Chapter 8: Room 214
"Room 214," Marcus repeated.
Margaret didn't move.
Ethan looked at her.
"What happened there?""
She slowly sat down.
"Nothing.""
Marcus slammed his hand against the desk.
"Stop lying!""
Margaret flinched.
"I am not lying.""
"Then why did you drop your bag?""
She looked at the floor.
"Because I know that room.""
Ethan stepped closer.
"What happened there?""
Margaret took a long breath.
"Your mother was admitted to that hospital the night before the accident.""
Marcus froze.
"What?""
"She wasn't injured. She went there voluntarily.""
"Why?""
"She was meeting someone.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Who?""
Margaret's eyes moved toward the recorder.
"I don't know.""
Ethan frowned.
"You're doing it again.""
Margaret looked at him.
"Your mother asked me to come with her. She said she needed a witness. When I arrived, Vanessa was already there.""
Marcus's face darkened.
"Vanessa was in the hospital with my wife?""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes.""
"What did they discuss?""
"I don't know. I was waiting outside the room.""
"Then why is it called Room 214?""
"Because that's where they met.""
Ethan looked at the photograph on his phone.
"Who sent this?""
Margaret shook her head.
"I don't know.""
Marcus took out his phone.
"Then we'll find out.""
He called his attorney and explained the situation.
The attorney instructed them not to approach the hospital or contact anyone connected to the old case without legal guidance.
But Ethan was already searching through the files on his mother's recorder.
He connected it to his laptop.
A folder appeared.
Most of the recordings were damaged.
But one file had a date.
November 14.
The day before the accident.
Ethan clicked it.
At first, there was only static.
Then his mother's voice.
"Margaret, I need you to listen carefully.""
A second voice answered.
"I am listening.""
It was Margaret.
Marcus turned toward her.
She closed her eyes.
The recording continued.
"I found the original transfer records," his mother said.
"Vanessa has been using Daniel to move money for years.""
Margaret answered:
"Then report them.""
"I can't.""
"Why not?""
"Because Daniel has someone inside the police department.""
There was a pause.
Then Margaret asked:
"Does Marcus know?""
"No. And he cannot know until I have everything.""
Marcus looked at Margaret.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
She didn't answer.
The recording continued.
"There's another problem," his mother said.
"Ethan's trust has been altered.""
Margaret sounded shocked.
"How?""
"Someone has filed documents claiming I authorized a change in the beneficiary structure.""
"Who?""
"I don't know yet.""
A door opened.
Footsteps approached.
Then a voice spoke.
Vanessa.
"You're wasting your time.""
Marcus went completely still.
His first wife's voice answered:
"Leave.""
Vanessa laughed.
"You don't understand. Your husband will never believe you.""
"Marcus loves me.""
"Marcus loves the woman he thinks you are.""
A pause followed.
Then Vanessa spoke again.
"By tomorrow, everything will be different.""
The recording stopped.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Marcus looked like someone had punched him.
"She was with my wife the night before the accident.""
Margaret nodded.
"Yes.""
"And you knew.""
Margaret lowered her head.
"I knew Vanessa had met her. I didn't know what happened afterward.""
Marcus stood.
"That's not good enough.""
He walked toward the window.
For a moment, Ethan thought his father might break something.
Instead, Marcus placed both hands against the glass.
"Seven years," he whispered.
"Seven years I've believed I lost her because of an accident.""
Ethan approached him.
"Maybe we can still find out what happened.""
Marcus turned.
"We will.""
Across town, Daniel drove the black car into an underground parking garage.
I sat in the back seat, clutching my handbag.
"Where are we going?""
"Somewhere private.""
"You said you had the money.""
"I do.""
"Then why aren't we at the airport?""
Daniel glanced at me.
"Because you have a problem.""
I laughed.
"Everyone keeps telling me that.""
He parked beside a concrete pillar.
Then he turned off the engine.
"Vanessa, I need you to understand something. Marcus isn't your biggest problem anymore.""
I stared at him.
"What do you mean?""
"Margaret has been talking.""
I felt my stomach tighten.
"About what?""
"Everything.""
I shook my head.
"She wouldn't.""
"She already has.""
I looked toward the exit.
Daniel noticed.
"Relax. You're not going anywhere yet.""
"Don't threaten me.""
He smiled.
"I'm not threatening you. I'm reminding you that we're in this together.""
He opened the glove compartment and removed a brown envelope.
Inside were photographs.
Bank statements.
And a handwritten letter.
I recognized the handwriting immediately.
Marcus's first wife.
"Where did you get that?""
"From her old attorney.""
I took the letter.
The first sentence made my hands shake.
Margaret, I know you helped Vanessa access the foundation accounts.
I looked up.
"What is this?""
Daniel leaned back.
"The truth.""
I read the next paragraph.
I also know you were present when the documents were altered. I trusted you because you were family. I never imagined you would betray me.
My mouth went dry.
"Margaret helped us?""
Daniel nodded.
"She did more than help.""
I looked at him.
"Why are you telling me this now?""
"Because I need you to understand that if Marcus finds out what really happened, Margaret will blame you.""
I laughed.
"She already blames me.""
Daniel shook his head.
"No. You don't understand. Margaret was the one who arranged the meeting at the hospital.
She knew your first wife was planning to expose us. She knew where the car would be that night.""
I stared at him.
"You're saying Margaret caused the accident?""
Daniel didn't answer.
He simply handed me another photograph.
It showed a woman standing outside the hospital.
Margaret.
And beside her was a police officer.
The same officer who had signed the original accident report.
I felt sick.
Daniel leaned forward.
"Now you see why we need to leave.""
I stared at the photograph.
Then I looked at him.
"How do I know you're telling the truth?""
He smiled.
"Because I have the original recording.""
He reached into the back seat and pulled out a small digital recorder.
The same model Ethan had.
I recognized the silver casing.
My first wife's recorder.
I grabbed it.
"Where did you get this?""
Daniel pulled it away.
"Careful.""
"Give it to me!""
"Not until you listen.""
He pressed play.
A woman's voice filled the car.
Margaret.
"I've done everything you asked. Now you need to make sure Vanessa leaves town.""
Then another voice.
Daniel.
"And the accident?""
Margaret answered quietly.
"Nobody will ever connect it to us.""
I covered my mouth.
The recording continued.
Daniel asked:
"What about Marcus?""
Margaret replied:
"He'll believe whatever Vanessa tells him. He's always been easy to control.""
I felt something inside me collapse.
Margaret had been using me.
All these years, I had believed I was the one controlling the situation.
But she had been standing behind me.
Watching.
Waiting.
And now I understood why she had suddenly appeared at Marcus's house.
She wasn't there to expose me.
She was there to destroy the evidence that could expose her.
Daniel stopped the recording.
"We need to move.""
I looked at him.
"Where?""
"Out of the country.""
"And the money?""
"Waiting.""
I hesitated.
Then my phone rang.
Marcus.
I stared at the screen.
Daniel shook his head.
"Don't answer.""
I answered.
"Marcus?""
His voice was cold.
"Where are you?""
"Why?""
"Because I want to know where my wife is.""
I glanced at Daniel.
"I'm leaving.""
"Not yet.""
My heart began pounding.
"What do you mean?""
Marcus paused.
Then he said:
"Vanessa, the police are here.""
I looked toward the garage entrance.
Two uniformed officers were walking toward the car.
Daniel swore.
Marcus continued.
"They want to ask you about Patricia Lowell.""
I froze.
Then came the sentence that destroyed every remaining hope I had.
"And Vanessa? They have the original recording of the night my first wife died.""
The call ended.
Daniel grabbed the steering wheel.
"Get down!""
But it was too late.
A flashlight beam swept across the windshield.
A police officer shouted:
"Daniel Price! Turn off the engine and step out of the vehicle!""
Daniel looked at me.
Then he smiled.
It was the same smile I had seen on my own face in the security footage.
A smile without fear.
"Well," he whispered.
"Looks like Margaret has finally decided to sacrifice us.""
He reached into his jacket.
I screamed.
And the garage exploded with the sound of a gunshot.
Back at the mansion, Ethan watched a live news alert appear on his phone.
*TWO SUSPECTS DETAINED IN CONNECTION WITH SEVEN-YEAR-OLD FINANCIAL FRAUD INVESTIGATION.*
He showed Marcus.
Marcus read the headline.
Then looked at Margaret.
"Did you know they were going to the airport?""
Margaret shook her head.
"No.""
Ethan's phone vibrated again.
A new message had arrived.
This time, it contained a photograph of the silver recorder.
And beneath it were six words.
*Your mother left one final message.*
Ethan opened the attachment.
The recording began with a quiet breath.
Then his mother's voice spoke.
"Ethan, if you're hearing this, it means I wasn't able to tell you the truth myself.""
He sat down.
Marcus moved beside him.
The voice continued.
"There's something about your father you need to know.""
Marcus stopped breathing.
His first wife whispered:
"He didn't know what happened in the car that night.""
A pause.
May you like
Then:
"But someone in this family did.""
