No.””
Michael looked at her.
“You recognize his voice.””
She whispered, “I know.””
The police officer nearest the door examined the lock.
“It's reinforced.””
Michael pointed toward the wall.
“There's another way.””
Noah moved toward the basement shelves.
“What are we looking for?””
“A red brick.””
Noah scanned the wall.
“Which one?””
“The one that doesn't belong.””
Noah ran his hands over the bricks.
Most were covered with dust.
One looked cleaner.
He pressed it.
Nothing.
Michael came over.
“Push harder.””
Noah did.
A click sounded.
A section of wall shifted inward.
Behind it was a narrow passage.
Daniel stared.
“My father built this?””
Michael nodded.
“He used it whenever he didn't want servants to know where he was going.””
Noah looked into the darkness.
“You've been through it?””
“Many times.””
“Then you know where it leads?””
“To the greenhouse.””
Noah pulled out his phone.
“I know another entrance.””
Michael looked at him.
“Show me.””
They moved into the passage.
Daniel went first with a police officer.
Michael followed.
Evelyn came behind them.
Marcus brought up the rear.
The walls were damp.
Water dripped somewhere in the darkness.
Their footsteps echoed.
After several yards, Daniel noticed old photographs mounted along the wall.
His family.
His father.
His mother.
Michael as a child.
Daniel himself.
Then one photograph made him stop.
It showed Michael at eighteen.
Beside him stood Victor Shaw.
Daniel stared.
“That's Victor.””
Michael nodded.
“They were business partners?””
“They were more than that.””
Daniel looked at him.
“What do you mean?””
“Victor was my father's fixer.””
Daniel frowned.
“Fixer?””
“He handled problems.””
“What kind?””
“The kind that never appeared in newspapers.””
Daniel looked at the photographs again.
“Then why did Dad trust him?””
“Because Victor knew where the bodies were buried.””
A loud crash echoed from behind them.
Evelyn screamed.
Michael turned.
“Keep moving.””
They hurried.
The passage opened into a small concrete room beneath the greenhouse.
Noah pushed aside a wooden panel.
Fresh air entered.
They climbed through.
The greenhouse was dark.
Moonlight spilled through the glass ceiling.
Noah locked the door behind them.
Daniel looked at Michael.
“Now tell me everything.””
Michael shook his head.
“Not here.””
“Why?””
“Because we're being watched.””
Daniel looked around.
“By who?””
Michael pointed upward.
A tiny red light blinked inside the greenhouse.
Camera.
Noah stared.
“They installed that recently.””
Michael nodded.
“They've been watching you too.””
Daniel looked at Evelyn.
“Who?””
She whispered, “Victor.””
Michael shook his head.
“No.””
Daniel frowned.
“Then who?””
Michael looked directly at Evelyn.
“Her.””
Evelyn's eyes widened.
“What?””
“You installed the cameras.””
“No.””
Michael stepped forward.
“I found the invoices.””
Daniel turned toward his wife.
“Did you?””
Evelyn shook her head desperately.
“I didn't install them.””
Michael looked at Marcus.
“Tell him.””
Marcus lowered his eyes.
“I can't.””
Daniel's voice hardened.
“Tell me.””
Marcus sighed.
“The cameras were installed through a private security company.””
“Whose account?””
“Evelyn's.””
Daniel stared at her.
She looked shattered.
“I did it because Victor threatened me.””
Michael's voice was cold.
“Again with Victor.””
“He knew everything about us!””
“He knew what you told him.””
Evelyn froze.
Michael continued.
“You were the one feeding him information.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Were you?””
“No.””
Michael pulled out his phone.
He showed Daniel a series of messages.
Evelyn's number.
Dates.
Times.
Photographs of Daniel.
His schedule.
His business meetings.
Even pictures of Noah working around the garden.
Daniel stared.
“You sent these.””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I didn't.””
Michael zoomed in.
“The account was registered under your name.””
“That doesn't mean I sent them.””
Daniel looked at her.
“Who had access to your phone?””
Evelyn hesitated.
“My assistant.””
“Name?””
“Clara.””
Marcus's expression changed.
“Clara left three months ago.””
“Where did she go?””
Evelyn shook her head.
“I don't know.””
Michael smiled grimly.
“She didn't leave.””
A noise came from outside.
Footsteps.
Noah switched off the greenhouse lights.
Everyone became silent.
A shadow moved across the glass.
Daniel held his breath.
The door handle turned.
Once.
Twice.
Then stopped.
A voice spoke from outside.
“Daniel?””
Daniel recognized it.
Victor.
Michael motioned for everyone to remain quiet.
Victor continued.
“You've been lied to.””
Daniel stepped toward the door.
Michael grabbed him.
“Don't.””
Victor laughed softly.
“Your brother is standing beside you, isn't he?””
Daniel froze.
“How does he know?””
Michael whispered, “He's watching.””
Victor's voice came again.
“Michael.””
No response.
“I know you're there.””
Michael remained silent.
“You should have stayed dead.””
Michael finally spoke.
“So should you.””
A long silence followed.
Then Victor laughed.
“I knew you'd come back.””
Daniel looked at Michael.
“Open the door.””
“No.””
“I need answers.””
“You'll get them.””
Victor suddenly said:
“Daniel, ask your brother why he was at the mansion the night your father died.””
Daniel turned toward Michael.
“What?””
Michael's face changed.
Victor continued.
“He wasn't supposed to survive that night.””
Daniel stared.
Michael looked away.
“You were there?””
Michael said nothing.
“Michael.””
“Yes.””
Daniel stepped back.
“Why?””
Michael finally looked at him.
“Because I killed our father.””
Evelyn gasped.
Marcus closed his eyes.
Daniel shook his head.
“You killed Dad?””
“No.””
Michael's voice trembled.
“I killed the man everyone thought was our father.””
Daniel stared at him.
“What does that mean?””
Michael reached into his pocket and pulled out a photograph.
It showed their father standing beside Victor.
But Daniel noticed something impossible.
The man in the photograph had a scar on his right hand.
His father had never had one.
Michael whispered:
“Your father died long before you were told.””
Daniel looked at the photograph.
“Then who raised me?””
Michael's eyes filled with tears.
“That's what I've been trying to tell you.””
The greenhouse door suddenly exploded inward.
A masked man rushed inside.
Michael shoved Daniel aside.
The two men collided.
Noah grabbed a metal gardening tool.
The police officer raised his weapon.
“Freeze!””
The masked man pulled a knife.
Michael struck his wrist.
The knife fell.
Daniel grabbed the man's shoulder.
The mask slipped.
Everyone froze.
It was Clara.
Evelyn's former assistant.
Evelyn whispered, “Clara?””
Clara smiled.
“You should have listened to Victor.””
She looked directly at Daniel.
“Your family is built on a lie.””
Then she reached inside her jacket.
Michael shouted:
“Get down!””
Clara pulled out a phone.
The screen displayed a live video.
Daniel stared at it.
It showed his childhood home.
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And standing in the center of the room was a man Daniel had believed was dead for twelve years.
His mother.
