Chapter 8 - THE REAL FOUNDER
Margaret returned at sunrise.
Evelyn placed the photograph on the table.
Her mother stopped.
“Where did you get that?”
“Daniel.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Tell me everything.”
“I can't.”
“Then leave.”
“Evelyn.”
“Either tell me the truth or get out of my life.”
Margaret sat down.
Thirty years earlier, Margaret Carter had been a financial analyst.
Thomas had been an ambitious real-estate developer.
Robert Whitmore had been an attorney.
Together, they created Willow.
Not as a criminal network.
As a legal investment consortium designed to keep wealthy families' assets away from hostile corporate takeovers.
It worked.
Too well.
Money attracted powerful people.
Powerful people attracted corruption.
Within five years, Willow had politicians, judges, developers, banks, and foreign investors.
Margaret wanted out.
Thomas didn't.
Robert wanted more.
The friendship collapsed.
Then Vanessa was born.
Thomas was her biological father.
Robert raised her as his own.
Daniel was Robert's biological son from a previous relationship.
The families became trapped together.
“You knew Vanessa was my sister?”
“Yes.”
“All my life?”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Thomas forbade it.”
Evelyn laughed.
“You keep saying that like he was God.”
“To us, sometimes he behaved like he was.”
Margaret took Evelyn's hand.
“I tried to destroy Willow.”
“When?”
“Four years ago.”
Evelyn realized immediately.
“Before Dad disappeared.”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
“Thomas found out.”
“And?”
“He threatened me.”
“With what?”
“You.”
Evelyn closed her eyes.
Every road led back to her.
Margaret continued.
“Charles Benton helped Thomas fake his death.”
“Why?”
“Federal investigators were closing in.”
“So Daniel told the truth.”
“About that, yes.”
“Who was in Dad's coffin?”
Margaret's face changed.
“I don't know.”
Evelyn stared.
“A body was buried.”
“I know.”
“Whose?”
“I never asked.”
Marcus entered.
“I did.”
Both women looked at him.
“The court approved exhumation.”
“And?”
“The coffin is empty.”
Evelyn stared.
“What?”
“No body.”
Margaret looked stunned.
“That isn't possible.”
Marcus placed photographs on the table.
“The coffin contained bags of construction sand.”
Evelyn felt physically sick.
She had kissed that coffin.
She had spent four years visiting a grave containing sand.
Marcus continued.
“We also found Charles Benton.”
“Where?”
“His car.”
“Is he alive?”
“No.”
Evelyn went silent.
Marcus sat down.
“Someone killed him approximately six hours ago.”
“Thomas?”
“We don't know.”
“What about Rosa?”
“Still missing.”
“Vanessa?”
“In custody.”
“Daniel?”
“Missing again.”
Evelyn looked toward Hope's neonatal unit.
Marcus noticed.
“We're assigning officers outside this floor.”
“Good.”
“There's more.”
“There always is.”
Marcus opened another file.
“Benton left a voicemail before he died.”
“To whom?”
“You.”
Evelyn frowned.
“I never got one.”
“He called an old office number.”
Marcus played it.
Benton's terrified voice filled the room.
“Evelyn, if you're hearing this, Thomas knows we found the original Willow charter.”
Breathing.
A car door.
Then Benton continued.
“The charter everyone has been using is fake.”
Evelyn sat forward.
“What?”
“The real charter names a fourth founder.”
Static interrupted.
Benton's voice returned.
“Find Rosa.”
Another noise.
“She knows who it is.”
The recording ended with Benton saying one final sentence.
“And Evelyn…”
A pause.
“Don't let your mother see the original.”
The voicemail stopped.
Evelyn slowly turned toward Margaret.
Her mother's face was white.
“Why wouldn't he want you to see it?”
Margaret shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Evelyn no longer believed her.
Then the neonatal alarm sounded.
Nurses began running.
Evelyn's blood froze.
“What happened?”
A nurse rushed past.
Evelyn tried to stand.
“That's my daughter!”
Marcus helped her into a wheelchair.
They reached Hope's room.
The incubator was empty.
Evelyn screamed.
“WHERE IS MY BABY?”
A nurse stared in horror.
“She was here thirty seconds ago.”
Marcus drew his weapon.
“Lock down the hospital!”
Security alarms activated.
Evelyn saw something inside the incubator.
A white envelope.
Her hands shook as she opened it.
Inside was a photograph of Thomas Carter holding newborn Hope.
On the back was a message.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT YOUR DAUGHTER BACK.
And beneath it was an address Evelyn knew immediately.
May you like
The Carter family cemetery.
Her father's empty grave.
