Chapter 11 - THE TRUTH ABOUT ROBERT HAYES
Robert Hayes had always been the perfect professional.
Expensive suits.
Calm voice.
Perfect reputation.
Everyone trusted him.
That was why Daniel had chosen him as his attorney.
And that was exactly why he was dangerous.
The police found Robert three hours later.
He wasn’t running.
He was waiting.
Almost like he knew they would come.
Detective Mason placed the evidence on the table.
“You lied to everyone.”
Robert looked at him.
“I protected people.”
Margaret stepped forward.
“You protected yourself.”
Robert looked at her.
“You still don’t understand what Daniel discovered.”
“Then explain.”
Robert sighed.
For the first time, he looked tired.
“Daniel was a good man.”
Margaret narrowed her eyes.
“You helped frame me.”
“Yes.”
The honesty shocked everyone.
“Why?”
Robert looked down.
“Because I was trying to buy time.”
Margaret laughed.
“By destroying my life?”
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
Robert looked toward Emily.
“Your father knew too much.”
Emily stepped closer.
“You hurt Daddy.”
Robert’s face changed.
“No.”
His voice became softer.
“I tried to save him.”
Nobody spoke.
Robert continued.
“Daniel discovered that someone inside his own company had been moving money for years.”
“The Silver Project.”
Robert nodded.
“He thought Olivia was involved.”
Margaret froze.
“Was she?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Robert looked at Margaret.
And that look answered before his words did.
“The person behind everything was someone Daniel never wanted to believe.”
Margaret felt her chest tighten.
“Who?”
Robert leaned forward.
“Your employer.”
The room went silent.
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
“Yes.”
“That’s impossible.”
“Daniel discovered she was using his company to hide illegal transactions.”
Margaret remembered the person from the photograph.
The person she trusted.
The person who comforted Emily.
The person who acted like family.
Robert continued.
“She found out Daniel knew.”
“And she killed him?”
Robert looked away.
“She made sure someone else took the blame.”
Margaret’s hands trembled.
“Why me?”
Robert answered quietly.
“Because you were the perfect target.”
The nanny.
The outsider.
The person nobody powerful would defend.
Suddenly, Emily grabbed Margaret’s hand.
“Where is she now?”
Nobody answered.
Because everyone already knew.
She wasn’t hiding.
She wasn’t running.
She was watching.
And then every phone in the room received the same message.
A photo.
Emily.
Standing outside.
Alone.
May you like
The message underneath said:
YOU SHOULD HAVE STOPPED SEARCHING.
